Renting a home: a guide for tenants - Consumer Affairs Victoria
Renting a home: a guide for tenants - Consumer Affairs Victoria
Renting a home: a guide for tenants - Consumer Affairs Victoria
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<strong>Renting</strong> a <strong>home</strong><br />
Guarantees<br />
A guarantee is an agreement where a<br />
person, other than you, agrees to pay<br />
the landlord <strong>for</strong> any losses incurred if<br />
you breach any part of your tenancy<br />
agreement or the Residential Tenancies<br />
Act 1997.<br />
Your landlord can only ask <strong>for</strong> a guarantee<br />
as well as a bond when:<br />
• the rent is more than $350 a week, or<br />
• you are renting your landlord’s<br />
principal place of residence until they<br />
resume living there. This condition<br />
must be stated in the lease.<br />
If there is a guarantee but no bond, the<br />
guarantee can only be en<strong>for</strong>ced if the<br />
amount is no more than one month’s rent.<br />
10<br />
Rent in advance<br />
If you pay rent weekly, your landlord<br />
cannot ask <strong>for</strong> more than 14 days’ rent at<br />
the beginning of a tenancy. In any other<br />
case, provided the rent is $350 a week<br />
or less, the landlord cannot ask <strong>for</strong> more<br />
than one month’s rent in advance.<br />
Deposits and charges<br />
A landlord can ask you <strong>for</strong> a holding<br />
deposit. This must be refunded when the<br />
tenancy agreement is signed.<br />
If no tenancy agreement is made within<br />
14 days, the money must be refunded by<br />
the next business day.<br />
A landlord, agent or other third party<br />
cannot charge <strong>for</strong>:<br />
• showing you a property<br />
• issuing a rent payment card<br />
• establishing or using direct debit facilities<br />
• making, continuing or renewing a<br />
tenancy agreement (this may also<br />
be referred to as a premium, bonus,<br />
commission or key money).