Tenant Checks in VIC

Tenant Checks in VIC

Find out everything you need to know about conducting a Tenant Check in VIC.

Here’s what you need to know about tenancy checks in Victoria before leasing out your property.

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Before engaging in tenancy checks, it’s important to understand the relevant legislation and how it affects the tenancy screening process in Victoria. 

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According to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), landlords and agents must obtain consent from a prospective tenant before performing a tenancy check. They are also required to inform the applicant about their right to view the report and any mistakes or discrepancies that need to be amended. Landlords or agents should also explain what information will be collected about them during this process.

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Tenancy checks are managed by external credit reporting agencies in Victoria such as Equifax or Experian. They can provide access to rental payment histories, ensuring that landlords and agents have a clear picture of potential tenants’ previous rental behaviour. 

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This may include information regarding rent arrears, any outstanding disputes with previous landlords, or bankruptcies/insolvencies that could affect their ability to pay rent on time in future tenancies.

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Additionally, landlord reference checks can provide insight into how previous tenants maintained properties over the duration of their tenancy agreement. 

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For more information see Consumer Affairs Victoria.

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Reasons why a tenant can be listed

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There are only two reasons a tenant can be listed on a database:

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  • They owe the rental provider more money than the bond will cover, or
  • VCAT has given the rental provider a possession order for the property [section 439E]

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But a tenant must have also done one of the following, which has caused them to owe more money than the bond will cover or caused VCAT to give a possession order:

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  • Breached the rental agreement (lease)
  • Caused serious damage to the property, either deliberately or recklessly [sections 91ZI, 142ZB, 206AQ, 207W]
  • Used the property for an illegal purpose [sections 91ZQ, 142ZI, 206AY, 207ZC]
  • Sub-let or assigned the property to another person without the rental provider’s consent [sections 91ZV, 207ZD]
  • Caused a danger to neighbours, the rental provider, or agent, or a contractor or employee of the rental provider or agent, or a person in a rooming house or caravan park if you lived in that type of accommodation [sections 91ZJ, 142ZC, 206AR, 207X]
  • Were late paying rent by more than 14 days, if you were a renter, or more than 7 days, if you were a resident in a rooming house or caravan park [sections 91ZM, 142ZF, 206AU]
  • Breached a compliance or compensation order made by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) [sections 91ZO, 142ZG, 206AW, 207ZA]

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Also read: How to Choose the Right Tenant | RentBetter

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Ready to conduct a Tenant Check?

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If you're ready to run a a tenant check on your potential new tenants it's really easy to do through RentBetter in just a couple of clicks.

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You can get started here.

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