Prescribed Accommodation

Our public health team works to prevent overcrowding in prescribed accommodation, ensure reasonable standards of hygiene, sanitation and maintenance, and reduce the risk of spreading communicable diseases. We regularly inspect prescribed accommodation across the shire to ensure compliance with current regulations.

Registration

 If your business operates any of the following types of accommodation, it must be registered with council:

  • Residential accommodation
  • Hotels and motels
  • Hostels or student dormitories
  • Farm stays or holiday camps
  • Rooming houses
  • Bed and breakfasts accommodating more than five people
  • Rooming/shared houses accommodating four or more people
  • Guesthouses and boutique hotels

You do not require registration if your business operates any of the following:

  • A house under the exclusive occupation of the occupier
  • A self-contained flat under the exclusive occupation of the occupier
  • Public hospitals, nursing home or health services establishments (registered)
  • Retirement villages
  • Any house, building or structure to which part four (caravan parks and movable dwellings) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 applies
  • Premises in which, other than the family of the proprietor, not more than five persons are accommodated and which is not a rooming house
  • Temporary crisis accommodation

Requirements

Health requirements

Health regulations focus on requirements including: 

  • Minimum room sizes
  • Maintenance and cleanliness
  • Water supply and drinking water
  • Discharge of sewage and wastewater
  • Refuse receptacles and refuse disposal
  • Toilet and bathing facilities
  • Register of occupants

 

Registration requirements

Some important points to note regarding your registration:

  • You should consult with our planning and building department prior to proceeding with any change of use or building work to ensure requirements are met.
  • Renewal applications must be lodged with council on, or before, 31 December each year.
  • Registration may be transferred to another person or premises.
  • An annual inspection is carried out by an authorised officer to determine whether the business complies with all requirements.
  • Significant ongoing requirements relating to the conditions and upkeep of the accommodation will apply.
  • Any business that has not had a satisfactory inspection may be refused registration the following year.
  • Additional licences, registrations or permits may be required depending on the nature of activities conducted in your business (for example, registration of food premises, planning permits and liquor licences).

For more requirement details, please see attached the prescribed accommodation requirements factsheet(PDF, 228KB). 

Apply

To help ensure your application is approved:
  • Attach a plan of the premises with your application, drawn to a scale of not less than 1:100, and showing the proposed use of each room for valid assessment
  • Pay the prescribed registration fee
  • Once registered, the registration must be renewed with council by 31 December each year

If you prepare food at your accommodation business, you may also require registration under the Food Act 1984. Planning approval to conduct the business may also be necessary in some circumstances.

If you need assistance with starting, running or growing your business, please visit our Business Enabling webpage.

If you are ready to apply for a new permit, please visit The Process for Obtaining a New Permit to start your business application process.

Buildings and residences are given classes according to their use.  In order for a building owner to change a single-family residence (Class 1a) to a share house (Class 1b) where four or more unrelated people may be residing, council involvement is required.

  • Check that a rooming house is registered before you sign an agreement.
  • Complaints from rooming house residents are often about unclean properties, no smoke alarms and faulty wiring.
  • Complaints raised by neighbours are often about noise, disposal of waste, too many cars in the street and untidy appearances.
  • You can direct complaints to our public health department via customer service on 03 5358 8700.

Consumer Affairs Victoria can provide information and advice regarding tenancy issues and disputes, including bond lodgements, notice periods, rent increases, goods left behind and more. Please call 1300 558 181 or email consumer@justice.vic.gov.au.

Fees

View public health fees and charges 

Related Information

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