Step 3: Living in your property

It’s your responsibility to set up and pay for utilities. You may also need to pay a connection fee.

Call Toll Transitions on 1800 819 167 to discuss your eligibility to a Commonwealth-funded removal. They can answer questions about what you’re entitled to, and how they transport your personal items.

Members who have occupied a DHA property in the past five years and attended a Welcome Visit, or who are moving in to a property which does not contains asbestos materials or is not heritage listed will have the option to conduct a Self Service Welcome Visit.

This means you will not be contacted by DHA for a phone inspection nor will a DHA Representative meet you at the property the day prior to your occupancy.

Those members who don't meet the above criteria will be required to have a Welcome Visit with a DHA Representative.

If you are eligible for a Self Service Welcome Visit, however would prefer to have a traditional inspection (i.e. a DHA Representative will contact you prior to occupancy to conduct a phone inspection or will conduct an on site Welcome Visit), you can update your inspection preferences in Online Services.

Note: if your occupation is within the next seven days, and you wish to change your Welcome Visit preference, please contact us on 139 342. You will be unable to update your preferences in Online Services.

Details on how to gain access to the property will be provided to you by SMS the day prior to occupation. This information will also be available in your Online Services Account.

Your Tenancy Agreement

Your Tenancy Agreement is available for review once you have confirmed your selection of a DHA Residence. The Inspection Condition Report will become available the day prior to your occupation.

You will be required to print, sign and upload your Tenancy Agreement, and acknowledge the ICR terms and conditions in Online Services prior to your occupancy. Electronic signatures are unable to be accepted when returning your Tenancy Agreement. Please also ensure both the Service Member and Witness signatures have been completed before uploading in Online Services.

You will be contacted by one of our Property Managers who will arrange a day and time to conduct a phone inspection with you. You will need to be at the property for this call.

Details on how to gain access to the property will be provided to you by SMS the day of your phone inspection. This information will also be available in your Online Services Account.

During the phone call, the Property Manager will:

• Provide a brief on the members responsibilities and DHA services
• Ensure you have signed and returned your Tenancy Agreement and accepted your ICR
• Discuss your rights and responsibilities as the occupant

Please take the opportunity during the phone inspection to ask the Property Manager any questions about your new residence.

Your Tenancy Agreement

Your Tenancy Agreement is available for review once your phone inspection has been booked. The Inspection Condition Report will become available the day prior to your occupation.

You will be required to print, sign and upload your Tenancy Agreement, and acknowledge the ICR terms and conditions in Online Services prior to your occupancy. Electronic signatures are unable to be accepted when returning your Tenancy Agreement. Please also ensure both the Service Member and Witness signatures have been completed before uploading in Online Services.

Your Property Manager will meet you at the property.

During the inspection the Property Manager will:

• Provide a brief on the members responsibilities and DHA services
• Arrange for your Tenancy Agreement to be signed
• Discuss your rights and responsibilities as the occupant
• Take you through the ICR, explaining the amenities and features of the home
• Handover the property keys and remotes

Please take the opportunity during the inspection to ask the Property Manager any questions about your new residence.

If the removal contractor causes any damage to the residence or its surroundings (e.g. eaves, driveway, walls, grass, letterbox, gutters, garages etc), it must be recorded on the removalists Inventory Condition Report before they leave the property; you should also request a copy for yourself.

The damage must then be reported to Toll Transitions (who will issue you with a reference number), and then to DHA. If the contractor refuses to record and accept the responsibility, you should contact Toll Transitions immediately on 1800 819 167.

During your tenancy, we may need to access your property to:

• do repairs or maintenance work
• allow the person we lease it from to inspect it (if we lease it)
• organise the sale or valuation of the property
• check the property before you move out

We will generally give you 7 days’ notice of an inspection. At a minimum, we will give you 72 hours’ notice.

Read more about how we manage inspections.

Under the terms of your tenancy agreement, you must tell us about any:

• damage
• defects
• deterioration

Before you request maintenance, read about how we manage maintenance.

To request maintenance, you can call us on 139 DHA (139 342).

You must keep the property and grounds (if it applies) clean and tidy. If you don’t, we’ll ask you to bring it up to the required standard

We understand that you may be absent from your property from time to time.

If your property will be vacant for 30 days or more, you must tell DHA via the enquiry form in the My Account section of Online Services.

You must also give us contact details your nominated agent so we can access the property for inspections or emergencies.

When you are absent, you must still:

• maintain your property and grounds
• provide access for inspections

This includes making sure lawns and gardens are watered and mowed regularly.

Our insurance does not cover loss or damage to your personal items. We strongly encourage you to have your own contents insurance.

If your situation changes, you must tell us within 14 days. The change may affect how much you contribute to your MCA.

A change could be a:

• rank change
• categorisation change
• marriage
• separation
• birth of a child
• dependant is recognised or no longer recognised
• property purchase
• deployment
• period of leave without pay

You can tell us about the change and submit documents via the enquiry form in the My Account section of Online Services.