Consumer Affairs Victoria’s priorities for 26/27
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) part of the Victorian Department of Government Services, is Victoria’s consumer marketplace regulator.
Consumer Affairs Victoria’s statutory remit includes the application of the Australian Consumer Law in Victoria as well as residential tenancies and diverse industry-specific regulation. For 2026/27, CAV’s regulatory priorities included:
Owners corporations managers failing to comply with their obligations and properly handle disputes
The Problem
One in 5 Victorians now own or live in a home in a subdivision with an owners corporation, like an apartment or townhouse. Poorly managed owners corporations put residents at risk of poor building management, questionable fees, unchecked conflicts of interest, and complex high-rise governance challenges. Owners corporations have a range of obligations under the Owners Corporations Act 2006 that protect the interests of owners and residents, and ensure transparency and accountability for owners corporations.
What we’ll do
Recent legislative changes introduce important new protections in targeted areas such as payment plans and voting arrangements but the independent review of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 highlights a range of further issues impacting owners and residents and potential areas for reform.
We will support owners corporations, owners corporation managers, lot owners and residents to understand and meet their obligations under the law. We will monitor compliance with key protections including under general consumer law, and use the tools we have available under current laws to take action where an owners corporation manager presents financial, safety or governance risks, so that Victorians living in apartment and unit complexes get fair and transparent services and support.
