Start with the exact dwelling and intended arrangement
Identify which building is being offered, its address and the relevant version of the plans. Record whether the proposal is for one household to rent the property together, separate agreements for a house and second dwelling, or another arrangement needing further review. Do not infer the legal arrangement from the number of entrances or bedrooms.
This article concerns the evidence handoff before advertising. The existing dual-living management guide covers the ongoing management questions, while the shared-services evidence guide deals with boundaries between dwellings. Use those owners for their specific questions rather than treating this checklist as a new rent or fee schedule.
Receive the building file before treating handover as rental readiness
Request the relevant approved plans, permit and inspection records, and completion or occupation documentation applicable to the building. Match the address, dwelling and version rather than accept a folder bearing a similar project name. Keep unresolved defects and recommendations with it.
Where records do not match the building or intended use, ask the appropriate building professional to resolve the discrepancy. The property manager does not issue building certification. CAV's plans and permits checklist distinguishes project plans, permits and completion responsibilities. If the development pathway itself is unresolved, consult the current Planning Victoria second-dwelling guidance, rather than rely on an old building-cost example.
Keep a dated minimum-standards record before listing
From 13 October 2026, CAV requires records demonstrating rental minimum-standards compliance. Its guidance addresses records for advertising or offering the property and before the renter moves in. A modern-looking kitchen or a newly painted room does not replace that review. Check the applicable property and agreement requirements, including transition details, rather than assume every existing tenancy has identical circumstances. CAV minimum standards.
For the working file, link each checked item to supporting evidence and its date. Separate a confirmed result from a request awaiting a report. If a gap needs repair, give it an owner and a next action; do not mark it complete because a contractor has been booked. The rental readiness evidence guide explains that broader process.
Confirm the actual safety checks and outstanding work
Identify the installed services before deciding what evidence applies. CAV's current gas and electrical guidance describes qualified checks, the reports to retain and outstanding recommendations. Gas-check applicability depends on gas appliances, fixtures or fittings; a missing document does not establish that a building is all-electric. CAV gas and electrical safety.
Check that each report identifies the intended property, date, scope and result. Keep rectification evidence beside any recommendation. Do not substitute a receipt for the actual inspection record, or describe a general builder's handover as every required rental safety check. Where the information is incomplete, obtain clarification from the qualified person. The current safety-check guide is the relevant internal owner.
Hand over shared boundaries without guessing the bill split
Give the manager a usable plan of entrances, yards, paths, parking, bins, emergency access and any shared service. Identify what is physically installed and what is confirmed about its supply or billing arrangement. Keep an unknown item labelled unknown.
Two separate doors do not establish independent meters or lawful separate charges. Refer utility allocation and agreement questions to the existing shared-services evidence guide and appropriate advice for the actual arrangement. This article should not prescribe an invented percentage split. The aim is a clear handoff that prevents an unanswered service question from disappearing between construction and leasing.
Make the first advertisement match the evidence
Describe the verified dwelling, facilities and proposed tenancy accurately. Distinguish an asking rent from rent agreed or collected, and use a current appraisal rather than a supplier's projected return. A quoted construction price does not prove achievable rental income.
Keep a short decision record: item checked, evidence, date, outcome, unresolved question and responsible person. Avoid publishing occupier names, personal documents or access codes with the advertisement. If an unresolved building, safety or tenancy issue prevents a supported listing, complete that work first. For a maintenance gap, use the existing paid-versus-completed repair evidence guide, rather than close the issue on payment alone.
Keep the review useful after the first tenant arrives
The handoff is a starting record, not a guarantee that nothing will change. Keep the relevant inspection, maintenance and communication evidence connected to the correct dwelling. Update the file when an issue is investigated or work is completed, preserving the earlier record and date.
If responsibilities move to another manager, transfer both confirmed evidence and unresolved actions. A blank field should not silently become a clean result. The property manager handover guide provides the next step without requiring a second version of this article.