This information is a guide and should not be used as a substitute for professional legal advice.
Rental provider database
Consumer Affairs Victoria keeps a database, or register, that renters can search to see if a rental provider (landlord) has had any orders made against them for breaching their duties, or if they have been convicted of an offence under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
The register
Knowing the recent history of the rental provider (landlord) can help you decide if you want to rent a property before you enter into a rental agreement.
Check the rental provider database on the Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) website, where listings stay for 3 years [section 439S]. The database’s formal name is the ‘rental non-compliance register’.
When a listing is made
From 29 March, 2021, rental providers are listed on the register if:
- The rental provider has breached their duty under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has made a compliance or compensation order that they must:
- Fix a breach
- Pay compensation, or
- Not commit a breach again
- The rental provider has committed an offence under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 [section 439P]
Note that on this page sections in brackets, such as [section 439P], refer to sections in the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
Information on the register
The register lists the:
- Name of the rental provider
- Address of the rented premises that the VCAT order or the offence relates to
- Business name and business address of the agent, if the rental provider has an agent
- Date of the VCAT order, conviction, or finding of guilt
- Relevant provision of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997. [Section 439P]
Length of the listing
As already noted, listings stay on the database for 3 years [section 439S].
Resources
Related pages
Landlord breaches and other notices
Complaints about rental providers and agents
Compensation for renters