The Victoria Housing Registrar ('TVHR') regulates registered housing agencies in Victoria. Its job is to make sure these agencies meet standards for good governance and fair outcomes for tenants. The Registrar’s role is to protect the interests of tenants and to maintain trust in the social housing system.
What types of complaints can you make?
The TVHR can only deal with complaints about registered community housing providers in Victoria. You must first raise the issue with your housing provider directly. If you have done this and it hasn’t been resolved, you can then complain to TVHR.
You can complain about:
- Repairs and maintenance: Urgent or general repairs not done in a reasonable time, repeated requests ignored, or poor-quality work.
- Rent and charges: Rent set above 25–30% of your income, unjustified rent increases, delayed rent adjustments, or being charged for utilities or services not in your lease.
- Eviction and tenancy termination: Evictions without proper notice or reason, discriminatory evictions, or evictions not handled fairly.
- Security and safety: Broken gates, unsafe buildings, or providers ignoring unsafe or disruptive neighbours.
- Customer service: Rude, unhelpful, or unresponsive staff; discrimination; poor communication; inaccurate information.
- Neighbourhood issues: When a provider ignores repeated complaints about unsafe or anti-social behaviour by its tenants.
- Allocation and transfers: Unfair or discriminatory housing allocation decisions, or unreasonable delays in transfers.
- Privacy breaches: Personal information shared or misused without your consent.
- Delays or failures in communication: Providers not responding to calls, emails, or complaints within a reasonable time.
- Unlawful entry: Staff entering your home without proper notice under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic).
- Discrimination or harassment: Unfair treatment based on race, disability, age, gender, or other protected attributes.
- Failure to meet disability or health needs: Refusing reasonable adjustments for tenants with disability, health, or age-related needs.
- Poor property condition at move-in: Properties not clean, safe, or habitable when you start your tenancy.
- Delays in processing applications or paperwork: Unreasonable delays in income reviews, transfer requests, or other documents.
The Housing Registrar does not cover:
- Complaints about public housing.
- Complaints about private rentals, landlords, or real estate agents.
- Complaints about rooming houses, caravan parks, or specialist disability accommodation (SDA) unless managed by a registered housing provider.
- Complaints that haven’t first been raised with the housing provider (including using their internal complaints process).
- Complaints about matters outside the provider’s control, such as neighbours who are not tenants, or external services like council rubbish collection.
- Complaints about government housing policy or funding decisions.
- Requests for financial compensation or legal remedies (the Registrar does not award compensation or enforce tenancy breaches).
- Complaints that are before or already decided by VCAT, a court, or another tribunal.
- Complaints that are anonymous without enough detail, vexatious, or not made in good faith.
- Issues outside the Registrar’s powers, such as matters not linked to compliance with the Performance Standards for registered housing agencies under the Housing Act 1983 (Vic).
Timing:
There are no strict time limits for complaining to TVHR. But you must first complain to your housing provider and wait up to 30 days for a response. If it is an emergency and you can’t wait, you can go directly to the Victorian Ombudsman.
Discretion:
TVHR reviews complaints to check if the housing provider acted fairly, reasonably, and in line with its obligations under the Housing Act 1983 (Vic). The Registrar decides which complaints to investigate and may decline complaints that fall outside its role or powers.
Who can you make a complaint against?
You can complain to the TVHR about registered community housing providers in Victoria. These are non-profit organisations formally registered under the Housing Act 1983 (Vic) to provide affordable rental housing for people on low incomes or with special housing needs.
Examples of registered providers include:
- Housing Choices Australia
- Aboriginal Housing Victoria
- Women’s Housing Ltd
- Wintringham Housing
- Unison Housing
- Housing First
A full list of registered housing agencies is available on the official register.
You cannot complain about:
- Public housing (Director of Housing): Managed by the Victorian Government through DFFH. Complaints should go to Housing Victoria or the Victorian Ombudsman.
- Private landlords and real estate agents: Issues in private rentals are handled by Consumer Affairs Victoria.
- Unregistered housing providers or charities: Organisations offering shelter or housing support but not formally registered under the Act (e.g. churches, charities, or support services).
- Rooming houses and caravan parks (unless managed by a registered provider): Complaints usually go to Consumer Affairs Victoria or local councils.
- Community housing providers registered outside Victoria: If the provider is not registered in Victoria, complaints should be directed to the regulator in the relevant state or territory.
- Individuals such as support workers, contractors, or neighbours: The Registrar does not consider complaints about these people directly. However, you can complain if the housing provider failed to act on their behaviour.
- Commonwealth housing programs or Defence Housing: Programs such as the National Rental Affordability Scheme or Defence Housing Australia are not covered unless a registered Victorian provider is involved.
Are you eligible to make a complaint?
You can complain to the TVHR if you are:
- a current or former tenant of a registered housing agency in Victoria,
- someone who has applied to be a tenant but has not yet been accepted,
- a neighbour affected by the agency’s conduct, or
- an advocate (such as a support worker) acting with the tenant’s permission.
Prerequisite:
Before complaining to TVHR, you must first raise the issue with your housing provider through their own complaints process. If you cannot do this for personal reasons, you may be able to go directly to the Victorian Ombudsman.
Complaints on behalf of others:
A friend, family member, lawyer, or support worker can make a complaint for you if you have given them permission.
You cannot complain to TVHR:
- If you are not connected to the housing provider (not a tenant, applicant, neighbour, or authorised support person).
- If you give no detail or refuse to provide enough information for the Registrar to investigate.
- If you try to complain on behalf of someone else without their consent.
- If your housing is not managed by a registered community housing provider.
- If the matter has already been decided by VCAT, a court, or another official complaint body.
- If the complaint is about someone else’s situation and you are not authorised to speak for them.
- If the complaint is false, repeated without new information, or made in bad faith.
- If the complaint has already been handled once by TVHR. Unresolved matters may instead be taken to the Victorian Ombudsman.
Cost:
Making a complaint to TVHR is free.
What can this body do to help?
The TVHR investigates complaints about registered community housing providers. Its role is to make sure providers meet their legal and performance obligations under the Housing Act 1983 (Vic).
After looking into your complaint, TVHR can:
- Make findings and recommendations: TVHR will review the evidence and give you and the housing provider a written report. This may explain what went wrong and suggest what the provider should do to fix the problem or improve its processes.
- Take regulatory action: If the provider has breached its obligations or failed to meet performance standards, TVHR can:
- issue a formal notice of non-compliance, requiring the provider to fix the issue,
- place the provider under monitoring or a performance improvement plan with clear timelines and progress updates,
- restrict the provider’s operations, such as stopping it from taking on new tenants or accessing funding, or
- suspend or cancel registration if the provider repeatedly or seriously fails to meet its obligations, meaning it can no longer operate as a registered housing agency in Victoria.
- Refer matters to other bodies: If part of your complaint is outside TVHR’s powers (for example, legal disputes, safety concerns, or tenancy rulings), it may refer you to another body such as Consumer Affairs Victoria, the Victorian Ombudsman, or VCAT.
The TVHR cannot do:
- Give financial compensation.
- Force a provider to rehouse you.
- Reverse a tenancy decision (such as an eviction).
- Act like a court or tribunal.
- Make binding legal orders like VCAT can.
How to prepare your complaint:
When you make a complaint to the TVHR, you need to provide enough detail for the Registrar to understand and investigate your issue.
What to include:
- Your details: Your name (as it appears on official ID such as a Centrelink card, driver’s licence, Medicare card, or passport), your contact information (email and phone), and the address of the property involved.
- Who the complaint is about: Confirm whether the decision was made by a registered community housing provider or public housing. If it relates to public housing, you will be redirected to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH).
- Details of the problem: Explain what decision or action you are unhappy with, why it is unfair or unreasonable, and what outcome you are seeking (for example, a repair, a rent reassessment, or an apology).
- Supporting evidence: Provide any documents, records, or correspondence that support your case.
Important notes:
- You cannot make an anonymous complaint. However, a friend, neighbour, or advocate can submit a complaint on your behalf with your consent.
- Do not provide false or misleading information. If you are unsure about a detail, say so rather than guess.
Lodging your complaint and next steps:
Where to lodge:
- Online: Submit through the TVHR online complaint form.
- By post: GPO Box 4379, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001
- By email: housingregistrar@dtf.vic.gov.au
- In person: Level 5, 1 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002
What happens after you lodge:
- Initial check: TVHR will review your complaint and contact the housing agency to see what has already been done. If the provider has not yet had a chance to address it, you will be directed back to them first.
- Assessment: If the matter is within TVHR’s powers, it may investigate by reviewing evidence, regulations, and the provider’s conduct. The focus is on whether the housing provider has met its legal and regulatory obligations.
- Findings report: Once the review is complete, both you and the provider will receive a written report. This will outline TVHR’s findings and any recommendations or actions.
Additional support:
You can have an advocate, support worker, family member, or friend assist you in making or managing your complaint. If they are submitting the complaint for you, they simply need to indicate that they are acting as your advocate.
More information:
Refer to the factsheet provided below for more information.
