Rooming houses: a guide for residents and operators - NWHN

Rooming houses: A guide forresidents and operatorsConditions in the rooming houseAll rooming houses must have:• at least one toilet, one bath/shower andone wash basin for every 10 people• bedrooms, toilets, bathrooms,laundries, kitchens, living areas and anycommunal areas in good working order,and in a clean and hygienic condition• a continuous and adequate supply ofhot and cold water• drinking water fit for humanconsumption• the bed linen changed weekly(if supplied), when the bed isvacated and before its re-use byanother resident• sewage and water discharged toa sewerage system or to anotherapproved effluent treatment ordisposal system• vermin-proof bins that arecleaned regularly• regular rubbish bin collection.Keeping a registerOperators must keep a register of everyand resident for at least 12 months afterthe resident last lived there. The registermust include the resident’s name and futureaddress, and arrival and departure dates.Advertising the rooming houseIf an operator advertises their roominghouse (for instance, in a newspaper oronline), they must advertise it as arooming house, and not any other typeof accommodation.InspectionsA rooming house will initially beinspected by an authorised officerfrom the local council.Other inspections may then take place forhealth, building safety or other reasons,and may happen randomly or in responseto a complaint.Consumer Affairs Victoria may inspecta rooming house to:• inform operators and residents oftheir rights and responsibilities• ensure that if a resident has paid a bond,it has been lodged with the ResidentialTenancies Bond Authority.A building inspection may be conducted by:• an MBS from the local council• a PBS appointed by the roominghouse operator.A building fire safety inspection may alsobe conducted by the Metropolitan FireBrigade or Country Fire Authority.12