One in 10 rental properties unfit to live in
"The basic findings were that quite a lot of houses lacked two or more of some basic features such as locks on all doors, the absence of extensive mould, the absence of cooking, heating, electrical safety switches, those sorts of features," she said.
Ms Smith is disgusted with the findings.
"We're not a third-world country," she said. "We've got a residential tenancies act that does not actually define what kind of habitability standards are expected," she said.
The state's telephone and web financial counselling service, MoneyHelp says minimum standards are urgently needed to ensure all rental properties are healthy, safe and affordable. Carolyn Bond says a third of their callers last month were renters and two thirds of them were in housing stress.
"While these renters are often struggling to pay for their housing, they are not necessarily getting a good deal for that money," she said.
This Dandenong property had missing floor tiles in the bathroom. (VCOSS)
