Greedy real estate agents have been put on notice with a crackdown on practices that prey on desperate renters.
New laws mean they will no longer be able to charge renters just to apply for a property.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Victoria bans rental application fees
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Renters Scarlett Knight and Lou Mae Messenboeck found the application process exhausting and expensive.
“One of them did make us pay and it would be like, oh your information is safe for 30 days if you paid this amount,” Messenboeck said.
New laws restrict that practice and are aimed at making it easier for renters.
A standardised five-page rental application form replaces all others, and that standard form is already online on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website, Consumer Affairs Minister Nick Staikos said.
Victoria cracks down real estate agents with new laws banning rental application charges. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP
As well as the standardised form, it’s now an offence for agents to charge application fees.
Consumer Affairs can also consider extra factors when assessing rent increases when they’re reviewed.
“Actually, one application asked us for a profile photo, which I feel like is also a bit strange and maybe a bit too personal,” Knight said.
Renters Scarlett Knight and Lou Mae Messenboeck found the application process exhausting and expensive. Credit: 7NEWS
The New Brunswick residents support the changes.
“I guess if we ever move out again, we know it’ll be much better thanks to these changes,” Knight said.
But the state opposition says the rules won’t help supply problems.
“These changes won’t make any more rentals available and that’s the concern we’ve got,” Shadow Housing Minister Tim McCurdy said.
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