Property Inspections FAQs

There are a few different types of RACV Property Inspections:

1. Rental Requirement Inspection
   This inspection helps rental providers (landlords) check that their property meets the minimum rental standards and gas & electrical safety checks set out in the relevant legislation.  
   
   An RACV Rental Requirements Inspection includes:
   • Minimum rental standards
     These standards cover basic requirements that all rental properties and landlords need to meet relating to amenity, safety and privacy if a renter moves in.
   • Safety checks (optional add on, required every 2 years)
     • Gas safety check: ensures that your gas appliances are up to date and legally compliant with the standards; and/or
     • Electrical safety check: ensures that the electrical installations and fittings in your rental property are legally compliant with the standards
   • For more information, check out the Rental Requirements Inspection scope and read the Consumer Affairs Victoria’s definition of the minimum standards for rental properties and gas & electrical safety checks
2. Child Safety Inspection
   Identifies potential risks and hazards around your home to keep little ones safe from harm.
3. Senior Safety Inspection
   Improves accessibility in your home and identifies ways to protect your loved ones from potential trips, slips and falls.

RACV Property Inspections can be booked for residential homes in metro Melbourne and most regional areas of Victoria. Appointment times are subject to the availability of the allocated inspector.

You will receive a full refund and your inspection can be cancelled if:

• you request an inspection in an area that cannot be completed by one of our inspectors
• you and your inspector cannot agree on a suitable date and time for the inspection to be done.

No, there are currently no discounts available for RACV members.

Your property inspection report is sent within one business day after the inspection is completed.

RACV Trades have qualified tradies, like plumbers, and electricians, who can help with most common trade repairs. If any risks or hazards are identified in your report, like water or gas leaks or if you need a switchboard replaced, you can speak to our RACV Property Inspections team to discuss how to get a quote through RACV Trades.

The property inspectors are specifically trained and qualified to do these essential inspections.

Every inspector has:

• nationally or state recognised qualifications
• completed and cleared a national police check
• successfully completed over 100 hours infield training, or supervision and assessment
• ongoing continued professional development training and assessments.

Inspectors who complete the gas and electrical safety checks are trained and/or licensed to perform these specialist checks.

Incidents that occur in and around the home is significant and may result in serious injury or death. Furthermore, incidents that occur within the home such as children falling from windows, slips and falls, injuries caused by gas leaks or electrical faults and could often have been prevented if the hazard had been identified and addressed.

A pool safety inspection is an optional extra that can be added to any report for $100. A pool safety inspection is a 42-point pre-compliance inspection of the pool fencing, guided by Australian Standard AS1926.1

For more information:

• Download the Child Safety Inspection scope
• Download the Senior Safety Inspection scope

Yes, smoke alarms are inspected as part of the Child and Senior Safety Inspections.

For more information:

• Download the Child Safety Inspection scope
• Download the Senior Safety Inspection scope

The Rental Requirements Inspection covers the basic requirements relating to your property’s amenity, safety and privacy outlined in the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (VIC).

The categories covered under the minimum rental standards include locks, vermin proof bins, toilets, bathroom, kitchen, laundry, structural soundness, mould and damp, electrical safety, window coverings, windows, lighting, ventilation and heating. If your property hasn’t been compliance checked in the last 2 years, you’ll also need to add a gas and/or electrical safety check(s) to meet the standards.

For more information, check out the Rental Requirements Inspection scope and read the Consumer Affairs Victoria’s definition of the Minimum standards for rental properties and gas and electrical safety checks.

The minimum standards for rental properties were introduced into the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (VIC) on 29 March 2021.

The standards cover the basic requirements all rental properties and landlords need to meet – relating to amenity, safety, and privacy – before a renter moves in. If the minimum standards aren’t met, renters can end their rental agreement (lease) before moving in, during their occupancy, or they can request an urgent repair.

To find out more, read Consumer Affairs Victoria’s definition of the Minimum standards for rental properties.

If you’re a rental provider (landlord) entering into a new rental agreement after 29 March 2021, or you have a fixed-term agreement of more than five years that becomes a periodic tenancy after 29 March 2021, you must ensure that:

• gas and electrical safety checks are completed every two years and the landlord must provide the renter with the date of the most recent safety check upon request.
• if an electrical or gas safety check hasn’t been completed within the last 2 years at the time the renter occupies the premises, the rental provider must arrange an electrical safety check as soon as possible.

For more information, check out Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Guide for rental providers on gas and electricity safety checks.

Gas appliance issues are considered urgent and checks must be conducted every 2 years.

The inspection covers checking and servicing all gas appliances in the home, and testing for leakage.

We cover:

• Gas safety check of all gas installations and fittings
• Serviceability check of gas appliances
• Negative pressure and carbon monoxide spillage test
• Water tank checks for properties within a bushfire zone

For more information, check out the Gas Safety Check Inspection scope and read the Consumer Affairs Victoria’s Guide for rental providers on gas and electrical safety.

No. While electrical safety is a requirement of the Residental Tenancies Act 1997 (VIC), it is not covered in the basic minimum rental standards inspection as it needs to be completed by a licensed electrician. If your electrical fittings haven’t been checked in two years, you’ll need to purchase an electrical safety check, in addition to the minimum rental standards inspection in order to meet the minimum standards set out in the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (VIC). 

Electricity safety checks cover all electrical installations and fittings in the home, and must be completed every two years.

For more information, check out the Rental Requirements Inspection scope and read the Consumer Affairs Victoria’s definition of the Minimum standards for rental properties and electrical safety checks

All rental providers (landlords) are required to make sure their property complies with the changes to the rental requirements as set out in the relevant legislation before a renter moves in. An RACV Rental Requirements Inspection can help rental providers satisfy the minimum rental standards and gas and electrical safety checks to ensure their property is safe and complaint for renters to live in.

If these requirements aren’t met, renters can end their rental agreement (lease) before moving in, during their occupancy, or they can request an urgent repair

The RACV Rental Requirements Inspection has been designed to give rental providers (landlords) the flexibility to add on these safety checks as required for their property. Safety checks can only be purchased with the minimum rental standards inspection.

If the rental property doesn’t meet the minimum rental standards or gas and electrical safety checks the renter can end the rental agreement before they move in.

Renters can also request an urgent repair to make the rental property meet the minimum rental standards at any time after they move in.

A full smoke and fire safety check is not included in any of RACV’s Rental Requirements inspection. As a part of the electrical safety check smoke alarms are tested to ensure the smoke alarm is in working condition (using test buttons).

Smoke alarms must be installed in all Victorian houses, units, flats and townhouses. Rental providers must fit smoke alarms in all rented properties.

For more information, visit Smoke Alarms Safety