The Law Handbook 2024

540 Section 6: Houses, communities and the road Commissioner for Residential Tenancies Tel: 1300 029 783 Email: info@rentingcommissioner.vic.gov.au Web: www.rentingcommissioner.vic.gov.au The Commissioner provides feedback to the Victorian Government about systemic issues faced by renters and residents of rooming houses, caravan parks and specialist disability accommodation in Victoria’s private rental market. Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) Tel: 1300 558 181 Web: www.consumer.vic.gov.au CAV can provide information to all parties covered by the RT Act; investigate renters’, residents’ or rental providers’ complaints; investigate rooming houses; and negotiate settlements between rental providers and renters. Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) Tel: 1800 500 509 Email: ewovinfo@ewov.com.au Web: www.ewov.com.au The EWOV has jurisdiction to investigate and assist to resolve disputes between consumers and energy, gas and water retailers. Housing call centre Tel: 13 11 72 Email: tenant.maintenance@dffh.vic.gov.au Web: www.housing.vic.gov.au/arranging-maintenance- and-repairs To request maintenance to their home, renters of Victorian Government public housing should phone or email the housing call centre. Renters should ask for a ‘scheduled contract number’, which is a record of the phone call. Housing Registrar Tel: 7005 8984 Web: www.vic.gov.au/housing-registrar The Housing Registrar registers and regulates agencies that are not-for-profit organisations that own, manage and develop affordable rental housing for low-income households. Complaints may be made to the Housing Registrar only after a formal complaint has been lodged with the registered housing provider. Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) Tel: 1300 137 164 Email: rtba@justice.vic.gov.au Web: www.consumer.vic.gov.au/bondauthority (information about the RTBA); www.rentalbonds.vic.gov.au (access to the RTBA register) Supreme Court Self-represented Litigant Coordinator Tel: 8600 2031 Email: unrepresented@supcourt.vic.gov.au Web: www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/going-to-court/ representing-yourself/help-with-court-processes The Self-represented Litigant Coordinator helps people without legal representation. The coordinator can provide procedural and practical advice; information about alternative methods of resolving a dispute; contact details of organisations that provide free or low-cost legal services; and self-help packs. Tenants Victoria Tel (admin): 9411 1444 Tel (community worker line): 9411 1444 Tel (renter advice line): 9416 2577 Tel (social housing renters advice line): 1800 068 860 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm) Email: admin@tenantsvic.org.au Web: www.tenantsvic.org.au Tenants Victoria can help all renters in Victoria. People seeking general advice should first consult Tenants Victoria’s website. Generally, Tenants Victoria does not advise about neighbourhood disputes, co-renter disputes, inter-renter disputes or personal injury claims. Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) Tel: 1300 018 228 Tel (family violence support): 9628 9856 Tel (Koori Helpline): 0417 516 335 Email: renting@vcat.vic.gov.au Web: www.vcat.vic.gov.au The Residential Tenancies List at VCAT can hear cases between renters and rental providers, caravan park owners and residents, and between rooming house owners and rooming house residents. VCAT can also hear cases between the Director of Housing and renters. VCAT cannot hear disputes between renters, or co-renters, disputes between residents, disputes with neighbours or disputes about internal Director of Housing policy. VCAT hears matters at venues throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria; see VCAT’s website for addresses.