Rental providers have certain responsibilities for gas and electrical safety. Gas and electrical appliances need to be regularly checked and maintained. Rental providers should make sure that gas appliances are working safely. Renters are encouraged to keep an eye on appliances to identify any problems.
On this page:
Other pages have information about information for urgent repairs, setting up utilities and replacing appliances.
Urgent repairs - gas and electrical safety
Gas and electrical issues may be urgent repairs. If that is the case, the rental provider or rooming house operator must respond immediately.
Urgent repairs are defined in the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and include:
- a gas leak
- a dangerous electrical fault
- a failure or breakdown of a supplied appliance for hot water, water, cooking, heating or laundry
- a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply.
A renter must notify their rental provider if they become aware of the need for an urgent repair. If a rental provider cannot be contacted or does not respond immediately, the renter can arrange and pay for an urgent repair of up to $2,500.
The rental provider must pay them back within 7 days of receiving a written request from the renter to pay them back.
It is important to deal with these matters promptly because they can result in death, serious injury or considerable property damage.
Carbon monoxide leaks are hard to detect because the poisonous gas is tasteless, colourless and odourless. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
- tiredness
- shortness of breath
- headaches
- nausea
- vomiting
- dizziness.
For more information, visit Carbon Monoxide poisoning – Department of Health (Victoria).
Renters must use gas appliances safely and report faults
Residents of rooming houses must:
- use gas appliances according to the instructions
- immediately report any problems or faults to the rooming house operator.
If residents are concerned about the safety of a gas heater, they should contact their rooming house operator and ask for it to be tested.
To minimise gas safety risks, rooming house residents must:
- use appliances appropriately and according to the instructions
- report any faults or problems
- immediately stop using any appliance that is obviously faulty
- allow reasonable access to the property for gas safety checks
- not install, remove or tamper with any gas appliance.
Gas safety checks
Gas appliances such as heaters, stoves and gas fired hot water systems, must be properly maintained. If gas appliances aren’t maintained, they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Rental providers who enter into a new agreement after 29 March 2021, must have gas safety checks conducted every two years by a licensed or registered gasfitter. This also applies to rental agreements where a fixed term agreement rolls over into a periodic rental agreement after 29 March 2021.
If a gas safety check has not been conducted within the last 2 years at the time a renter occupies the rental premises, a gas safety check is to be completed as soon as possible.
Before entering into a rental agreement, a rental provider must disclose to a renter the date of the last gas safety check, and any outstanding recommendations from the safety check.
For fixed term rental agreements entered into before 29 March 2021, which have rolled over into a periodic rental agreement before this date, rental providers are encouraged to conduct periodic gas safety checks. This may help to ensure they meet their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 which requires rental providers to supply a rental property that is maintained in good repair and is reasonably fit and suitable for occupation.
Who can do a gas safety check?
The check must be conducted by a licensed or registered gasfitter who is endorsed in the specialised class of Type A Gas Appliances Servicing - Gas Servicing Type A on the Plumbers Identity Card.
For more information on gas safety checks, you can read Energy Safe Victoria's Gasfitter toolkit.
Finding a licensed gas fitter
- A registered or licensed gasfitter is a plumber who holds registration or a licence with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) to carry out gasfitting work.
- Only gasfitters who are currently registered or licensed in the specialised class of Type A appliance servicing work are authorised to carry out this gas servicing work.
- You can check whether a gasfitter holds registration or a licence in Type A appliance servicing work on the VBA website.
- You can also ask to see the card that says the plumber holds a current registration or a licence in Type A appliance servicing work.
What the gas check covers
If a rental property contains an appliance, fixture or fitting that uses or supplies gas, these items must be checked to ensure they have been installed correctly and that they are not leaking any gas. A ‘gas safety check’ is defined in the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 as requiring the following checks:
- That LPG cylinders and associated gas components are installed correctly.
- That appliance gas isolation valves are installed where required by AS/NZS 5601.1 "Gas installations", as published or amended from time to time;
- That gas appliances and their components are accessible for servicing and adjustment.
- That the gas installation is electrically safe.
- That clearances from appliances to combustible surfaces are in accordance with installation instructions and AS/NZS5601.1 "Gas installations", as published or amended from time to time.
- That there is adequate ventilation for appliances to operate safely.
- That gas appliances (including cookers) are adequately restrained from tipping over.
- Checking the condition of gas appliance flue systems, including chimneys, and
- Checking gas appliances for evidence of certification.
A gas safety check must also include testing to confirm that all Type A gas appliances are serviced in compliance with AS 4575.
Evidence of gas safety check
The gas fitter should provide a record of the gas safety check. The document must include:
- the full name and business details, including the licence or registration number, of the gasfitter who did the check
- the date the safety check was conducted
- the results of the check, including any servicing and repairs required and actions taken to address the repair.
- a copy of the record of gas servicing work submitted to the VBA and given to the rental provider under the Gas Safety (Gas Installation) Regulations 2018, for each Type A gas appliance that is serviced as part of the standard gas installation.
Record keeping
Rental providers must keep a record of gas safety checks until a record of the next safety check is created.
A copy of the most recent gas safety check must be provided to the renter within seven days after the rental provider receives a written request from the renter.
Electrical safety checks
Rental providers who enter into a new agreement after 29 March 2021, must have all electrical installations and fittings checked by a licensed electrician at least once every two years. This also applies to rental agreements where a fixed term agreement rolls over into a periodic rental agreement after 29 March 2021.
If an electrical safety check has not been conducted within the last 2 years at the time a renter occupies the rental property, an electrical safety check is to be completed as soon as possible.
Before entering into a rental agreement, a rental provider must disclose to a renter the date of the last electrical safety check, and any outstanding recommendations from the safety check.
From 29 March 2023 all power outlets and electrical circuits in a rental premises must connect to both a switchboard-type circuit breaker that complies with AS/NZS 3000 and a switchboard-type residual current device that complies with AS/NZS 3190, AS/NZS 61008.1 or AS/NZS 61009.1.
For fixed term rental agreements entered into before 29 March 2021 which have rolled over into a periodic rental agreement before this date, rental providers are encouraged to conduct periodic electrical safety checks. This may help to ensure they meet their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 which requires rental providers to supply a rental property that is maintained in good repair and is reasonably fit and suitable for occupation.
Who can conduct an electrical safety check?
Electricians must be licensed with Energy Safe Victoria as Registered Electrical Contractors (RECs). The safety check must be conducted by a licensed or registered electrician.
You can check an electrician’s registration or licensing status on their card. You can also check their licensing or registration details on the Energy Safe Victoria website.
Finding a licensed electrician
You can find a licensed electrician by searching the web or by visiting Energy Safe Victoria.
What an electrical safety check must cover
The Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 set out what must be included in a safety check.
Electrical safety checks must include a check of all electrical installations, fixtures and fittings carried out in accordance with section 4 of AS/NZS 3019 "Electrical installations—Periodic verification”.
For more information on electrical safety checks, visit Energy Safe Victoria.
Evidence of electrical safety checks
The electrician should provide a record of the electrical safety check, which must include:
- the name of the licensed or registered electrician who conducted the check and their licence or registration number
- the date of the safety check
- the results of the check, including any repairs that were required and actions taken to address the repair
- a report prepared in accordance with section 2 of AS/NZS 3019, "Electrical installations—Periodic verification", as published or amended from time to time.
Record keeping
A rental provider must keep a record of the most recent electrical safety check, until a record of the next safety check is created.
A copy of the most recent electrical safety check must be provided to the renter within seven days after the rental provider receives a written request from the renter.
Requirements for rooming house operators
There are particular requirements for rooming house operators to meet their gas and electrical safety obligations.
Related information
Regulations
If you want to know what the law says about gas and electrical safety checks in rental properties, you can read these Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021:
- Regulation 5 Definitions – what a gas and electrical safety check must cover.
- Regulation 16 – requirement to disclose the date of the last gas and electrical safety checks, and any outstanding recommendations from the safety checks, before entering into a rental agreement.
- Regulation 30 – requirement to keep record of gas and electrical safety checks.
- Schedule 3 – requirement to conduct gas and electrical safety checks every two years.
Sections of the Act
If you want to know what the law says about gas appliances in rental properties, you can read these sections of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997:
- Section 27C – Prescribed terms – professional cleaning, maintenance and related obligations
- Section 63A – Renter’s safety-related duties
- Section 68A – Residential rental provider’s duty to comply with safety-related repairs and maintenance requirements
- Section 68B – Residential rental provider must keep and produce records of gas and electrical safety checks