Consumer Affairs Victoria

13/10/2026

From today, rental providers and agents must give renters evidence, such as photos, quotes or receipts, before claiming money from their bond.

Other changes starting today:

🚫 No fees for rental applications or rent payment.

🔧 Mandatory gas and electrical safety checks every 2 years for all rentals.

📋 Stronger record keeping for rental minimum standards.

These changes build on reforms introduced since November last year and form part of more than 150 rental reforms introduced in Victoria since 2021.

Want to know what’s changed and what it means for you? Find out more at Consumer Affairs Victoria: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/no-more-unsupported-bond-claims-under-new-rental-reforms

12/10/2026

“Act now.” ‘Payment overdue.” “Your account will be closed.”​

Sound familiar?​

Scammers often use urgency to get you reacting before you’ve had time to think.​

If a message is pushing you to act immediately, take a second and look for warning signs:​

🚩 unexpected requests for money or personal information​
🚩 links you weren’t expecting, or that look suspicious​
🚩 unusual payment methods​
🚩 pressure to act straight away.​

Something feel off? Don’t engage. Check the request another way, like calling the person or organisation on a number you trust, then report the scam.​

🧐 Learn to spot a scam: service.vic.gov.au/scamcheck​

🚨 Report financial or identity cybercrime: cyber.gov.au/report​

09/10/2026

Congratulations on your new property.

Next up is settlement. It’s an important day when you:

💰 pay the rest of the purchase price to the seller
📃 get the property title and become the legal owner
🔑 (usually) get the keys to your new property.

Know what to expect and take the stress out of it. Visit consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/buying-and-selling-property/buying-property/property-settlement/before-property-settlement

05/10/2026

02/10/2026

New laws will help to tackle underquoting, giving homebuyers clearer property price information.

When selling a home, agents must now publish the seller’s reserve price 7 days before an auction or fixed-date sale. They must also publish the sold price after the sale becomes unconditional.

Read more: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/greater-property-price-transparency-for-victorian-homebuyers

01/10/2026

Disputes about your club may come up, but prolonged disagreements can drain an incorporated association’s time and energy. And without a clear process, they tend to escalate.

Here are some options available to incorporated associations:

▪️ Your association’s rules must include a grievance procedure. Start there.
▪️ Still can’t resolve it? You can contact the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria.
▪️ As a last step, the Magistrates' Court can decide some disputes if they remain unresolved.

The earlier you act, the more options you have.

Before things go too far, read more via the comments to understand your options 👇

30/09/2026

Consumers who called a locksmith for urgent help were charged between $600 and $2,100 for door-opening services advertised online from $55.

Following legal action by Consumer Affairs Victoria, the business has paid $80,000 in penalties and compensation to consumers involved in our legal action, and improved its pricing transparency.

If you're hiring a locksmith, always ask for the total price up front before any work starts.

Read more: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/locksmiths-pay-$80k-for-poor-conduct

Had a bad experience with a locksmith?
Contact us: consumer.vic.gov.au/contact

29/09/2026

If you run a rooming house, you must meet minimum standards that cover:

🛏️ residents’ rooms
🛁 bathrooms
🍽️ dining facilities
🍳 kitchens
🧺 shared laundries.

Rent covers residents’ access to these facilities.

Laundry facilities must include free access to at least one washing machine, in good working order, for every 12 or fewer residents.

A rooming house is a property where 4 or more people rent one or more rooms separately and share facilities.

Learn more at consumer.vic.gov.au/minimumstandards

28/09/2026

Since 1 July, over 3,000 Victorian renters have transferred more than $5 million in bond money through the new Portable Rental Bond Scheme.

Instead of waiting for their old bond to be refunded before paying a new one, renters can transfer their existing bond directly to their new rental - helping make moving home simpler and more affordable.

Learn more via the link in the comments.

23/09/2026

Want AFL Grand Final tickets? 🎟️

Scammers and scalpers are chasing the same tickets as you are.

Scalpers resell tickets at inflated prices, often for far more than what they paid.

For AFL Grand Final tickets, it’s illegal to sell or advertise tickets for more than 10% above the face value of the ticket. The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions enforces this legislation.

Scammers might offer you a better deal. But the ticket could be fake, invalid or never arrive at all.

To be safe, buy from the official ticket seller.

Good luck to your team! 🏆