TENANT INFORMATION GUIDE FOR TENANTS (VIC) | Page 10

Renting a home

Rent in advance
If you pay rent weekly, your landlord
cannot ask for more than 14 days’ rent at
the beginning of a tenancy. In any other
case, provided the rent is $350 a week
or less, the landlord cannot ask for more
than one month’s rent in advance.

Deposits and charges
A landlord can ask you for a holding
deposit. This must be refunded when the
tenancy agreement is signed.
If no tenancy agreement is made within
14 days, the money must be refunded by
the next business day.
A landlord, agent or other third party
cannot charge for:

Guarantees
A guarantee is an agreement where a
person, other than you, agrees to pay
the landlord for any losses incurred if
you breach any part of your tenancy
agreement or the Residential Tenancies
Act 1997.
Your landlord can only ask for a guarantee
as well as a bond when:
• the rent is more than $350 a week, or
• you are renting your landlord’s
principal place of residence until they
resume living there. This condition
must be stated in the lease.
If there is a guarantee but no bond, the
guarantee can only be enforced if the
amount is no more than one month’s rent.

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showing you a property
issuing a rent payment card
establishing or using direct debit facilities
making, continuing or renewing a
tenancy agreement (this may also
be referred to as a premium, bonus,
commission or key money).