After you apply – Residential tenancy cases

You can bring someone with you to your hearing for support. This support person could be anyone you choose, including a friend or family member. They can’t usually speak on your behalf, but they can help explain what you need (for example, ask for a break). 

You can’t bring someone to translate for you.

If you need an interpreter you must ask us for a VCAT interpreter. 

Support for people affected by family violence

If you are a protected person or responding to a case and under a family violence intervention order, you can choose to bring a support person to VCAT. The support person can be anyone you choose, including a lawyer, social worker, family member or friend.

Find out more about support for people affected by family violence at VCAT. 

If you want someone to speak on your behalf, you must ask for it in writing.

Template of written authority for someone to represent you

Use this template to give someone authority to represent you. We call this person an ‘agent’.

I, <NAME> (or Your Company Pty Ltd, if a company), a party in the VCAT case reference number xxxxx/20xx wish to be represented at VCAT.

I give permission for <representative's name and occupation> (add 'employed by the company' if you're a company) to represent me.

The agent has sufficient knowledge of the issues in dispute and has my permission to bind me to any settlement.

Date xx/xx/xx

Signed:______________ Name:______________ Position:______________

A change to the date of a directions hearing, mediation, compulsory conference or hearing is called an ‘adjournment’. 
 
If you can’t come to VCAT on the date we give you, you can ask for a change of date (adjournment). 

First, ask the other parties in the case to agree using the Request for consent to an adjournment form. 

Then, send us an adjournment application form no later than: 

• two business days before a directions hearing, mediation or compulsory conference
• two business days before a hearing for a residential tenancy case
• five business days before a hearing for all other cases.

You must: 

• give us good reasons for the change, like a sudden illness, accident or bereavement in the family
• give us evidence in writing to support your reasons (for example, a medical certificate)
• ask for the change in writing no later than two business days before the directions hearing, mediation or compulsory conference or five days before a final hearing. 

We may not agree to change the date, even if every person involved in the case agrees. Ask for an adjournment as soon as possible.

A change of date isn’t always possible, and we can’t change the date simply to speed things up. The hearing will go ahead as scheduled if we don’t confirm a new date and time with you.
 
Download the Adjournment Application Form
 

See also: What happens if I can't come to VCAT?

To change your VCAT application you need to ask before the final hearing for the change to be made.

We can’t always make every type of change to every type of case. For example, if what you're asking is something we cannot deal with or a time limit has passed.

We usually accept changes to your contact details before your hearing. If you're asking to change a name or the details of your claim, you may have to wait until you go to a hearing to find out if we can accept it.

1. Tell us what you want to change (for example, contact details) and your reasons in writing, by post or by email.
   Find the right email address for your type of case or send a written letter to GPO Box 5408, Melbourne VIC 3000
2. Include the application reference number and any documents that support the change.
3. Tell the other person or business (the other ‘party’) about the change in writing, and send them copies of any new documents.

VCAT must review and accept your change and we’ll tell you the outcome. 

Sometimes we’ll arrange a brief session called a ‘directions hearing’ to work out if we’ll allow the change. This often happens when the other person or business involved (the respondent) has a problem with the change.

Planning cases

If you are the permit applicant and want to change your application, you need to send the notice and complete the Statement of Service to confirm you’ve shared your documents. 

To find the right contact details relevant to your dispute, see Contacts and locations.

See also: Can I change the amount I’m claiming in my application?

VCAT cannot give legal advice. If you do choose to get legal advice, you will need to pay any costs. 

If you want to talk about what you should do, you can access free or low-cost legal advice or find a private lawyer.
  
If you want a lawyer or other professional representative to speak on your behalf at VCAT, let the other party know in writing before the hearing and ask permission when the hearing starts. You will need to explain why. 

For some case types you have an automatic right to representation.

If the claim is for goods and services under $15,000, we generally don’t allow a lawyer or other professional representative to speak for you at VCAT. 

If you do choose to get legal advice, you’ll need to pay any costs. 

Read more about legal and professional representation
 

You can contact the other party (or they can contact you) at any time to try to come to an agreement before the hearing. If you do reach an agreement, you and the other parties must let us know in writing, and copy in the other party, as soon as possible. 

If you make an offer to settle and you want to keep it confidential, make it in writing to the other party and use the words ‘without prejudice’ in your offer. 

This means that if your offer is not accepted by the other party, it cannot be discussed at a hearing. 

You can try and resolve the dispute without VCAT right up until the day of the hearing, and for residential tenancy disputes, in the hearing.

After you settle, if you’re the applicant you can end your case by asking us:

• to withdraw your application
• to strike out your case with the right to apply for reinstatement (except in a review of a planning decision) 
• for consent orders. 

Learn more about how you can settle a dispute outside VCAT

If you are the applicant, you can ask for permission to withdraw your VCAT application at any time before the hearing, for example, if you change your mind. You must let us and the other parties know in writing as soon as possible if you want to apply to withdraw. 

For some case types if you are the applicant you may have to pay costs to the respondent if you withdraw your claim. 

If you do withdraw your application, in most cases it can’t be reinstated. (This doesn’t apply in cases about guardians, administratrators, and powers of attorney for example.) You may be able to start a new application about the same dispute later. There will be new fees to pay and we may not accept your application.

Read more about how to withdraw your application

Cases about guardians, administrators, supportive guardians and supportive administrators

If you want to withdraw your application in a case about guardians, administrators, supportive guardians and supportive administrators:

• Write to us, explaining why orders are no longer needed.
• We consider whether there is any serious risk to the person you made the application about. This is because the law requires us to protect a person who may have a decision-making disability.

Even if an application has been withdrawn, the applicant or anyone else is able to make another application about the same circumstances at any later time.
 

If you need an interpreter, contact us to arrange a professional interpreter (at no cost to you) before the hearing.

Make sure you ask for an interpreter as early as you can.

We connect with a large network of interpreters in 160 languages. Tell us in English what your language is when you ask for an interpreter. It’s best to ask when you apply to VCAT or as soon as possible after we’ve sent you your hearing date.

We don’t allow a relative or friend to interpret for you at a hearing.