Checklists for rooming house operators Skip listen and sharing tools Listen Establishing a rooming house, make sure you have: registered it with council appropriate permits. Before you start operating your rooming house, make sure: you are licensed with the Business Licensing Authority you are meeting the rooming house minimum standards you have installed the right fire safety equipment you have appropriate signage and lighting your residents have enough space you have a register to record all past and current residents you keep appropriate records of all safety and health and hygiene maintenance. When a resident moves in, make sure: you give them: a copy of the Rooming house residents' guide (Word, 93KB) your contact details a Rights and duties of a rooming house resident statement (PDF, 36KB) a copy of the house rules, if there are any a Notice to proposed rooming house resident - exclusive occupancy (Word, 81KB) or Notice to proposed rooming house resident – shared room right (Word, 88KB) details of any extra rent that may be charged for additional services the bond you charge is equal to or less than 14 days' rent (or 28 days’ rent if the resident has a fixed-term rooming house agreement) you lodge the bond with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) you complete and sign a Condition Report with the resident. During a residents stay, make sure you: provide rent receipts on time keep rent receipts for at least 12 months give at least 60 days’ notice if you want to increase the rent are getting their permission to add more people to their room (if existing residents have an exclusive room right) are fixing urgent repairs immediately are fixing non-urgent repairs within 14 days are giving the correct notice before entering a residents room. At the end of a residency When a resident is vacating, make sure you: give the appropriate notice leave enough time to serve the notice go through VCAT if you want to evict a resident. After a resident has left, make sure you: have agreed with the resident on the return of the bond have lodged the Bond Claim form with the RTBA have taken reasonable steps to give the prescribed notice to the resident if any goods have been left behind are storing any goods left behind in a safe place for at least 14 days after giving notice to the resident are storing any documents left behind for at least 90 days only sell or dispose of any goods in a lawful manner if they have not been reclaimed after the required notice period. Back To Top