How much notice does my landlord have to give before inspecting my home in Victoria?
A landlord in Victoria must give you at least 7 days' written notice before conducting a routine inspection. Inspections can only happen between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm on any day except public holidays, and cannot occur during the first three months of your lease.
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How it works in practice
Notice Requirements for Inspections
In Victoria, a landlord or property manager cannot simply show up at your home unannounced. They are legally required to provide you with at least seven days' written notice before entering the premises to conduct a routine general inspection.
Frequency of Inspections
The law strictly limits how often these routine inspections can take place. A landlord cannot conduct an inspection during the first three months of your tenancy agreement. After that initial period, they are allowed to inspect the property a maximum of once every six months.
Time and Entry Rules
When the landlord issues the notice, it must clearly state the reason for entry. The inspection must be scheduled between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. Inspections are strictly prohibited on public holidays to protect your right to quiet enjoyment. If you are not home during the specified and agreed-upon time, the landlord or agent can still enter the property, provided they have followed all correct notice procedures.
Important exceptions
There are exceptions where a landlord can enter the property with different notice periods or completely without notice.
If there is a genuine emergency, such as a burst water pipe, gas leak, or severe structural damage, the landlord can enter immediately without any prior written notice.
If the landlord needs to enter for maintenance, repairs, or to show the property to prospective buyers or new tenants, they must provide different specific notice periods. For example, showing the property to a prospective buyer requires 48 hours' notice, while a prospective tenant requires 24 hours.
If you mutually agree, the landlord can legally enter the property at any negotiated time without strict formal notice.
What you should do now
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Check the written notice to ensure it provides at least seven days' warning and specifies a valid reason for entry.
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Verify that the proposed inspection time falls between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm and does not land on a public holiday.
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Confirm that it has been at least six months since your last routine inspection and that you are past the first three months of a new lease.
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Contact your landlord or property manager immediately if the scheduled time is completely unworkable to request a more convenient date.
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Lodge a formal complaint with Consumer Affairs Victoria or apply to VCAT if your landlord repeatedly violates these strict access rules.
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