What to do today
If your Victorian landlord (the Act's rental provider) served a rent increase:
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Check the notice against the live rules. Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) says rent cannot increase unless the provider uses the right form. For a private rental that is usually the Notice of proposed rent increase to renter of rented premises (Word). The notice must state the new amount and how the increase was calculated. Wrong form means the notice is not valid, and CAV says the renter only has to pay the increase if given proper notice.
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Check the clocks on the notice itself. From 25 November 2025, CAV and RDRV say the provider must give the notice at least 90 days before the increase starts. Some older summaries (including LawHub when checked on 1 Sep 2026) still say 60 days. Prefer the live CAV and RDRV pages, and read the start date and notice period printed on your form.
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Check how often rent can rise. CAV and Tenants Victoria say rent generally cannot increase more than once every 12 months. During a fixed-term agreement, an increase can only take effect if the agreement has an extra clause that allows it and says how it is calculated. If those rules were skipped, the increase may be invalid.
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Decide what rent to pay while you challenge. Tenants Victoria recommends paying the increase once the start date has arrived, even if you plan to challenge it, and getting advice before ignoring a notice you think is invalid. CAV separately says you only have to pay an increase if you were given proper notice. Do not invent your own withholding plan.
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Ask CAV for a free rent assessment within 30 days of receiving the written notice. Use the Request for rental assessment form, or the rent-increase investigation section on the last page of the official notice. CAV may inspect and will send a report to you and the provider. You cannot be forced out just for asking.
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If the report says the increase is too high and the provider will not lower it, apply to RDRV within 30 days of getting the report. RDRV excessive rent is free. If RDRV cannot settle it, it helps you apply to VCAT, which can set a maximum rent (CAV says usually for 12 months for private rentals). Check the current residential tenancies fee on the VCAT fees page. Do not rely on an old dollar figure.
Worked example
Alex receives a Notice of proposed rent increase on 1 September 2026. The form is the CAV Word notice, it explains the calculation, and the new rent starts 95 days later. Alex's last increase was 14 months ago, so the 12-month spacing looks fine. Alex thinks the new figure is above market for similar flats in the suburb.
Within 30 days of getting the notice, Alex lodges CAV's Request for rental assessment and keeps paying the old rent until the start date on the notice. When that start date arrives, Alex follows Tenants Victoria's guidance and pays the new amount while the challenge continues. CAV's report says the increase is excessive. The agent refuses to drop it. Within 30 days of the report, Alex applies to RDRV with the report attached. If RDRV cannot resolve it, RDRV helps Alex take it to VCAT for a maximum-rent order.
If instead the agent had emailed "rent goes up $80 next month" with no prescribed form, Alex would treat that as a validity problem first (CAV: wrong form means the notice is not valid) and get advice before deciding what to pay.
What CAV looks at in a rent assessment
CAV's challenge page lists factors such as comparable rents in the same area, the size of the jump versus the current rent, Melbourne CPI, increases in the previous 24 months, the condition and facilities of the property, and relevant breach orders. From 31 March 2026, CAV says it and VCAT have additional considerations when assessing rent increases. Check the live CAV page for that list rather than memorising an old checklist.
There is no legal dollar cap on how much a private Victorian rental can rise. The path is notice validity first, then market-range assessment, then RDRV and VCAT.
High rent without a fresh increase
CAV's challenge page also covers some "high rent" situations where rent did not increase but services or sharing arrangements changed (for example reduced facilities without a rent cut, or a rooming-house resident asked to share with more people). Those paths are narrower. Start on the same CAV page and the RDRV excessive rent page.
Where to get help
Consumer Affairs Victoria: 1300 558 181
Rent increases
Challenging rent increases or high rent
Request for rental assessment
RDRV: How much can my rental provider raise my rent? · Excessive rent disputes (free)
VCAT: 1300 018 228 · Current fees
Tenants Victoria: 1800 068 860 · Private rental rent increases
LawHub (professionals): Rent increases