Prescribed form

A prescribed form is a specific document template that state legislation requires you to use for certain landlord-tenant communications. Whether use is mandatory or merely recommended varies by state and notice type: VIC's CAV rent-increase notice (Notice of Rent Increase) is mandatory, and a landlord-drafted letter won't pass tribunal scrutiny. WA's Form 10 is mandatory. NSW Fair Trading templates are strongly recommended but not statutorily required. ACT, NT, and TAS have no mandatory template. If you serve the wrong form (or the right form with the wrong content), the notice is typically void - meaning the rent increase doesn't take effect, the tenant doesn't have to vacate, and you start the clock over.