Thursday, 15 August 2024

Rental reform

Meng Heang TAK (Clarinda) (17:16): (784) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide an update on how the Allan Labor government’s renting taskforce is making Victoria’s renting system better and fairer. I was delighted to join the minister along with Consumer Affairs Victoria director Nicole Rich and the new renting taskforce officers in Clayton recently as they attended inspections of rental properties for the first time.

Backed by a $4 million investment from the Allan Labor government, the renting taskforce is using intelligence and market analysis to boost monitoring of rental campaigns, conduct targeted inspections and act on identified breaches. In Clayton in my local community more than 60 per cent of the properties are rentals, making it an important location for the taskforce’s first-time inspections. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm of the taskforce team, who are attending rental inspections in Clayton and the surrounding areas and checking that rental properties meet the mandatory minimum standards and that agents and rental providers are meeting their obligations.

Rental minimum standards in our state include things that most people would reasonably expect in their homes, such as a functional kitchen and lockable external doors and being structurally sound and waterproof. Victorians who suspect properties available for rent are being falsely advertised and not meeting minimum standards can alert Consumer Affairs Victoria directly through a new complaints form online. This is a fantastic initiative which will make the rental market fairer for everyone in our community. I thank the minister and look forward to her response.