RTA & VCAT Masterclass

Work through the RTA’s grey areas with practical options you can confidently stand behind. 

Overview

When you already know the Residential Tenancies Act well, the hardest part of the work is rarely finding the right section. It’s managing the grey areas, unusual scenarios and constant reforms, while making defensible decisions under pressure. 

This in-person masterclass is designed for experienced community housing staff who want to sharpen their judgement and problem-solving on complex tenancy matters. Using real case discussion and participant-driven topics, you will explore tricky interpretations, the reasonable and proportionate test, and how human rights obligations intersect with tenancy law. The focus is practical, workable decision-making you can apply immediately. 

Why this course matters 

• Strengthen decision-making in complex, high-risk tenancy matters 

• Reduce uncertainty in situations where there is no clear “standard process” 

• Improve consistency in applying the RTA across teams and portfolios 

• Build confidence in responding to reforms and emerging interpretations 

• Support defensible decisions that can withstand scrutiny from renters, advocates and VCAT 

• Strengthen practice where tenancy law intersects with human rights obligations 

What participants will learn

• Practical approaches for resolving complex RTA disputes and grey-area scenarios  

• Applying the reasonable and proportionate test in real housing decisions  

• Decision-making frameworks for high-risk tenancy matters  

• Strategies for navigating THM complexities and shared household issues  

• Options for responding to challenging maintenance disputes and repairs pathways  

• Approaches to recovering service charges and managing disputes about costs  

• How to strengthen written and verbal reasoning when explaining decisions  

• Key updates on recent and upcoming legislative reforms impacting community housing  

Who should attend 

• Experienced Housing Officers and Tenancy Practitioners  

• Tenancy and Property Team Leaders  

• Housing Managers and Operational Managers  

• Specialist tenancy staff dealing with complex cases  

• Staff supporting VCAT preparation or high-risk tenancy decisions 

Organisational benefits

• Stronger defensible practice and reduced legal and reputational risk 

• Improved consistency in RTA interpretation across experienced teams  

• Better handling of complex tenancy disputes before escalation  

• Increased workforce capability in high-risk decision-making  

• Stronger compliance confidence during reforms and legislative change  

What participants will receive  

• Practical decision-making tools for complex RTA matters  

• Guidance on applying reasonable and proportionate reasoning  

• Opportunities to workshop real scenarios and test options  

• Peer learning and discussion in a small group setting 
  
  

Facilitator - Jason Perdriau

Jason is Deputy CEO at CHIA Vic.

Jason has fifteen years’ experience in the social housing sector which has included managing community and public housing programs and leading projects to support the growth and improvement of the social housing sector. Before working in social housing, Jason practised as a solicitor in the private and community sectors, and he has an MBA, Bachelor of Laws and Diploma of Social Housing.