Split system or ducted for an investment property?

From 1 March 2027, a rental needs energy-efficient fixed cooling with an outlet in the main living area when a new agreement starts, and from 1 July 2030 every rental needs it. For a non-ducted air conditioner, that means a GEMS cooling rating of 3 stars or more. For a ducted electric system, it means a Total Cooling Seasonal Performance Factor of 3.8 or more, both for the property's climate area.

Heating has a matching definition for replacements after a failure from 1 March 2027: 2 stars or more for non-ducted, or a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor of 3.2 or more for ducted. One reverse-cycle air conditioner can meet both standards. Any of the three system types can comply; the question is which suits the property and the way it's let.

A wall split in the living area is the usual answer for a rental with no cooling. It's one indoor head, one outdoor unit and one circuit. If it fails, the living area loses heating and cooling, but the rest of the house carries on, and parts or a replacement are straightforward.

Renters find splits easy to use: one remote, one room. Filters are easy to reach, and the Victorian Government suggests cleaning them about twice a year, which renters can do and agents can check at routine inspections. Adding bedroom splits later is a separate, independent job each time.

A multi-head system runs several indoor heads from one outdoor unit, which saves space outside on narrow blocks and in townhouses. The trade-off for a rental is concentrated risk. If the outdoor unit fails, every head stops, and one urgent repair now affects the whole house.

Replacing a multi-head system at the end of its life usually means a new outdoor unit and checking every head, so the job is larger than swapping one split. For most rentals, separate splits are easier to live with over the long run.

Families looking at four-bedroom homes in Point Cook, Tarneit or Werribee often expect ducted heating and cooling. A zoned ducted reverse-cycle system heats and cools the whole house quietly from one controller, with no heads on the walls.

The stakes are higher. A ducted breakdown takes out the whole house, and replacing the unit is a bigger job. Renters need to know how the zones and controller work, and someone has to clean the return air filter. Ducts in the roof are out of sight, so damage from pests or past trades can go unnoticed until performance drops.

A cooling appliance supplied by the rental provider that isn't working is on Consumer Affairs Victoria's urgent repairs list, and the rental provider organises and pays for repairs unless the renter caused the problem. A service booked each spring is the simplest way to avoid a January breakdown.

Keep a simple record for each property: system type, model numbers, install date, service dates and who cleans the filters. It speeds up servicing, helps your agent brief a technician and gives you a basis for deciding repair or replace when the time comes.