Selling your property with a DHA lease pre-commitment

Selling your property with a DHA lease pre-commitment may increase the number of buyers interested in purchasing your property. This free, easy process will allow you to continue taking advantage of the benefits of your lease while selling your property.  

Your options at the end of the lease term

At the end of your fixed term lease and extensions, you can:

• choose to sign another lease with DHA if we still require your property, or
• have the property returned so you can move in, rent privately, or sell as you wish.

Our Leasing Team will contact you as early as 12-18 months before the end of your lease to work with you to sign a new long-term lease with DHA or prepare to return your property.

If you choose not to sign another lease with DHA, your property will be returned to you at the end of the lease agreement. We will ensure all appliances are in working order (excepting fair wear and tear), the property is professionally cleaned throughout, and the dwelling, grounds and landscaping are in neat and tidy condition.

Selling your property with a DHA pre-commitment

If you would like to sell your property and DHA would like to retain it in our portfolio, you may be able to apply for a lease pre-commitment.  

Under a pre-commitment, DHA offers the new owner of your property the opportunity to continue leasing to us without needing to go through an application process.

You can request a pre-commitment up to 18 months before the end of your current term, with the new lease commencing once you exchange on the sale. Your current lease will remain in place until the property is sold or the lease expires. DHA Property Care obligations will continue with the new owners if they purchase the property and take up the lease offer.

The benefits of obtaining a DHA pre-commitment

There is strong demand for DHA-compliant properties among investors around Australia. Marketing your property with a DHA lease pre-commitment may open your property to an Australia-wide pool of investors.

Activating the DHA lease pre-commitment is optional, meaning your property can still be marketed to and purchased by owner-occupiers and other investors.

We can promote the sales listings of DHA leased properties to our list of engaged prospective investors via email, social media, and our monthly property investment webinar.

If your property is sold while under lease, you can continue to take advantage of our guaranteed* rent until settlement. This means there will be no loss of income or vacancy during the selling process.

How to sell your property with a DHA pre-commitment

There is no cost to obtain a pre-commitment and market your property as a DHA investment opportunity. The process is easy and generally only takes a short time to assess your request and provide an initial response, with a formal offer subsequently provided if approved:

1. Inform your Leasing and Acquisitions Manager that you will not be signing another lease with DHA and intend to sell your property and ask if they can provide a pre-commitment.
2. If DHA wishes to retain the property, your Leasing and Acquisitions Manager will prepare a lease pre-commitment for your property and provide you with the documentation.
3. Inform the real estate agent selling your property that you have a DHA lease pre-commitment and would like it included on your listing. We can provide information about the DHA lease if your real estate agent doesn’t have experience selling properties with a DHA lease attached.
4. Provide your real estate agent with your DHA lease pre-commitment so that it can be passed on to the buyer.

More information and next steps

If you want to learn more about DHA lease pre-commitments or begin the process, please contact our Leasing Team at leasing@dha.gov.au or 133 342.