- Published:
- Sunday 1 March 2020
Victorians will no longer be forced to choose between the pet they love and a place to live, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s historic new laws coming into effect today.
From today renters will be able to keep a pet in their rental property with written consent from their rental provider.
The new laws will make it easier for both renters and rental providers to understand their rights and obligations when it comes to allowing and keeping pets in a rental property.
A renter requesting approval for a pet will need to complete the consent form available on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website.
If a rental provider believes that it is reasonable to refuse consent to a pet living in the property, the onus will be on them to seek an order from the Victorian Civil and Administrative tribunal to refuse the pet.
The tribunal can take a number of things into account when determining whether it is appropriate for a pet to be kept in a rental property. These include situations where:
- The property is not suitable for the type of pet the renter wishes to keep
- Local council rules prohibit the keeping of certain animals
- The suitability of the pet, such as whether the pet may pose a threat to neighbours or other residents.
The right to keep a pet in a rental property is just one of the government’s more than 130 rental reforms that will be introduced by 1 July 2020.
For more information on the rental reforms package visit www.engage.vic.gov.au/fairersaferhousing
Quotes attributable to Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Marlene Kairouz
“Pets are part of what makes a house feel like a home for many Victorians. With more people are renting now than ever before, it’s time to make this basic right accessible to all animal lovers across the state.”
“These new laws form part of the biggest change to the Residential Tenancies Act since it was implemented more than two decades ago – we said we’d make renting fairer, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”