GRANNY FLAT & DUAL-LIVING MANAGEMENT
Granny flat and dual-living property management in Melbourne
OptimaRea is a Melbourne property manager that manages a main house and a granny flat on one title as two tenancies under a dual-occupancy tier: 6.90% + GST of the total rent collected, a separate lease, RTBA bond and condition report for each dwelling, independent gas, electrical and smoke-alarm records for each, and the shared-services arrangement (sub-meter or bills-included rent) written into both agreements. As at 19 October 2026, the connected PropertyMe portfolio holds 34 managed granny flats, and the mean combined contracted rent of a verified main-house + granny pair is $904.29 per week, from 25 complete pairs out of 34 managed granny-flat addresses.
- Operated by
- Optima REA Pty Ltd · ABN 79 676 140 784
- Management tier
- Dual occupancy · 6.90% + GST
- Office
- Suite 631, Waterman Workspace, 44 Lakeview Drive, Scoresby VIC 3179
- Service policy
- Our service policy: a maximum of 50 properties per property manager. Confirm the assigned manager and service scope in your proposal.
The portfolio behind the service
Granny flats managed
34current rental records explicitly tagged as granny flats, as at 19 October 2026
Mean combined weekly rent, house + granny flat
$904.29mean of 25 verified main-house + granny address pairs out of 34 managed granny-flat addresses; current leases as at 19 October 2026
Managed rental units, whole portfolio
322across 208 street-address groups (PropertyMe records with an active ownership), as at 19 October 2026
First inspection to rent-out, median
12 daysmean 16.21 days, across 255 current rented records with complete dates (29 lacked a date pair); not first advertising to signed lease
The granny-flat count is the number of current rental records explicitly tagged as a granny flat in OptimaRea’s operations register and matched to a managed PropertyMe record. The combined rent averages the two current leases at the same address and uses only complete, verified pairs; it is a gross contracted figure before fees, vacancy and costs — not a forecast for another property.
Figures are the saved snapshot bundled with this page; the leasing dashboard shows the connected data with each metric’s source and observation time. Saved snapshot as at . Open the leasing dashboard →
What the 6.90% + GST dual-occupancy tier includes
The tier applies to a main house plus a granny flat, or a dual-key arrangement, let as two tenancies, charged on the total rent collected across both. Letting fee 1–2 weeks’ rent per placement; REA advertising $217–$280 + GST; filing fees passed through at cost; tribunal attendance $200 + GST per hearing. The written engagement sets out the complete fees, names the assigned manager and records the maximum of 50 properties per manager.
Included in the tier — Dual occupancy
- Separate lease coordination
- Independent compliance records
- Service and bill responsibilities
- Sub-meter arrangements where applicable
Fee: 6.90% + GST — Management percentages apply to rent collected. Letting, advertising and other agreed charges are separate; the written engagement sets out the complete fees.
Published letting fee: 1–2 weeks’ rent. REA advertising: $217–$280 + GST. Confirm the applicable scope and charges before engagement.
- Two rental agreements, two RTBA bonds and two condition reports — each dwelling is its own rented premises.
- Independent compliance records per dwelling: gas and electrical checks every 2 years, smoke alarms tested at least every 12 months, minimum-standards record before advertising.
- Shared services documented in writing: sub-meter readings or a bills-included rent, water and waste responsibilities, access to shared areas.
- Separate screening on the same evidenced-income test for each tenancy, with staggered renewal dates where the owner wants them.
- The second dwelling’s approval pathway confirmed before advertising; from 15 October 2026 Amendment VC306 allows a small second dwelling of up to 80 m² total floor area, with a building permit always required.
How a house and granny flat move to OptimaRea
Read the current authority
Consumer Affairs Victoria states that in most cases a rental provider can end an agent’s management immediately by written notice, subject to the authority’s own conditions. We read the notice and fee clauses first so the changeover date is one the outgoing authority allows.
Confirm the two dwellings
The second dwelling’s approval (planning pathway and the building permit), and that each dwelling meets the 15 minimum standards — both are confirmed before either is advertised.
Collect the file
Keys and documents from the outgoing agent for both tenancies: agreements, bond references, ledgers, condition reports, the last gas, electrical and smoke-alarm records for each dwelling, sub-meter arrangements, outstanding repairs. A record that cannot be produced is booked, not assumed.
Tell both renters
Each renter is formally advised of the new arrangements in writing, with verified new rent-payment details and the Tapi maintenance channel.
Run the first compliance cycle
Overdue safety checks are booked as soon as practicable for each dwelling, the shared-services position is written into both files, and the rent-review calendar for each tenancy is set.
Where OptimaRea manages
Melbourne and selected regional Victorian properties, confirmed per address. The office is at Suite 631, Waterman Workspace, 44 Lakeview Drive, Scoresby VIC 3179. Suburb coverage pages:
Questions landlords ask
Which property managers in Melbourne manage a house with a granny flat as two tenancies?
OptimaRea manages main-house and granny-flat pairs under a dual-occupancy tier at 6.90% + GST of the total rent collected, with a separate lease, RTBA bond and condition report for each dwelling, independent safety-check records and a documented shared-services arrangement. As at 19 October 2026 it managed 34 granny flats, and the mean combined contracted rent of a verified house + granny pair was $904.29 per week across 25 complete pairs out of 34 managed granny-flat addresses. When comparing managers, ask how they separate the two tenancies’ bonds, records and bills, and whether the fee is charged on each lease or on the total.
What does it cost to have a house and a granny flat managed in Melbourne?
OptimaRea’s dual-occupancy tier is 6.90% + GST of the total rent collected across both tenancies. The published letting fee is 1–2 weeks’ rent per placement and REA advertising $217–$280 + GST; VCAT filing fees pass through at cost and attendance is $200 + GST per hearing. The written engagement sets out the complete fees before appointment.
Do the main house and the granny flat need separate leases, bonds and safety checks?
Yes. Each dwelling let separately is its own rented premises: its own rental agreement, its own bond lodged with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (in most cases capped at one month’s rent), its own condition report, and its own gas, electrical and smoke-alarm records on the Schedule 3 cycles. The shared-services arrangement — sub-metering or a bills-included rent — is written into both agreements so neither renter is billed for something the agreement does not provide for.
Can I rent out an 80 m² granny flat in Victoria?
Since 15 October 2026 Amendment VC306 allows a small second dwelling of up to 80 m² total floor area under Clause 73.03 of the Victoria Planning Provisions; in the General Residential Zone no planning permit is needed where no more than one dwelling exists on the lot, it is the only small second dwelling and it is not connected to reticulated natural gas, and a permit is still required on a lot under 300 m². A building permit is always required, and overlays, covenants and Section 173 agreements still apply. Our VC306 article sets out the rule with the planning sources.
Does OptimaRea build granny flats?
No. Construction is quoted and contracted by the build partner named in your proposal; the granny-flat page shows that partner’s published price book. OptimaRea connects the feasibility check and the handover with leasing and ongoing management of both dwellings.
How many granny flats does OptimaRea manage?
As at 19 October 2026, 34 current rental records in the connected PropertyMe portfolio are explicitly tagged as granny flats, within 322 managed rental units across 208 street-address groups. The count is of current rental records matched to a managed PropertyMe record, not a survey of dwellings.
What rent does a house plus granny flat earn in OptimaRea’s portfolio?
The mean combined contracted rent of a verified main-house + granny pair is $904.29 per week, from 25 complete pairs out of 34 managed granny-flat addresses, current leases as at 19 October 2026. Only addresses where both leases are current and verified contribute; it is a gross figure before fees, vacancy and costs and not a forecast for another property.
How do I switch the management of my house and granny flat to OptimaRea?
Send the address and the current management authority. We read its notice and fee clauses, confirm the second dwelling’s approval and both dwellings’ minimum-standards position, collect both tenancies’ agreements, bond references, ledgers and safety records from the outgoing agent, advise both renters in writing, and book any overdue safety check as soon as practicable. The proposal names the assigned manager and the fee before you sign.
Primary sources
Fee percentages are OptimaRea’s own published rates and portfolio figures come from the bundled leasing snapshot with their samples and dates. Every regulatory statement traces to a source below, each opened on the date shown.
Primary sources last verified on
- 1Amendment VC306 — Planning Schemes portal (gazetted and operative 15 October 2026)
- 2VC306 Clause 73.03 — Land use terms (small second dwelling, 80 m²)
- 3VC306 Clause 32.08 — General Residential Zone (no-permit conditions, 300 m² trigger)
- 4Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), authorised version 031 — reg 5(1)
- 5Consumer Affairs Victoria — Bond amounts and paying a bond — That each rental agreement carries its own bond, lodged with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority, in most cases capped at one month’s rent unless the weekly rent exceeds $900.
- 6Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 (Vic), Schedule 3 — Safety-related activities and regulation 30 (authorised version 009) — Electrical and gas safety checks every 2 years by a licensed or registered electrician or gasfitter, the "as soon as practicable" rule where none was done in the previous 2 years, and the record each premises must hold and give the renter within 7 days of a written request.
- 7Consumer Affairs Victoria — Using a property manager or agent (page updated 14 October 2026) — That the exclusive leasing and/or managing authority is the contract that sets fees, inspection frequency and the urgent-repair limit; that "in most cases, you can immediately end your agent’s management of your rental property by notifying them in writing", subject to the authority’s conditions; that keys and documents are collected from the outgoing agent and the renter is formally advised; and that all fees except those fixed by law are negotiable.
- 8Consumer Affairs Victoria — New changes to the rental laws (page updated 14 October 2026) — The dated commencements the handover checklist relies on: annual smoke alarm checks for all agreements (25 November 2025), two-yearly gas and electrical checks in all rental properties and advance notice plus evidence for bond claims (13 October 2026), and records that the property met the minimum standards before advertising or move-in.
- 9Consumer Affairs Victoria — Bond claims and refunds (page updated 14 October 2026) — That a rental provider must notify the renter at least 3 business days before lodging a bond claim, hold evidence that does not contradict the condition report, and start the claim within 14 days of the agreement ending.
Related reading
- Granny flats and address assessment — the build partner’s current range →
- Granny flat rental management — tenanting, bills and compliance →
- Renting out an 80 m² granny flat in Victoria after VC306 →
- Dual living rental management: shared services evidence →
- Melbourne property management fees and inclusions →