This article is part of an ongoing series produced by RMIT's Student Legal Service to provide RMIT students with tips and advice around renting in Victoria.
You’ve finally found your perfect house and your happy groove. The local café makes Melbourne’s best coffee and you’ve trained your flatmates to clean up their dishes (well most of the time…).
So, when you get a notice of a proposed rent increase, what can you do?
Our top tips for when you receive a notice of a proposed rent increase are:
1. Read your rental agreement to see if the price increase is allowed
2. Recall when your last rent increase was (usually the rent can only be increased once every 12 months)
3. Ensure the rental provider used the right form and given you the correct 60-day notice period
4. Is the rent increase excessive? And if so, make sure you think about referring to Consumer Affairs Victoria within 30 days and
5. Lastly, depending on your agreement, you can always leave the perfect house and look for another place to live (but make sure you know the rules about leaving a rental).
Find out more about rent increases at the Consumer Affairs and Tennants Victoria websites.
And if you’d like help with from us, make an enquiry with the RMIT Student Legal Service here (our office is tidy… most of the time).
