The state announced a new free service that aims to give renters a more simple way to resolve landlord disputes.
Consumer Affairs Minister Gabrielle Williams visited Glen Waverley to unveil the government’s new public dispute resolution service titled Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (RDRV), which is designed to reduce the amount of time it takes to resolve simple disputes between landlords and renters.
Ms Williams said the RDRV will make these types of resolutions easier.
“We’ve listened to renters – Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria will provide a faster, fairer and cheaper avenue for dispute resolution,” she said.
Through RDRV, renters can call up, go online, or attend in-person to access highly skilled dispute resolution experts who will help bring parties together to resolve rental disputes, with no cost involved.
Set to begin in mid-2025, legislation will be introduced in November to make orders at RDRV binding and enforceable.
RDRV will sit in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal – and will also refer matters to Consumer Affairs Victoria for compliance and enforcement action.
More than 60 per cent of disputes are expected to be able to be resolved through RDRV.
Since March 2024, the government’s renting taskforce has been monitoring the market and inspecting properties across the state.
According to the state, about $450,000 in fines have been issued for rental offences, including for not advertising a rental property at a fixed price and not lodging a bond with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority.
