Rule-breaking landlords and real estate agents in Victoria will be targeted and hit with hefty fines if they break the state’s rental standards laws.
A new taskforce will crack down on the likes of false advertising, renting out properties that do not meet minimum standards and not lodging bonds.
Consumer Affairs Minister Gabrielle Williams said the taskforce would start responding to complaints this year and be staffed by intelligence analysts, inspectors, investigators and lawyers.
She said some landlords had continued to behave badly despite the state government implementing more than 130 rental reforms in 2021.
“Most rental providers and estate agents do the right thing – today’s announcement is about sending a clear message to those trying to get away with rental offences,” Ms Williams said.
Rental minimum standards in Victoria include having a functional kitchen, lockable external doors and being structurally sound and waterproof.
Allowing a renter to move into a property that does not meet standards is a criminal offence and attracts penalties of more than $57,000 for companies and $11,000 for individuals.
The taskforce will be run by Consumer Affairs Victoria and allow the public to report potential illegal conduct to its intelligence team and upload evidence like photos through its website.
Its launch comes after the Greens secured a parliamentary inquiry into the state government’s plan to demolish 44 public housing towers and privatise much of the attached land.
The inquiry will investigate the rationale behind levelling the towers as well as the plan’s impact on current public housing residents.
Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam, said for the past six months the government had refused to answer questions about its plan.
“They’ve failed to consult, refused to answer questions and left communities in the dark, hoping that 10,000 residents will quietly leave their long-time homes so the government can knock them down,” Ms Ratnam said.
“Demolishing public housing will make the housing crisis worse.”
Premier Jacinta Allan accused the Greens of teaming up with the coalition to block and stop investment in public housing.
“That is going to see resources being devoted to a political inquiry in the upper house (and) diverted away from building more homes for more Victorians,” she told reporters on Thursday.