First time renting to students?
Not sure where to start?
Consider the type of accommodation you wish to provide.
Not sure how much rent to charge?
Check what the market is doing.
Should bills be included in the rent or charged individually?
You can only charge individual tenants a separately for electricity and gas if the facilities are separately metered.
Can I charge a bond?
Yes. If you take a bond from your tenant you are required by law to provide them with a 'Bond Lodgement' form to sign. You are required to lodge the bond with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) within 10 working days of the tenancy start date. A 'Condition Report' should accompany any bond and is used to prove the condition of the property/room prior to, and at the completion of, a tenancy. Both landlord and tenant must complete and sign the form. It can be helpful to take photos of the property/room to be used as additional evidence of condition and the current condition at the commencement of the tenancy. Free Room Condition Reports and Bond Lodgement forms are available through the Off-Campus Housing Service, online or from Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Do I need to enter into a lease agreement with the tenant?
A tenancy agreement, also called a lease, can be in writing or verbal. If a tenancy agreement is in writing it should be in proper legal form. Free Residential tenancy Agreements are available through the Off-Campus Housing Service, online or from Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Does my property come under the rules and regulations for rooming houses?
You are a rooming house operator if you have a property that has one or more rooms rented to four or more people, who each have a separate agreement. To gain more information on rooming house requirements, contact Consumer Affairs and your local council Environmental Health Officer.
The Off-Campus Housing Service conducts a number of Landlord Information Forums each year. See the main page for details.
