Rental Property Winter Inspection: A Guide for Melbourne Landlords and Tenants

With the updated Residential Tenancies Act minimum standards now fully in force for 2026, the Victorian rental market has reached a new level of compliance rigour. Whether you are a rental provider in Richmond or a tenant in Brunswick, the pre-winter property check is no longer a courtesy, for rental providers, it is a legal obligation. Here is exactly what each party is responsible for.

Landlord Obligations: The Minimum Standards

Victorian minimum standards for rental properties set out specific requirements that rental providers must meet at all times. Winter exposes several of these most acutely.

• Fixed heating: Every rental property must have a fixed heater in the main living area. Portable electric heaters do not satisfy this requirement. If installed after March 2023, the heater must be energy efficient, minimum 2-star rating under the relevant standard
• Weatherproofing: The property must be structurally sound and weatherproof. Any roof leak, broken window latch, or damaged door seal that allows water ingress or cold air entry must be treated as an urgent repair under the Act, meaning it must be addressed within 24 hours of notification
• Mould from structural causes: Where mould is caused by structural issues, rising damp, roof leaks, inadequate ventilation built into the property, the rental provider is responsible for remediation. This is a critical distinction: landlord-caused mould is not the tenant's responsibility to fix
• Gas safety compliance: Gas heaters must be professionally serviced every two years. If the service is overdue, it should be completed before winter use

Tenant Responsibilities: Prevention Is Your Protection

Tenants also carry specific responsibilities that become particularly relevant in Melbourne's winter. Fulfilling these, and documenting that you have, protects you in any bond dispute at the end of the tenancy.

• Ventilation: Using exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens during and after showering and cooking is the tenant's responsibility. Surface mould resulting from inadequate ventilation by the tenant is not a structural issue and is therefore not the landlord's responsibility to remediate
• Prompt reporting: Tenants have a legal duty to report leaks, heating failures, and structural damage as soon as they are noticed. Delayed reporting that allows damage to worsen can affect a tenant's rights in a dispute
• Reasonable care: Wiping condensation from windows and maintaining adequate ventilation is considered reasonable care. Allowing condensation to pool in window tracks and create mould without reporting or addressing it is not

The 2026 Compliance Checklist

This checklist applies to both rental providers (as a pre-winter audit) and tenants (as a record of the property's condition at the start of winter):

• Gas safety check: Has the fixed heater been professionally serviced within the last two years? Is there a service record on file?
• Heating function test: Does the heater reach and maintain a comfortable temperature in the main living area? Are all vents unobstructed and operational?
• Roof and ceiling integrity: No visible water staining on ceilings. No new cracking at cornice lines that could indicate movement or moisture
• Windows and doors: All window latches secure and functional. No broken seals or gaps at door frames that allow water ingress
• Electrical safety check: RCDs (safety switches) should be tested, press the test button on the switchboard and confirm the circuit trips and resets. This is an annual owner responsibility
• Smoke alarms: Test all smoke alarms and replace batteries. Under Victorian law, rental providers must ensure smoke alarms are operational at the start of each tenancy, tenants are responsible for battery replacement during the tenancy
• Mould survey: Check all bathrooms, laundry, and south-facing rooms for early mould. Surface mould caught in May is a 20-minute job; the same mould left until August is a professional remediation cost

A professional property maintenance check by Spot On before winter covers gutters, external sealing, heating system inspection coordination, and a full interior condition report, giving both rental providers and tenants a documented record of the property's winter-ready status. See also our Autumn Home Maintenance Checklist for a broader pre-winter property guide.

Don't get caught in the cold. Book your professional Melbourne property service with Spot On today.