The overall poor efficiency of Victoria’s housing stock means that many homes that are in otherwise good condition are nevertheless likely to be inefficient. On average, rental properties are worse in terms of efficiency, with much lower rates of basic measures such as insulation in rented versus owner-occupied homes.

Current laws governing repair and maintenance only require landlords to return a property to the condition in which it was leased. If a property did not have insulation or a fixed heater, there is no obligation under current legislation to provide it.

This report maps out how minimum efficiency standards for rental homes could tackle a long-standing problem, and create thousands of jobs in trades, services and manufacturing across Victoria.