Victorian Rooming Houses Amendment May be Insufficient

The Victorian Residential Tenancies and Other Consumer Acts Amendment Act 2012, while partially commenced, is still waiting for its final commencement proclamation. The act essentially amends the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 to establish a register of rooming houses and also the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 to make further provisions for the registration of rooming houses.

The act seeks to introduce a number of significant amendments to rooming houses. As outlined by the Minister for Consumer Affairs, the act seeks to establish a new state-wide register of rooming houses, then introduce a duty on rooming house owners to comply with minimum standards and finally to make minor amendments relating to the registration of rooming houses.

With the rise in cost of property and rental, rooming houses have become a popular option for those less financially able. Consequently, the need for further regulations of this market has become an important issue. The act, however, has been criticised for failing to address the fundamental issue facing these vulnerable tenants; the issue being their exposure to exploitative rooming house operators.

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