What is compliance and reporting for a property?

What does compliance and reporting mean for a property?

Every property sits inside a set of requirements. A rental home has minimum standards and safety related checks. A pool has barrier rules. Building work has permits and the conditions attached to them. An apartment has owners corporation rules on top of all that. Owners, buyers, rental providers and property managers often need to understand which of those requirements may apply to a particular property, and to have a clear record of its condition against them.

That is what our compliance and reporting service is for. It produces a clear, structured written report describing what was observed at a property at the time of inspection, and the requirements that may be relevant to what was observed, explained in plain language. The scope is agreed with you first, the observations are recorded on the day, and the report sets them out in a consistent layout with photos, limitations and suggested next steps.

One thing to be clear about from the start: a report records the property. It is not a certificate of compliance. Whether something complies is decided by the relevant authority or an authorised person, and a report never stands in for that decision.

Which requirements might a report refer to?

The requirements depend on the property and on why you need the report. The common ones are:

• Rental minimum standards and safety related checks. Rental properties in Victoria have minimum standards, and rental providers (often called landlords) should confirm the current requirements and timing with the relevant authority or their property manager. The official renting guidance sets them out.
• Pool and spa barriers. Pool and spa barriers in Victoria have registration and inspection requirements; the owner confirms the current process with their council. An independent pool barrier check looks at the barrier itself.
• Building permits and their conditions. A building permit is issued by a building surveyor and sets out what was approved and the mandatory inspections for the work. Those statutory inspections are separate from anything we do.
• Owners corporation rules for apartments, units and many townhouses.
• Planning overlays, which are set out in the council's planning scheme and can change what is permitted on a block.

In every case we describe the requirement in plain language and relate it to what we saw. We do not decide whether the property meets it. The relevant authority, an authorised person or your lawyer does that.

What does a compliance report look like?

Reports follow a consistent structure so they are easy to read and to compare over time:

1. The scope: what the report was commissioned to cover, and who it is for.
2. What was inspected, and when.
3. Observations by area or by item, with photos supporting the key points.
4. The requirements that may be relevant to what was observed, explained plainly.
5. Limitations: the areas and items that could not be inspected, and why.
6. Suggested next steps.

The exact contents depend on the agreed scope. Start with the scope and limitations when you read it, so you know what was and was not covered. Then read the observations and the requirements. If anything is unclear, ask us to explain it. A good report should leave you knowing what you have, what may apply and who to talk to next.

Who uses these reports and when?

Rental providers and property managers use structured reports to keep a dated record of a property and to understand which requirements may be relevant before a tenancy starts or when something changes. Our routine rental check service covers the room by room record, and the pillar guide on rental property inspections in Victoria explains how the different rental records fit together.

Owners who have been asked for a report on a particular item, such as a balustrade, a retaining wall or a wet area, use a compliance report to answer that specific request with a dated record and a plain explanation of what may apply. If the request is for a certificate rather than a report, we say so and point you to who can issue it.

Investors often want several records at once: a condition record, a view of the requirements that may apply to a new rental, and the paperwork for tax. The schedule itself is prepared by an appropriately qualified person and your accountant advises on claims; the pillar guide on whether your investment property needs a depreciation schedule explains the steps, and the guide on arranging a depreciation report for a rental property covers the practical side.

Buyers and sellers sometimes use a structured report to describe a property's condition for the other side of a sale. The report describes what was visible on the day; your conveyancer or lawyer advises on what is disclosed and how.

What can a report not do?

A report is an independent, visual record. It describes the areas in the agreed scope at the time of the inspection, and it cannot see into concealed or inaccessible areas. It is not a warranty, an insurance document, an approval or a certificate of compliance. It does not replace the statutory inspections a building surveyor carries out under a building permit, and it does not replace a licensed trade's own checks of plumbing, gas or electrical work.

It is also not legal advice. Where a question turns on your rights or obligations, for example in a rental dispute or a sale, ask your lawyer or conveyancer. Where it turns on health, ask a doctor.

How do you arrange one and what should you tell us?

Tell us why you need the report, who will read it and any deadline you are working to. Share existing reports, certificates, permits and correspondence about the property, so the scope builds on what you already have; if your paperwork is scattered, our property paperwork service can help you sort it, and the guide to the property documents every owner should keep is a useful checklist. Arrange access to every area in scope, including any locked rooms, the roof space and the subfloor where they matter.

We confirm the scope and provide a quote before anything is booked. After the inspection you receive the structured report and a plain-language explanation from us, with the chance to ask questions.

Not sure whether you need a compliance report, a condition report or something else? Tell us about the property and we will help with the next step: call 0406 194 163 or send an enquiry and we will come back to you.

Sources and authorities

These public sources set out the requirements this guide refers to. They are the places to confirm what applies to your property; we help you understand and prepare for them.

• Consumer Affairs Victoria renting guidance: rental minimum standards, condition reports and the rights of renters and rental providers.
• Building and Plumbing Commission: Victoria's building regulator, with consumer guidance on building work and building permits.