Victoria's 2026 rental reforms: what changes on 13 October

What changes on 13 October 2026

Three duties commence on this date:

• Record keeping for minimum-standards compliance. Rental providers must keep sufficient records to demonstrate a property met the prescribed minimum standards when it was advertised or offered for rent. No retention period is specified in the change.
• Gas and electrical safety checks for all properties. The mandatory two-yearly gas and electrical safety checks now apply to every rental property, regardless of when the agreement commenced. Properties on older agreements lose their exemption.
• Stronger bond claims. A rental provider must notify the renter in advance of a bond claim and provide supporting evidence.

The record-keeping duty is the sharp one

It is easy to conflate two separate obligations. The 15 minimum standards have had to be met before a property is advertised since 25 November 2025. What starts on 13 October 2026 is the duty to keep the records that show they were met at that moment. In other words, meeting the standards is not new; being able to prove you met them, on the day you advertised, is.

That is a records problem, not a renovation problem. It rewards a rental provider who captured a dated photo or certificate for each of the 15 categories at the time of listing, and it exposes anyone relying on memory about a past date.

Gas and electrical: no more exemption

Gas and electrical safety checks are each required at least once every two years: the gas check by a licensed or registered gasfitter, the electrical check by a licensed electrician. From 13 October 2026 this applies to every rental property, including those on agreements that began before the earlier 2021 rules. Before entering an agreement, the rental provider must disclose the date of the last check and any outstanding recommendations; a copy must be given to the renter within seven days of a written request.

What it can cost

Advertising or offering premises that do not meet the rental minimum standards is an offence under section 65B of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997. The maximum penalty is:

The value of a penalty unit changes on 1 July each year, so treat these figures as current for the 2026–27 financial year and confirm the latest with Consumer Affairs Victoria.

What to do before 13 October

• Confirm the date of the last gas and electrical safety check on every property.
• Capture dated evidence (a photo or certificate) for each of the 15 minimum-standard categories at the point you advertise.
• Keep that evidence together, per property, so you can produce it later on request.
• Note that Victoria uses the terms rental provider (not landlord) and renter (not tenant) in the current law.

That last point about producing evidence later is exactly the gap Senly Rent is built to close: a dated, per-property compliance record you can show on the spot.