Victoria to ban rental listings without fixed prices from November to protect tenants

Rental listings in Victoria will soon be required to include a fixed price, as the state government moves to strengthen renters’ rights.

From November 25, landlords and real estate agents will be prohibited from advertising rental homes with price ranges or “contact agent” notices, the government confirmed.

Two of Australia’s major property platforms, Domain and realestate.com.au, have updated their systems to allow only a single fixed price in listings, Consumer Affairs Minister Nick Staikos said on Monday.

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“Price transparency is vital. Renters have the right to know how much they can expect to pay,” Staikos said.

Domain welcomed the reform, saying it shares the government’s goal.

“Rental price transparency helps create a fairer, more informed marketplace for everyone,” a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

REA Group said the changes would benefit both agents and tenants.

“REA Group is committed to improving the property journey for renters and property managers by solving one of the most common pain points: price accuracy on listings,” a spokesperson said.

The move is aimed at discouraging rental bidding, where applicants offer higher rent than the advertised price to secure a property.

It is part of a broader set of rental reforms passed in March, which also extended notice periods for rent increases and evictions from 60 to 90 days, prohibited evictions without a valid reason and banned third parties from charging extra fees to facilitate rental payments or applications.

Victoria joins a growing number of states and territories that have introduced fixed-price rules.

Tasmania was the first to introduce the rule in 2014.

NSW and South Australia implemented them in 2023, the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia followed in 2024.

The ACT does not yet have a fixed-price rule but is considering one as part of draft rental reforms.