Legal evictions
In order to evict you, the landlord must

• give you a valid Notice to Vacate (see the Notices to Vacate leaflet for more information)
• apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a Possession Order

A landlord cannot legally evict you without obtaining a Possession Order and a Warrant of Possession. A Warrant of Possession directs the police to evict you from the property. The eviction must always be carried out by the police; the landlord cannot evict you themselves.

Applications for Possession Orders
Standard procedure
There are two procedures for landlords to apply for a Possession Order. With the standard procedure, the landlord sends you a Notice to Vacate and a copy of their application to the Tribunal for a Possession Order. See the Notices to Vacate leaflet for more information. The Tribunal will then send you a notice telling you the time, date and place of the Tribunal hearing.

Alternative procedure for rent arrears
The alternative procedure allows landlords to apply for a Possession Order if you are in arrears. To use this procedure, the landlord must send you the following documents

• a 14-day Notice to Vacate
• a copy of their application to the Tribunal for a Possession Order
• two copies of a Notice of Objection
• a statement setting out your rights in relation to the Possession Order

If you want to object to the landlord's application for a Possession Order, you must fill out the 2 copies of the Notice of Objection and send one copy to the landlord and the other to the Tribunal. If the landlord is applying for a Possession Order for rent arrears, the Notice of Objection must be returned by 4pm on the day the Notice to Vacate expires.

If you do not return the Notice of Objection, the landlord can request the Tribunal's Principal Registrar to grant a Possession Order and issue a Warrant of Possession. There will be no further notices and no opportunity for you to put your case to the Tribunal. If you do return the Notice of Objection, the Tribunal will set a hearing date and the application will proceed as if it were a standard application.

You should deliver your Notice of Objection to the Tribunal and the landlord by registered or certified mail (allow 2 days for delivery), or deliver it personally. Keep a copy of your mail receipts.

Alternative procedure when fixed-term tenancy agreement is ending
If your landlord gives you a Notice to Vacate for no reason and your fixed-term tenancy is due to expire, and that notice expires on the same day that the fixed term expires, they may also use the alternative procedures to obtain a Possession Order.

The landlord will not send you a Notice of Objection at the same time as the Notice to Vacate. Instead they must send you a further notice informing you that they intend to apply to the Tribunal for a Possession Order if you do not move out on the last day of your fixed term. If your fixed-term agreement is for less than 6 months, the further notice must be given to you between 7 and 14 days before the end of the fixed term. If your fixed-term agreement is for 6 months or more, the further notice must be given to you between 14 and 21 days before the end of the fixed term.

If you do not move out on the last day of your fixed term, the landlord or agent can apply to the Tribunal. They must send you a copy of their application, together with two copies of the Notice of Objection and a statement of your rights in relation to the application for a Possession Order. You must give one copy of the completed Notice of Objection to the landlord and one copy to the Tribunal before the end of 4 business days after you receive the copy of the application to the Tribunal.

If you do not return the Notice of Objection, the landlord can request that the Registrar make a Possession Order and issue a Warrant of Possession. There will be no further notices and no opportunity for you to put your case to the Tribunal. If you do return the Notice of Objection, the Tribunal will set a date for hearing and the application will go ahead in the same way as a standard application.

You should deliver your Notice of Objection to the Tribunal and the landlord by registered or certified mail (allow 2 days for delivery), or deliver it personally. Keep a copy of your mail receipts.

Tribunal hearings
The Tribunal will schedule a hearing to take place after your Notice to Vacate has expired. You will be notified of the time and place of the Tribunal hearing; you should always attend. You may wish to dispute the grounds upon which the landlord is wanting to evict you, or explain your circumstances and ask the Tribunal for an extension of time. If the Tribunal member is convinced you should not be evicted, they can order that you be allowed to stay, or that you be given more time before you have to leave. If you do not attend the hearing, the Possession Order will almost always be granted.

Warrants of Possession
If the Tribunal member believes you should move out, they will grant a Possession Order. This allows the landlord to take out a Warrant of Possession, which gives the police the power to evict you. The Warrant must usually be acted upon by the police within 14 days (although in special circumstances the Tribunal will sometimes allow 30 days).

If the landlord has been granted a Possession Order by the Tribunal, you should contact your local police station to inform them you will leave the premises on the 14th day. If you contact the police, they will be less likely to exercise their power to evict you before then. Usually the police will give you a couple of days warning before they evict you, but be aware that they can lawfully act on the Warrant of Possession from the moment they are given it (which can be the same day as the Tribunal hearing).

Tribunal rehearings
If you find out that a Possession Order has been granted, but you did not attend the hearing, you can apply to the Tribunal for a rehearing. You will need to do this before the police evict you, as once you have been evicted, the Tribunal has no powers to allow you back into the property. If possible, you should apply for an urgent rehearing by going to the Tribunal in person. If you live in the country or are unable to get to the Tribunal, you should ring the Tribunal registry and ask them to tell you how to apply for a rehearing. The Tribunal is at 55 King Street, Melbourne, phone % (03) 9628 9800 (toll free % 1800 133 055) and fax (03) 9628 9822.

When you apply for a rehearing you should immediately contact your landlord or agent and the police to ensure they don't act on the Warrant of Possession. You should also make sure that the Tribunal staff contact the police to put a stop on the execution of the warrant.

When your application for a rehearing is heard you will need to convince the Tribunal member that you had a good reason for not appearing at the original hearing. If the Tribunal member accepts your explanation, the initial decision will be set aside and the landlord's application reheard. There is no fee for making an application for a rehearing.

Illegal evictions
It is illegal for a landlord or agent, or anyone acting on their behalf, to attempt to physically evict you or change the locks. Only the police can carry out an eviction. If the landlord or agent attempts to evict you, you should call the police and charge the landlord or agent with trespassing.

If you have been illegally evicted, you should immediately apply (in person if possible) for an urgent hearing at the Tribunal. The Tribunal can restrain the landlord or agent from further illegal actions, and order them to allow you back into the property.

Note - the Tribunal is open 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. If you have been illegally evicted outside of these hours, you will need to find alternative accommodation until a hearing can be arranged.

You should also lodge a complaint with the Director of the Office of Fair Trading and Business Affairs. There is a maximum penalty of $2000 if the landlord is convicted. You can also seek compensation for any inconvenience, costs, loss or damage to your goods caused by the landlord's illegal actions. See the Complaints about landlords and estate agents and Claiming compensation leaflets for more information.

For more information, contact the Tenants Union on % (03) 9416 2577.