TENANT INFORMATION GUIDE FOR TENANTS (VIC) | Page 18

Renting a home Your privacy Landlords or agents who collect personal information from you may be bound by privacy laws, placing restrictions on how this information is passed on to third parties. If you think your personal information is being misused, contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 36 39 92 or visit oaic.gov.au. If you do not meet your responsibilities Your agent or landlord can issue you with a ‘Breach of Duty’ notice if you do not meet certain responsibilities. The notice will ask you to rectify the problem. If the problem continues, your agent or landlord could ask the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to make an order. If a landlord or agent does not meet their responsibilities You can also send your landlord or agent a ‘Breach of Duty’ notice under certain circumstances if you believe they are not meeting their responsibilities. 18 Before you issue a ‘Breach of Duty’ notice, it is recommended you contact Consumer Affairs Victoria or a tenancy advocacy service for more information. Sharing a property There are generally two types of arrangement when tenants are sharing a property. Co-tenancy In a co-tenancy, every tenant signs the tenancy agreement and all names appear on the bond lodgment form. Usually, the bond amount is divided equally among all tenants. However, each tenant is responsible for the full amount of the bond, not just their share. Remember: In a co-tenancy, any one individual can be held responsible for the actions of all the tenants if, for example, rent is owing or the property has been damaged.