Reviewed 17 October 2026 (Australia/Brisbane). This article is for Victorian residential rental providers.
If your property manager’s statement includes a safety-check charge, can you find the report behind it? That is a useful question to ask now.
Victoria’s rental-law changes took effect on 13 October 2026. Check one property’s records with your agent and identify missing documents.
What changed on 13 October?
Consumer Affairs Victoria’s update, last revised 14 October 2026, lists three changes especially relevant to your records:
- Bond claims: providers must tell renters in advance about an intended end-of-agreement claim and supply supporting evidence.
- Minimum standards: providers or agents must retain evidence that the property met the standards before advertising, offering it or occupation, and produce those records if CAV asks.
- Safety checks: two-yearly electrical checks apply across rental agreements, regardless of when they began. Two-yearly gas checks apply where the property has gas appliances, fixtures or fittings.
The update also covers application-fee restrictions and gas checks before draughtproofing. Read the official page for the full scope.
13 October is the commencement date, not a universal appointment date for every property. Confirm how the requirements apply to your tenancy, its last checks and any transitional arrangements with your agent or CAV.
Start with the report behind the charge
A statement line tells you a payment was recorded. To understand the work, collect the invoice and the actual safety report.
CAV’s gas and electrical safety guidance describes the records tradespeople should supply, including their identifying and licence details, the check date, findings and required repairs or actions. Ask for these documents if your folder contains only a bill.
As a practical filing habit, keep the report, invoice and any follow-up completion record together. A paid invoice by itself may leave an unresolved recommendation unexplained. Let the qualified tradesperson assess the work; an owner’s checklist cannot certify safety.
CAV updated its detailed safety guidance on 14 October 2026 to reflect the current rules. Check it for the requirements relevant to the property and the records to retain.
Check evidence before the next advertisement
CAV’s minimum-standards guidance already requires compliance before advertising or offering a property. Its 15 categories include heating, locks, ventilation and structural condition; a provider checklist is available on that page.
For your own review, place dated inspection records and relevant reports beside the checklist. Record any unresolved item, who will follow it up and when you will check again. Confirm the applicable tenancy rules and exceptions rather than assuming every older agreement has identical requirements.
A five-part property record
This is an organising suggestion, not a prescribed legal evidence pack:
- Property and tenancy: the address, agreement and your manager’s contact details.
- Statements: the current owner statement and any missing periods.
- Supporting documents: invoices and reports behind charges you want to understand.
- Condition and follow-up: relevant inspection records, repair correspondence and completion evidence.
- Open questions: the document or answer still needed, who you asked and your next review date.
Share only records relevant to the task and keep renter information secure. If a bond claim is being considered, confirm the current process and evidence requirements before acting.
Keep your manager and build your own record
You can begin with one manageable task in PropAlly: add one property, manually upload one real rental statement, compare the extracted dates and figures with the original, correct them if needed and save.
Free includes one property, three manual PDF imports and five expense extractions per month. Ongoing inbox automation is paid. Check current plan allowances.
Return when the next statement arrives and compare it with your saved record. Keep the underlying reports and invoices available, and use your open-questions list to follow up with your manager.
Start with one property free. For help reading the statement itself, see our rental statement example and checklist.
Sources checked 17 October 2026. This is general information and an editorial records checklist, not legal, financial or tax advice or a guarantee of compliance. Check the official guidance and obtain qualified advice for your circumstances.