Frequently asked questions

A provider in the VU Student Housing Database means anyone offering housing for rent.

You can be any type of provider - a landlord with an investment property managing it yourself or through a real estate agent, or you may be a VU student renting a property and looking for a housemate, or you may own your home and want to find someone to share it with.

If you are offering a property for rent, you should familiarise yourself with your duties and obligations as a landlord under the Residential Tenancies Act.

Consumer Affairs Victoria provides information for landlords, rooming house operators and those providing student accommodation. For more information see the Consumer Affairs website: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing

The student housing database operates as a listing agent. Providers can list their accommodation offer at no cost.

Students looking for housing can access the database for free to search for suitable accommodation. Students must contact the providers and all negotiations are between the student and the provider.

VU staff do not inspect properties or recommend one provider over another.

Rent

For rental properties you can charge Market Value (or less).  Contact the Real Estate Institute of Victoria for further information. www.reiv.com.au

Room rental charges will depend on the type of household.  In a rental property, the share would be a portion of the total rent plus a share of the household utilities (if included in rent).

In a private home, it is more difficult to determine.  You may enquire what your home would rent for, divide this amount by the total number of bedrooms to achieve a room rate and add additional amounts for provision of furniture and other services.  Utilities may be included in the rent or on agreed share basis.

When setting your rent bear in mind that most students are on limited income and international students do not receive concessions for public transport travel etc - so if you rent is excessively high you will receive fewer enquiries.

Bond

A bond is a payment that rental providers (landlords) can request at the start of a rental agreement (lease). The bond is held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) during the rental period.

Bonds cover some costs rental providers may have to pay when the renter moves out. Condition reports are important evidence for bond claims. Rental providers must give a condition report to renters before they move in.

The bond and rent are separate payments. The bond cannot be used to pay rent. 

Please visit the Consumer Affairs Victoria website for information about bonds: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/renting/rent-bond-bills-and-condition-reports/bond/bond-payments-and-amounts

VU students will look for housing close to our campuses. VU has campuses throughout the Melbourne central business district and western suburbs. Our campuses are located at:

•        City Tower    
•        Footscray Nicholson    
•        Footscray Park    
•        St Albans    
•        Sunshine    
•        Werribee    

Students are usually looking for housing in the months leading up to the commencement of the academic year - January, February and into mid March. However, there are always students looking to change their housing at any given time.

You'll need to register as a provider first. It should only take you a minute or two. 

Once you've done that, just click "Add a listing" and fill out the form. Add photographs. You have the opportunity to review the information before you submit. You will be notified by email once your listing has been processed by the database administrator.

Providers can add multiple listings. On your dashboard, click Add a listing, and complete the details. An email will be sent to you once this listing has been processed by the database administrator.

Locate the listing to be reactivated from your dashboard. Click on the 'relist' link. Click on 'available from' box and enter the date the property is available from. Select the 'preview' box and make any changes that you want. Select the 'OK, submit this listing' button. You will receive an email once the database administrator has processed your listing.

Homestay provides a cultural exchange between the student and a local family or individual (called a Host). The student lives as a guest in the host’s home.

Living in a supportive family environment, the student is provided with a clean furnished room (this includes items like a bed, desk, wardrobe, chair and a study lamp) access to bathroom and laundry facilities and meal services. Utilities (electricity, gas and water etc.) are also included. The minimum stay is 4 weeks.

Hosts offer ongoing support and can show the student around the local area including local facilities such as  banks, post office, shops, public transport.

Victoria University’s preferred homestay provider is Australian Homestay Network (AHN). To find out more please refer to www.homestaynetwork.org/VU-students or www.homestaynetwork.org/VU-agents.

You can download the prescribed leases, condition report forms and other resources from the Consumer Affairs Victoria website: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/renting/starting-and-changing-rental-agreements/different-rental-agreements 

For providers of accommodation within your own home, we recommend you have a written agreement to discuss with your student to ensure there are no misunderstandings about payment of rent, house rules for example or you can establish a prescribed lease where you will be the landlord and the student a tenant under the Residential Tenancies Act.

Log in, go to your Dashboard on tool bar at top right of your screen. Click on your current listing , when open, click on Make Changes button on right side of screen. Make your changes then click Save Changes at bottom of listing. A review pages will come up and if satisfied hit Submit Changes. The Administrator will review your changes to ensure appropriate and an email will be sent to confirm it has been processed.