About Victoria University Renters
- What are the student rental needs?
- How old are Victoria University students?
- Can I request a female student only?
- Can I specify gender, age and so on?
- International Students
Advertising Rental Properties
- Are you a landlord, subletter or rooming house owner?
- How do you list your rental vacancy on the Student Housing Database?
- How much does it cost to advertise on the Student Housing Database?
- Who can advertise rental vacancies?
- Who can access these student rental vacancies?
- Should I advertise my property somewhere else?
- How much rent can I charge?
- Who pays for amenities (gas, electricity, water, telephone)?
- Withdrawing a listing on the Student Housing Database.
Planning the Rental Process
Rental Agreements / Guidelines / Set Understandings
- Telephone, Internet and cable television bills
- Repairs, property damage and insurance
- Property and bedroom visits
- Food, cooking and special diets
- Holiday breaks and rent
- Sharing with couples and/or families
- Smoking
- Pets
- Visitors, partners, sex, drugs, alcohol, music, religion, politics
- Irregular hours
- Privacy
- Lease length
- Parking
Complaints Process
About Victoria University Renters
What are the student rental needs?
Students are young independent adults (not small children) who can (or need to learn how to) shop, cook, clean, do their laundry, pay bills on time etc
All student want 'value for money' accommodation such as:
Walking distance to campus, shops and train.
Furnished bedroom: (second-hand bed, wardrobe, desk, lamp)
Share gas, electricity & water bills
Internet access
Clean and safe (alarmed) property
Inside toilet & bathroom
Owner to care for the garden
English Speaking Household and/or single sex households.
Students may prioritise living with other students' as similar lifestyles and stresses.
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Most local students have recently completed Year 12 (17-18 years old) and are living away from their family for the first time. The majority of International students have completed some University study and are also away from their family and country for the first time.
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Can I Request A Female Student Only?
In shared- housing you are able to say 'ideal for..' but many female students are wary of adverts from male households that state female only. Many International students are also wary of any advertisement that says international only.
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Can I specify gender, age and so on when advertising a VACANT property?
It is illegal to specify gender, age, smoking, local/international or no/child or no/pet preference if advertising a VACANT property.
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Victoria University International students are from China, India-Pakistan-Bangladesh. VU also has some students from PNG, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Middle East, USA, Germany and elsewhere.
International students study mainly Accounting, IT and Tourism at Footscray Park, Business and English at Flinders Lane and Flinders St Campuses, Food Research at Werribee, Paramedics-Nursing and Education at St Albans and Trades at Nicholson St campus.
International students are NOT encouraged to do child-care, kitchen-hand, house cleaning or waitressing duties in exchange for rent, as they need to prioritise their demanding studies.
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Advertising Rental Properties
Are you a landlord, subletter or rooming house owner?
You are legally deemed a 'landlord' if you are living in your own house/flat and renting out a bedroom(s) (share-housing).
You are a 'subletter' if you have (1) signed a lease to rent a property (2) are living in this property and (3) are renting out bedrooms. You as the 'subletter' are subject to the RTA but only tenants signed on this lease are covered.
You are a 'Rooming House Owner' if (1) you own (2) or renting a property and are (3) renting out 4 or more bedrooms. If tenants (residents) do not sign a lease they are covered by the Rooming House Act and can only be charged maximum 2 weeks bond + 2 weeks rent in advance. If the tenant signs a lease then are covered by the RTA.
VU does NOT list Homestay or Board only share-housing and vacant rental properties.
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How to List Your Free Internet Rental Vacancy on the VU Student Housing Database
Please note that most students will be studying during the period of March-November making a 12-month lease unsuitable in most instances.
Option 1
Complete the online form to advertise your vacance. See www.vu.edu.au/ss/housing then choose 'Advertise' button. Fill in the online form and submit. Your offer will be automatically advertised for 1 month and you will receive a confirmation letter in the post. You will also receive information to help with the rental process, including share-housing guide and lease, bond and rent receipt examples
And Condition Report Information. You cannot view your listing as this is available to VU students only.
Option 2
Telephone 9919 8886 and leave your address on message bank for an offer form to be posted. Complete the attached form and return it in the pre-paid envelope. Your
Option 3
Email housing@vu.edu.au for a form, complete and re-email this form.
Note: You will NOT be contacted unless the Housing Officer needs further information.
You cannot view your listing online as only current VU students have access to the Student Housing Service Database listings.
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How much does it cost to advertise on the Student Housing Service database?
It is free to list your rental vacancy & for current VU students to access. It will be free to list your property for sale on the Student Housing Service Buy and Swap pages (when they are operating).
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Who can advertise rental vacancies?
VU students
Other students
Residents and traders
Real Estate Agents
Non-VU Staff. (VU staff please advertise at RMIT, Melbourne University, Swinburne, Deakin universities, local newspapers and "The Age")
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Who can access these student rental vacancies?
Access to these vacancy details (phone numbers, street name etc) is restricted to current VU University (higher education and TAFE) students only on ALL campuses.
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Should I advertise my property somewhere else?
It is recommended that anyone making a listing on the Student Housing Database also place a paid newspaper advertisement(s) as there is no guarantee that your rental vacancy will be filled.
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The Student Housing Service CAN NOT suggest a rental price as it does not view and assess vacancies. See www.vu.edu.au/ss/housing, www.property.com.au, www.theage.com.au
When setting your price remember
Centrelink Youth Allowance/Austudy (over 25 years) Rate is $290. 10 every 2 weeks.
Students will struggle to pay more than 2 weeks 'rent-in advance' and 'bond'.
Local students may be eligible for Government Bond and Centrelink Rent Assistance
Most students (local and international) will need to both study and work.
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Who pays for amenities (gas, electricity, water, telephone)?
'Households' will need to decide before the new tenant moves in, if and how gas, electricity, water, telephone, Internet or cable bills will be shared and paid.
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Withdrawing a listing on the Student Housing Database
The Housing Officer is unable to personally view any of the properties on the VU Student Rental Vacancy Listing. Any listing is advertised 'in good faith' meaning it assumes adherence to the current laws:Residential Tenancy Act and/or Rooming House Act (Vic)
Anti-Discrimination & Racial Vilification Act Act (Commonwealth).
Telephone 9688 4420 or email housing@vu.edu.au, spell and leave your surname/family name (your reference) and your offer will be automatically updated.
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The Rental Process
The Share-Housing or Vacant Property interview process
Steps for undertaking the rental process:
Any interested student(s) will ring the vacancy contact details directly to organise a meeting time. Exchange telephone numbers and organise a time to meet.
The student then views the vacant bedroom and house/flat.
The students then meet all household members (including partners and regular visitors).
This household is to discuss the 'share-housing' questions (See VU Shared Housing Guide) and lease provided (see lease signing below).
The 'applicant' is given a notification date (a date when they will be told if / when they can move in).
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Lease Signing needs to happen BEFORE the new tenant moves in. Everything agreed must be in writing as verbal promises lead to misunderstandings-conflict.
As a 'household' you need to agree on the house rules (expectations) (eg; length of lease, bond amount due, rent-in-advance amount due, un/furnished bedroom, shopping, cooking, cleaning, use of heating-aircon, internet, Cable, telephone, whitegoods, cooking utensils, personal belongings especially shampoo-toothpaste-deodorant, bedroom heaters, visitors, partners, gardening, children, pets, staying out etc). Everything agreed must be in writing as verbal promises lead to misunderstandings-conflict.
The new tenant needs to sign a lease (even if weekly) + signed photocopy.
If paying bond the new tenants needs to complete a Condition Report (photocopy, date, sign) and money to be lodged with the Residential Tenancy Bond Authority.
New tenant needs a receipt for any rent-in-advance and/or bond money
When does this tenant need to pay their next rent? It is easier for students to pay their rent each week or fortnight.
If the rent is paid weekly then it is 'practice' (not law) that 'the household' give each other a minimum of 7 days notice to leave or be evicted.
Ask the student do they have a bed and linen (sheet, doona, pillow, towel)
Organise a move-in date and time with the new tenant.
Write your and co-tenant name(s), the phone number and address.
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Consider the following:
When the new tenant moves in have someone there to welcome them IN PERSON.
Have a clean and vacuumed bedroom (remove previous personal belonging and rubbish).
Check the student has food (or a map of where to catch transport, where to shop, GP etc)
Give a 'kitchen and bathroom tour' (eg this is your fridge area, please use your own soap etc).
Check the new tenant has their key and knows their phone number, address, co-tenants and visitors names.
Set a weekly catch-up time so the 'house-hold' can meet and eat together
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Rental agreements / guidelines / set understandings
Telephone, Internet and cable television bills
Telephone bills are often a big problem in most shared households. Consider the following:
Consider an interstate and international bar.
Organise individual pin numbers.
Have the telephone bill sent monthly instead of every 3 months.
Consider paying extra to have the bill 'itemised' for easier checking.
If the telephone or cable TV bill is shared then use is shared.
Students may need to connect the Internet for their studies.
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Repairs, property damage and insurance
Landlords need to provide their contact details for urgent household repairs.
VCAT can cancel any lease and award compensation to the tenant if these 'urgent repairs' are ignored (eg blocked toilet, gas leak, electrical fault, flooding, no water).
Tenants can apply to VCAT for a 'compliance order' if no landlord response with 14 days to non-urgent repairs (eg: broken window or lock etc).
Landlords are responsible for insuring their property and applying to VCAT for bond and additional monies to compensate for damages.
Share-households need to insure (home contents) their belongings especially computers, camera, television, individual CDs, DVD player, jewellery, sunglasses etc. Anyone who uses or gains from the use of the television, computer, washing machine etc is responsible for paying their share for minor repairs if general wear and tear.
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Landlords need to give 24 hors notice if visiting.
People cannot enter each other's bedroom without permission.
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Leases vary according to what the student is studying. University classes are from March-November each year. TAFE classes can begin in January and end in December, varying from 1 week to 2 years duration.
Most students want to finish their studies as soon as possible but this is difficult if they need to work, need to return to support their family, become sick or fail, change or defer their studies.
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Food, Cooking and Special Diets
Each member of the 'household' needs to talk about
What type of food they like
What type of eaters they are (large, pick, sweet, savoury, early or late) and
Any dietary needs.
The 'house-hold' also needs to decide who will be responsible for clearing strong spice/herb smells from kitchen and furniture and cleaning oil on stovetops, in ovens, and on kitchen cupboards-benches-walls.
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It is illegal for landlords to charge 2 rents for the same room or bedroom.
Students need to agree with the owner or co-tenants BEFORE they move in how much they will need to pay during holiday breaks. The Student Housing Service recommends you do not charge more than 50% of the normal rent for the non-teaching or Mid-Year breaks. The Summer Break is more difficult as some landlords cannot afford to lose 50% or more of the rent for three to four months. The decision must be balanced both with the chances of getting someone else in for this period and the needs of the student to secure accommodation for the following year as well as their desire to save money.
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Sharing With Couples and/or Families
Some International and Country students want to live with a 'family' when they first arrive in Melbourne. However, it is important to agree on 'how' things will work BEFORE the student moves in. For example, it can be difficult to study with crying, fighting or demanding children. Couples may need to make extra effort to make newcomers feel included.
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Smoking
Please state if your 'house' allows Smoking inside when advertising as Smoking may not be suitable for people with allergies etc. It is the smokers' responsibility to be aware of communal areas and air house and empty/wash ashtrays often.
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Pets
Please state if you have a pet(s) when advertising as Pets may be unsuitable for people who are afraid or have allergies. It is the owner's responsibility to discipline, feed, exercise and clean their pet(s)
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Visitors, Partners, Sex, Drugs, Alcohol, Music, Religion, Politics
Living with someone else is always a learning exchange even if you know this person. The best way to 'live' with differences is to talk about them as openly as possible. Talk about how you feel about coming home to a 'house' of visitors drinking alcohol and/or drug taking, or loud music at midnight, or your housemate having sex with a stranger etc BEFORE you decide to share? How many visitors are okay at one time, male or female, how often can visitors or partners visit or stay over, can visitors or partners eat others food, who cleans visitors or partners mess, do visitors or partners need to contribute to gas, electricity & phone bill, smoking?
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Irregular Hours
Many students need to sleep-in because they up late studying. How do you feel about late night snacks and toilet breaks? The 'house-hold' needs to agree on realistic rules, for example, leaving a message in a 'day book' if not going to be home for dinner or the night so other do not worry or waste their time cooking for you.
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All 'household' members need and are entitled to privacy. It is important to talk about the amount and type of 'space' you need.
In Australia bedrooms are not locked and it is expected that you will ask before going into another bedroom or touching personal belongings.
In shared housing, tenants tend to dress in the bathroom rather than run around the house in a towel. It is important to talk about your expectations and listen to other expectations.
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New tenants need to be informed of Parking arrangements including restrictions, costs, keys to gates and garages BEFORE moving in.
Misunderstandings and differences in expectations are inevitable. If you experience
Students are encouraged to discuss any concerns directly with the person (people) involved.
If the student is not confident or comfortable making direct contact, the Student Housing officer will contact the person listing whilst they are present.
This 'listing' will be placed 'on hold' (not advertised) until resolved.
If this concern remains unresolved, the Student Housing Service will encourage the student to seek VCAT action.
The Student Housing Officer reserves the right to permanently withdraw any listing incurring 2 or more complaints.
Aggrieved 'listers' can contact the Office of Fair Trading 9627 6222 for further advice.
Updated September 2004
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