roominghousesaguideforresidentsandoperators.docVIP

Rooming houses: a guide for residents and operators Contents Contents 1 Disclaimer 2 Additional copies 3 Rooming houses: a guide for residents and operators 3 Telephone interpreting service 4 Rooming house basics 5 About this guide 5 Who are residents and operators? 5 What is a rooming house? 5 Registering a rooming house 6 When can an operator use a building as a rooming house? 6 Changing the use of the building to a rooming house 6 Minimum standards in rooming houses 7 What are minimum standards? 7 Additional minimum standards 7 Existing minimum standards 9 Inspections 12 When a resident moves in 14 What must an operator give a resident? 14 Charging a bond 15 ‘Condition Report’ 15 During a resident’s stay 17 Rent 17 Adding more residents to a room 18 Applying for a rental assessment 18 Repairs and maintenance 19 Who pays utility bills? 20 Entry rights 20 If someone breaks the rules 21 When a resident is leaving 23 When a resident wants to leave 23 When an operator asks a resident to leave 23 When a resident’s notice period runs out 25 How is notice given? 25 Can a resident be forced to leave? 26 After a resident has left 28 Repaying the bond 28 Goods left behind 28 Closing down a rooming house 30 Solving disputes 31 Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria 31 Using VCAT 31 Useful contacts 33 Consumer Affairs Victoria 33 Local councils 33 Department of Health and Human Services 33 Victoran Building Authority (VBA) 33 Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) 34 Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents 34 Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) 34 Registered Accommodation Association of Victoria (RAAV) 34 Office of Housing 35 Tenants Union of Victoria (TUV) 35 1800RESPECT 35 Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) 35 Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC) 36 Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (DSCV) 36 Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) 36 Checklist for operators 38 When you establish your rooming house, ask… 38