Rooming houses: a guide for residents and operators - NWHN

Residents and operators have legal obligations regarding rent,entering a room, issuing notices and other matters. Some ofthese obligations will differ if an occupant has entered into a validtenancy agreement. In such cases, the occupant is not a residentbut a tenant. An operator’s legal obligations regarding tenants arecovered in Renting a home: A guide for tenants.RentIn most cases, a resident will have to paytheir rent in advance. An operator cannotask for more than 14 days’ rent in advanceand they face penalties if they do.A resident must pay their rent and continueto pay it when it is due.If a resident does not pay rent by thedue date, the operator may give thema ‘Breach of Duty’ notice for not payingtheir rent on time. If the rent is seven ormore days behind, the operator can thengive the resident a minimum two-day‘Notice to Vacate’.Operators must notkeep a resident’s goodsor documents to coverany rent owed. Thisincludes items such aspassports, licences and otherforms of personal identification.If an operator tries to keep anyof these things, residents shouldimmediately contact ConsumerAffairs Victoria:A 113 Exhibition Street,Melbourne 3000E consumer@justice.vic.gov.auT 1300 55 81 81Receipts for rentAn operator, agent or any other personwho accepts payment must give theresident a receipt:• immediately, if the resident paysin person• within five business days, if theresident does not pay in person but asksfor a receipt.19