From 31 March 2026, Victoria’s mandatory standard rental application form and updated applicant privacy rules came into force. If you’re an ARG Property Management client, your properties are already fully compliant. Here’s what the changes mean for you.
What changed on 31 March 2026
The 31 March 2026 reforms are the latest step in a broader suite of changes under the Consumer and Planning Legislation Amendment (Housing Statement Reform) Act 2025, which has been reshaping the Victorian rental landscape since November last year.
As of 31 March, rental providers and their agents are now required to:
- Use the prescribed mandatory standard rental application form for all prospective tenants
- Follow new rules that limit what personal information can be requested from rental applicants
- Comply with tightened privacy obligations around how applicant data is handled, stored, and shared
ARG Property Management updated its systems and processes ahead of this deadline. These changes sit alongside reforms that came into effect on 25 November 2025 — and we’re fully across those too. Here’s a recap of the full picture.
The November 2025 reforms — also in effect
The March changes don’t sit in isolation. Under the same Act, a significant suite of reforms took effect on 25 November 2025. ARG Property Management has been operating in line with all of these since day one:
No-fault evictions are no longer permitted
Sections 91ZZD and 91ZZDA of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 have been repealed. You can no longer issue an eviction notice without a valid reason. Accepted grounds include the sale of the property, substantial renovation, or breach of the tenancy agreement. When a fixed-term lease ends, it automatically converts to a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy unless both parties agree to a new fixed term.
Rent increases require 90 days’ notice
The notice period for rent increases has been extended to 90 days across the board. If you’re planning a rent review, you’ll need to factor this lead time into your cash flow planning.
Rental bidding is banned
You cannot accept offers above the advertised rent. Properties must be listed at a fixed price, and neither landlords nor agents can solicit, encourage, or accept higher offers.
Privacy protections are in force
Rental providers and their agents must protect tenant personal information and are restricted in how that data can be used and shared — a direct precursor to the March 2026 application rules.
What the new application rules mean in practice
The mandatory standard form and information restrictions are designed to create a fairer and more consistent process for rental applicants across Victoria. In practice, this limits the personal information landlords and agents can request to what is genuinely necessary to assess a tenancy application — and sets clearer rules for how that data must be stored and handled.
Non-compliance carries real penalty risk, and given the breadth of Victoria’s reforms over the past several months, landlords using outdated self-managed processes are particularly exposed.
ARG Property Management clients: you’re already covered
We updated our systems, application forms, and data handling practices ahead of the 31 March deadline. If we manage your property, there’s nothing you need to do — your tenancy processes are fully compliant with the new rules.
If you’re self-managing and haven’t yet updated your application process, the prescribed form is available through Consumer Affairs Victoria. We’d also recommend reviewing the updated guidance on what applicant information you can and can’t request — the rules are more specific than many landlords realise.
What this means for you as a landlord or investor
The cumulative effect of Victoria’s 2025–2026 rental reforms is a more structured, process-driven rental market. That’s not necessarily a negative — consistency and clear rules reduce disputes and protect your investment over the long term. But it does mean the administrative burden on self-managing landlords has grown considerably.
Here’s what good compliance looks like right now:
- Using the mandatory standard application form for all new tenancies
- Serving rent increase notices 90 days in advance, in writing
- Managing lease endings as transitions to periodic tenancies or newly agreed fixed terms — not as grounds to vacate
- Keeping documented records of any eviction grounds
- Maintaining compliant data handling practices for all applicant information
Melbourne market context
Melbourne’s vacancy rate is currently sitting at approximately 1.81% — the highest of Australia’s capital cities, and up slightly from recent lows. While this signals a modest easing of rental demand, the market remains tight by historical standards. Well-managed, compliant properties continue to attract quality tenants quickly — and increasingly, tenants are choosing landlords and agencies they trust to operate by the rules.
Already done — and ready to talk you through it.
Victoria’s rental reforms have moved quickly, and keeping pace with them takes more than good intentions — it takes systems, processes, and teams who are across the detail. We’ve been ahead of each deadline, and our landlords haven’t had to think twice about compliance.
If you’d like to understand exactly how these reforms affect your property — or if you’re self-managing and want to talk through what’s changed — we’re glad to help. And if you’re considering switching to professional management, now is a sensible time to make the move.
