Victorian build-to-rent landlords dodge new minimum lease terms

Thousands of Melbourne rentals have been saved from a new wave of government regulation. Image: Jason Edwards.

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The Victorian government has silently retired from a plan to establish minimum lease terms of 12 months for thousands of Melbourne rentals.

A change proposed to the 2005 Country Tax Law would have eliminated a deduction offered to interest operators from January 1 of next year, unless they establish the minimum lease period.

Industry groups challenged the plan, citing investigations that show that between 10 and 30 percent of the tenants signed for leases in the complexes of only the city’s tenants had specifically sought shorter terms.

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They also warned that eliminating fiscal benefit could have impacted to attract very necessary development to build more rental houses in Melbourne.

The city is currently the capital of Australia for construction apartments to RENT, which replaces the owners of mother and dad investors with corporate groups and super funds.

Earlier this week, the Victorian Government acknowledged that 1000 Rental Construction apartments had been built in the financial year 2023-2024, with another 18,200 under construction.

The impression of an artist of the Liv Aston Build-to-Rent complex in Melbourne.

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Within one of the apartments in the Greystar Haiku Claremont complex in South Yarra.

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The changes that required the minimum term were eliminated from the draft amendment of the State Tax Laws 2025 just before approval to Parliament at the end of this week.

In 2020, the Victorian government created a tax benefits program for rental projects that has helped it become the main destination of the Nation for developers who plan such constructions.

It is understood that the decision to eliminate the minimum terms requirement is subject to a greater discussion with the property industry.

The Victorian Executive Director of the Australian Property Council, Cath Evans, said that the change was vital to accommodate a wide range of interest rates, including couples that separate, people who work interstate for short periods, families that complete renewals at home. I needed the flexibility of shorter.

“So we were very pleased to see that the government took our council and has modified the policy as it happened,” Evans said.

The Beach House Build-To-Rent complex by Gurner.

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The Gleystar Gladstone complex in southern Melbourne.

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He added that with change maintaining stability for the rental construction sector, more operators were expected to be willing to undertake developments in space and help increase the supply of new homes for tenants in Melbourne.

“There is a significant need to grow the BTR sector more as part of our broader need to deliver more homes for Victorians,” Evans said.

“A more competitive property tax regime is fundamental in all parts of the real estate market to maintain fluids for investment and deliver the homes that our communities need urgently.”

Rental construction projects generally attend to the Melbourne higher price rental market, with many operators that charge more than $ 800 per week for two bedroom residences, but offer significant levels of luxury that range from swimming pools and gyms to podcasting and work of house spaces around the complexes.

The Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council, Cath Evans, has hosted the government’s decision. Image Jake Nowkowski.

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Fitzroy & Co Build-to Rent from Salta project in Fitzroy North.

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With the operators that generally seek to involve the tenants in the long term, the leases of up to three years are not uncommon, where would the residents be looking for security?

Traditional residential holdings currently do not have minimal lease terms, and most are established in a year before reaching a month by month, or being renewed for another 12 months.

The executive director of the Tenants Victoria, Jennifer Beveridge, said they would talk more with the Government about the creation of more stability and safety for tenants.

“The government has said they want to consult more with the rolers, and we will ask for more availability of longer term options,” said Beveridge.

“Rental construction properties are built for the express purposes of remunerating rental houses. We should take this opportunity to give people true security to stay there and make homes in them.”

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