The Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 (‘RTR’) requires that all residential tenancies are verified every two years, by inspection and testing by a licenced electrician to determine whether the installation and all its constituent equipment is in a safe condition for continued use.

For all new rental agreements signed on or after 29 March 2021 rental providers will need to conduct regular electrical safety checks. For more information on the conduct of these checks please see Consumer Affairs Victoria Gas and electricity safety checks guide.

The rental provider (previously referred to as the landlord) is required to ensure this has been carried out and keep records of safety checks.

Electrical safety checklist

ESV has developed an Electrical Safety Check report covering the requirements of sections 3 and 4 of the Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 3019:2007 Electrical installations–Periodic verification.

ESV has prepared a sample Electrical Safety Check – report, which shows how the report should look once completed.

As an option, electricians and RECs may utilise ESV’s Electrical Installation Audit Report.

These forms can be downloaded and printed to be used in hardcopy, or saved to your computer and filled in online and then emailed to a customer.

Rental providers must ensure that an electrical safety check of all electrical installation and fittings in the premises (in accordance with section 4 of AS/NZS 3019 “Electrical installations—Periodic verification”) is conducted every two years by a licensed electrician.

If requested, they must also provide the renter with the date of the most recent safety check, in writing.

If an electrical safety check has not been conducted within the last two years at the time the renter occupies the premises, the residential rental provider must arrange an electrical safety check as soon as practicable.

If the safety check shows that electrical repairs are needed to make the property safe, a rental provider should engage a Registered Electrical Contractor to carry out the repair work.

Smoke Alarms shall be inspected and tested to ensure they are correctly installed and in working order and tested according to the manufacturer’s instructions at least once every 12 months.