Aboriginal Communities rent policy

• Tenant responsibilities
• Types of rent
• Calculating rent

This policy sets out how Housing SA calculates and charges rent for housing in Aboriginal Communities managed by Housing SA.

Tenant responsibilities

The tenant is the person who signed the lease agreement, also known as the Tenancy Agreement, with Housing SA.

Tenants must:

• pay rent at least one week in advance
• tell Housing SA about any change to their household or household income within 14 days
• give Housing SA any documents we ask for so we can reassess their rent.

Types of rent

Market rent

Market rent is the maximum amount of rent that can be charged. Market rents are based on information provided by the State Valuer General. They’re reviewed each year, or as often as required.

Tenants are charged market rent if either:

• they're not eligible for a subsidised rent
• they don't provide proof of income when asked to do so by Housing SA.

If the State Valuer General’s annual review increases the property’s rental value, the market rent increases incrementally once every six months by $5 per week until the new market rent is reached.

Subsidised rent

Tenants can apply for a subsidised rent. They’re eligible if the market rent’s more than either:

• 20% of their total assessable household income, if they live in a remote Aboriginal Community
• 25% of their total assessable household income, if they live in a non-remote Aboriginal Community.

Subsidised rents are reviewed twice a year, and whenever the tenant’s household income changes.

Calculating rent

Rent is calculated based on the total assessable household income before tax for anyone living in the property aged 18 or over.

If a tenant or someone in the household aged 18 or over has minimal or no income, Housing SA calculates rent based on the maximum amount of income they’d otherwise be eligible for from Centrelink.

Carers

Income received by a carer isn’t included when calculating rent if they meet all of the below conditions:

• they live in the property
• they aren’t the tenant or the tenant’s partner
• they provide constant care to the tenant
• they provide proof of the caring arrangement to Housing SA.

Only one person in the household is considered to be caring for the tenant when calculating rent.

Proof of the caring arrangement is either:

• a letter from a health professional stating who’s providing care, who’s receiving care and confirming the carer provides constant care
• a completed Care provider authority form and Care receiver authority form if the tenant and carer both receive an income from Centrelink.

Housing SA may ask for proof of the caring arrangement at any time.

Related information

Controlling documents

This policy is based on and complies with:

• Aboriginal Communities Tenancy Agreement.

Supporting guidelines

• Aboriginal Communities rent procedures v2

Date this policy applies from

22 January 2019

Version number

2

The online version of the policy is the approved and current version. There is no guarantee that any printed copies are current.