Rule-breaking landlords and real estate agents in Victoria will be targeted and hit with hefty fines if they break the state's rental standards laws.
A new taskforce will crack down on the likes of false advertising, renting out properties that do not meet minimum standards and not lodging bonds.
Consumer Affairs Minister Gabrielle Williams said the taskforce would start responding to complaints this year and be staffed by 14 intelligence analysts, inspectors, investigators and lawyers.
She said some landlords had continued to behave badly despite the state government implementing more than 130 rental reforms in 2021.
"Most rental providers and estate agents do the right thing – today’s announcement is about sending a clear message to those trying to get away with rental offences," Ms Williams said.
Rental minimum standards in Victoria include having a functional kitchen, lockable external doors and being structurally sound and waterproof.
Allowing a renter to move into a property that does not meet standards is a criminal offence and attracts penalties of more than $57,000 for companies and $11,000 for individuals.
The taskforce will be run by Consumer Affairs Victoria and allow the public to report potential illegal conduct to its intelligence team and upload evidence including photos through its website.
Tenants Victoria chief executive Jennifer Beveridge welcomed the decision, saying badly behaved landlords need to be kept in check.
"The reality is that the conduct of landlords and agents is a common complaint and source of frustration for renters," she said.
"The stress has only intensified amid the current rental crisis."
Tenants advocate Jordie van den Berg, who uses social media and a review site to call out landlords and real estate agents, said the state government should have already been taking charge of dealing with dodgy landlords.
"I'm pretty disappointed it took so long, before this we had renters themselves doing the government's job," he said.
"With vacancy rates so low over the past few years, landlords know they can get away with whatever they want."
Victorian Opposition spokesman for Consumer Affairs Tim McCurdy said the taskforce was not enough to fix the state's rental issues.
"This policy does nothing to provide more rental supply that is desperately needed by Victorians who are battling a tight rental market," he said.
"The reality is, many are left falling deeper into the cost of living crisis because of Labor’s land tax pushing up rental prices."
Victorian Greens' renters' rights spokesperson Gabrielle de Vietri said the taskforce was an attempt to disguise the hardships of renting.
"It’s good that pressure from renters have compelled Labor to act, but this is truly tinkering around the edges," she said.
“How can this make renting fairer while unlimited rent increases are still legal?"
