The short answer
In Victoria renters are eligible for VEU upgrades, including window glazing in a private rental, but landlord permission may be needed. Separately, rental providers must draughtproof external doors, windows and unsealed wall vents from 1 July 2027, and door snakes do not count. If there are gas appliances, a gas safety check comes first.
Can a renter really get double glazing through VEU?
The program is plain about it: renters are eligible. Double glazing changes the building rather than the contents, though, so start with the landlord. The program's own advice is that landlord permission may be needed, depending on the change, the property and the length of the lease. Consumer Affairs Victoria publishes the list of changes renters can make, which is the place to check before you organise anything.
What will the rental draughtproofing standard require?
From the date above, draught seals or weather strips have to be fitted to the gaps around external doors and windows, and unsealed wall vents dealt with. It isn't a blanket deadline for every rental on the day: the standard kicks in at the start of a new rental agreement, or when an agreement rolls over to month-to-month. The detail that catches people out is that door snakes do not count: the standard is about fixed products, not a rolled-up towel at the bottom of the door.
Why does gas matter before draughtproofing?
Consumer Affairs Victoria warns that some gas appliances become a health and safety risk once a home is sealed. So where a rental has gas appliances, a licensed plumber must do a gas safety check first, and the check must be less than six months old when the draughtproofing is finished. If it finds un-flued or open-flued gas appliances, or a gas cooktop without a rangehood, the draughtproofing doesn't go ahead, and an exemption from the standard may apply instead. For a landlord that's the first call to make, before booking anyone to fit seals.
Dates for Victorian rentals
Show the dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 16 September 2026 | When these dates were last checked |
| 1 October 2026 | VEU insulation discount, up to $1,482 |
| 1 July 2027 | Draughtproofing on doors, windows and unsealed vents, at the next new lease |
Which discounts help a landlord most?
Victorian discounts a landlord can use
Show the numbers
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Weather sealing | $700 |
| Ceiling insulation | $1,482 |
Weather sealing is worth up to $700 and lines up with the draughtproofing standard, so it is the obvious place to start. Consumer Affairs Victoria says every upgrade under the new rental standards is eligible for a VEU discount. Insulation is up to $1,482 from 1 October 2026, with a minimum customer contribution of $200. Window glazing is measured differently, at up to $210 per 10 m², which is why it sits outside the chart above: the amount depends on the glass area rather than the house.
How should a renter and a landlord work it out between them?
- Put the request in writing, describing the work and who would arrange it.
- Agree who talks to the accredited provider, since the provider handles the discount either way.
- Ask for the quote to show the VEU discount as its own line.
- Keep the quote and the product details with the tenancy paperwork.
What about the windows themselves?
If replacement is on the table, the numbers are the same as for any other house: $2,300 to $3,500 per window in Melbourne, before the discount. Sealing gaps around existing windows is a much smaller job, and for a rental it is the one with a deadline attached.
Tenancy rules and minimum standards are set by Victorian law and change over time. Check Consumer Affairs Victoria and the Energy Victoria pages in the sources before relying on this.