Minimum Standards Checks

// minimum standards check

Minimum standard checks in rental properties are crucial for safeguarding rental providers and renters alike.

Residential Tenancies Act mandates 14 key minimum standards requirements in rental properties within Victoria ranging from structural soundness, type of window and door locks, heating, electrical safety devices, ventilation, mould/dampness, bathroom, toilet and kitchen facilities. 

The risk of not maintaining the minimum standards in rental properties could result in penalities up to $11,538.60, and in more extreme cases if harm were to come to the renter, may result in criminal prosecution. 

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The Syncom difference

Our approach to electrical safety checks is marked by a dedication to customer convenience and service excellence.

Unlike many safety check providers, we conduct all three crucial checks – electrical, gas, and smoke alarms – in a single, efficient appointment, minimising disruptions for renters.

This streamlined process not only saves time but also ensures thorough adherence to regulations, all while delivering a transparent and competitively priced service.

Moreover, our emphasis on customer service is unmatched, with our technical support team readily available to address inquiries, offer expert advice, and ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience for all our rental providers.

What truly sets Syncom apart is our commitment to simplifying the safety check process. We believe in making it easy for rental property owners, property managers, and renters to ensure safety.

Our dedication to customer service, transparent pricing, and the convenience of consolidated appointments is the foundation of our service difference, creating safer, more reliable homes in Victoria.

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Are Minimum Standard Checks required?

// minimum standards

Ensuring rental properties meet minimum standards is paramount for renters' safety and property owners' protection. 

There is no legal requirement to have minimum standards checks completed by qualified tradespeople in the Residential Tenancies Act.

Victorian rental property minimum standards cover various aspects, such as heating, electrical safety, ventilation, locks, structural soundness and more, all designed to create a secure and habitable living environment for renters. 

However, the responsibility of identifying and adhering to these standards in your rental property can be difficult, where rental providers and property managers don’t have an understanding of regulations such as structural integrity, or ventilation requirements.

Syncom steps in to alleviate these concerns and provide peace of mind. 

With our comprehensive minimum standards checks, we ensure that rental properties are compliant with minimum standards, mitigating potential risks and liabilities. Our experienced team thoroughly assess properties in line with the regulations. 

In doing so, they help rental providers understand what is required to meet the standards and which repairs are essential, offering expert guidance.

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Minimum Standards Check

  • Visual inspection by a experienced tradesperson verifying the minimum standards requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act
  • Residential Tenancies Act mandates fourteen (14) minimum standards requirements in rental properties within Victoria ranging from structural soundness, type of window and door locks, heating, electrical safety devices, ventilation, mould/dampness, bathroom, toilet and kitchen facilitaties 
  • Comprehensive report detailing all components of property checked in line with the Residential Tenancies Act upon completion and outcomes
  • Free quote upon completion of Safety Check, no obligation

Cost: $195 (inclusive of GST) recommended every 2 years

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  • "Great service from start to finish! Thorough, personable, punctual and very professional & efficient. A special mention to Jacob the Sparkie who was just a lovely & respectful young lad. Great work guys!"

    M. Clarke

    Melbourne

  • Our safety check process

    // safety check process

    Syncom's meticulous six-step Safety Check process guarantees clear, comprehensive assessments of your property.

    We prioritise thorough communication and internal review to ensure our safety check reporting is concise and consistent, enabling you to maximise your experience with Syncom.

    • Service request
      received

      business administrator
    • Renters book appointment

      real estate offer 2
    • Field technicians
      conduct checks

      home inspector 3
    • Report internal
      review

      home inspections
    • Free Quote for repairs
      (if applicable)

      check
    • Safety check reports submitted with outcomes

      property agreement

    Victorian Laws

    // Minimum standards legalisation

    Consumer Affairs Victoria have mandated fourteen (14) key minimum standards requirements for rental property, in accordance with the National Building Code, Victorian Building Authrotiy and Residential Tenancies Act

    MINIMUM STANDARDS LEGISLATION

    See below summary exert from Consumer Affairs Victoria’s minimum standards requirements in a rental property: 

    Bathroom

    A rental property’s bathroom must have a washbasin and a shower or bath, and be connected to a reasonable supply of hot and cold water.

    Showers must have a shower head with a 3-star water efficiency rating. If one cannot be installed, for example because of the property’s age, then a shower head with a 1- or 2-star rating is acceptable.

    Electrical safety

    The electrical safety rental minimum standard commenced on 29 March 2023.

    Rental properties must have modern switchboards, with circuit breakers and electrical safety switches installed. Electrical safety switches are known as residual current devices (RCD, RCCB or RCBO).

    Rental providers are responsible for engaging an electrician to ensure their rental property complies with the electrical safety standard.

    If your rented premises has a circuit breaker type switchboard

    The rented premises can meet the minimum standard if the electrician adds circuit breaker components to the power outlets and lighting circuits, without the need to add to or modify the circuit protection to other circuits (such as fixed cooking equipment, hot water units or air-conditioning circuits).

    The circuit breaker components include:

        – an overcurrent circuit breaker and a residual current device (RCDs), or

        – an overcurrent circuit breaker and a residual current operated circuit-breakers without integral overcurrent protection (RCCBs), or

        – a residual current operated circuit-breaker with integral overcurrent protection (RCBOs).

    If your rented premises does not have a circuit breaker type switchboard.

    Some properties do not have circuit breaker type switchboards, such as older properties that have a panel and fuse board or a federal fuse board.

    With these older fuse boards, an electrician may not have the option of adding circuit breaker components (such as RCDs, RCCBs or RCBOs) and may have to replace the entire switchboard to ensure the rented premises meets the electrical safety standard. In this case, there must be circuit breaker components for all the circuits at the switchboard, including fixed cooking equipment, hot water units and air-conditioning circuits.

    Heating

    All rental properties must have a fixed heater (not portable) in good working order in the main living area.

    For rental agreements entered into from 29 March 2023, this must be an energy efficient fixed heater in the main living area. If there is an existing fixed heater that is not energy efficient, the rental provider must upgrade it.

    An energy efficient fixed heater must be one of the following:

        – a non-ducted air conditioner or heat pump with a 2 star or above energy rating

        – a gas space heater with a 2 star or above energy rating

        – a ducted heating or hydronic heating system with an outlet in the main living area

        – a domestic solid fuel burning appliance, such as a fireplace or wood burning stove.

    Apartments

    In some apartment blocks it may not be practical to install an energy efficient heater – because of owner’s corporation rules, or costs, for example.

    It may be unreasonable to install an energy efficient heater if:

        – the cost of installation would be significantly higher than the average cost in a domestic apartment building

        – owners corporation rules prohibit it

        – compliance with any other Act or local law makes the installation cost prohibitive.

    If this is the case, the rental provider must still install a fixed heater in the main living area.

    If a rental provider considers that it would be unreasonable to install an energy efficient fixed heater, they should:

        – have evidence to show that it is unreasonable, and

        – let the renter know before they enter into a rental agreement.

    You can download our guide for more information: Minimum rental standards for heating – Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021.

    Kitchen

    The property must have a kitchen with:

        – a dedicated cooking and food preparation area

        – a sink in good working order connected to a reasonable supply of hot and cold water

        – a stovetop in good working order that has two or more burners.

    If there is an oven, it needs to be in good working order.

    These requirements do not apply if the property is listed in the heritage register at Heritage Council Victoria and has an approved exemption from the standard.

    Laundry

    If there is a laundry on the property, it must be connected to a reasonable supply of hot and cold water.

    Lighting

    Inside rooms, corridors and hallways must have access to light to make the areas functional. During the day, natural light can include light borrowed from an adjoining room. At night, renters should have access to artificial light.

    These requirements do not apply if the property is registered under the Heritage Act 2017 and has an approved exemption from the standard.

    Locks

    The property’s external entry doors must have functioning deadlatches or be fitted with locks that can be unlocked with a key from the outside but can be unlocked without one from the inside.

    The only cases where a deadlatch doesn’t have to be fitted to a door are when:

        – a door cannot be secured with a deadlatch – for example, because of its position

        – it is a screen door in the same door frame as an external door

        – a different type of lock or device is required under another Act or law

        – the door is not accessible because there is another type of security barrier. For example, a locked door to an apartment building, or a locked gate

        – the property is registered under the Heritage Act 2017 and has an approved exemption from the standard.

    Read more about locks and security.

    Mould and damp

    All rooms must be free from mould and damp caused by or related to the building structure.

    Structural soundness

    The property must be structurally sound and weatherproof.

    Toilets

    The property’s toilet must be in good working order and connected to either:

        – pipes that carry the sewage to a treatment plant (a reticulated sewerage system)

        – a wastewater treatment system permitted under the Code of practice – Onsite wastewater management at EPA Victoria

        – any other system approved by the local council.

    The toilet must be in a separate room in the property, either by itself, or in an appropriate room like a bathroom or in a combined bathroom-laundry.

    Ventilation

    Rental properties must have adequate ventilation in all habitable rooms including the bathroom, shower, toilet and laundry.

    The property must meet the appropriate ventilation requirements of the Building Code of Australia, which are different for different kinds of properties. You can search resources in the Australian Building Codes Board resources library.

    Vermin proof bins

    Rental providers must supply a rubbish bin and a recycling bin for the renter to use. The bins can be provided by the local council or purchased elsewhere, as long as they are vermin proof and meet council collection standards.

    Window coverings

    Windows in rooms likely to be used as bedrooms or living areas must be fitted with curtains or blinds that can be closed, block light and provide privacy.

    Windows

    All external windows in a rental property that can be opened must have a latch or lock installed to secure the windows against external entry.

    FAQs - Minimum standards checks

    Our FAQ section is a valuable resource for all your queries regarding minimum standard checks and compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act.

    Easily find the answers you need by using the convenient drop-down menus.

    Contact Us

    A Minimum Standard Checks is an optional inspection of the structural soundness, type of window and door locks, heating, electrical safety devices, ventilation, mould/dampness, bathroom, toilet and kitchen facilitaties in a rental property, as per the minimum standards outlined in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

    Rental providers (owners) are obligated to ensure the minimum standards outlined by the Residential Tenancies Act are met in their rental property. Failure to do so can result in penalities over $11k or possible criminal prosecution in extreme cases if physical harm comes to a renter.

    There is no legal requirement for minimum standard checks to be conducted at regular intervals in rental properties.

    We recommend every 2 years in line with Consumer Affairs Victoria’s mandated electrical and gas safety check intervals, however, it is at the discretion of the rental provider. 

    Encompasses visual inspection of the fourteen (14) minimum standards ranging from structural soundness, type of window and door locks, heating, electrical safety devices, ventilation, mould/dampness, bathroom, toilet and kitchen facilitaties in line with National Building Code, Victorian Building Authrotiy and Residential Tenancies Act. 

    During a minimum standards check, various hazards and dangers may be identified. These checks are essential to ensure the safety, habitability, and compliance of rental properties. Here are some common hazards and dangers that might be found:

    Security and Safety: Lack of secure locks and window latches can compromise the safety and security of the renter. These issues may increase the risk of break-ins or harm coming to the renter.

    Structural Problems: Rental properties with structural issues like leaks, water damage, or structural instability may not meet minimum standards for safety and habitability.

    Mould and Dampness: Dampness caused by water leaks, inadequate ventilation, or poor insulation can lead to mould growth. Mould can negatively impact indoor air quality and trigger health problems.

    The duration of an Minimum Standards Check may vary based on the complexity and size of the property, usually spanning 1-2 hours for on-site completion.

    Furthermore, additional time is allocated for internal review by our technical support team to ensure the accuracy and quality of each report.

    Minimum Standards Checks cost $195 inclusive of GST

    The outcome of the check is contingent upon the property assessment. Identified issues may or may not necessitate attention depending on concessions afforded by the Residential Tenancies Act where certain minimum standards cannot be met.

    Our detailed reports categorise repair recommendations into two distinct groups for clear identification of their necessity: Minimum Standards Repair, or Recommendation.

    Residential Tenancies Act does not stipulate that a qualified tradesperson is required to undertake a Minimum Standards Check.

    We would however recommend engaging a experienced tradespeople as there are specific regulations to be knowledgeable on in the Residential Tenancies Act, Residential Tenancies Regulations, National Building Code, and requirements established by the Victorian Building Authority.

    There is no legal requirement to have minimum standards check undertaken under the Residential Tenancies Act.