Selling a property while leased

If you are considering selling your DHA-leased property, DHA recommends obtaining a desktop appraisal from a sales agent of your choice. You can access the property information required for an appraisal through your Online Services account under the Sale Process tab.

DHA does not maintain a list of recommend sales agents. However, you can search real estate websites using keywords such as 'DHA' or 'Defence Housing Australia' to identify agents with experience selling DHA-leased properties.

Log into DHA Online Services(Opens in a new tab/window) and select the relevant Property ID to access your property information under the Sale Process tab.

From here, you can download a sales package to provide to your sales agent. The sales package includes:

• links to the landlord, sales agent and solicitor instructions 
• property photos (taken during vacancy periods and not professionally produced)
• floor plan
• lease documents (including any variations) 
• most recent monthly statement.

You must provide your sales agent with: 

• the DHA lease and, where applicable, the Property Care Contract
• the Sales agent instructions - Selling a property with a DHA Lease in place.

If you decide to proceed with the sale of your property, you must notify DHA that the property is for sale.

To start the sales process: 

• log in to your Online Services account
• select the relevant Property ID
• select the Sale Process tab
• select Start Sale Process and enter your sales agent’s details.

This will notify DHA of your intent to sell the property. It also allows DHA to inform the occupant and provide them with the sales agent’s details.

As the property owner, you are responsible for ensuring your sales agent understands and complies with the Sales agent instructions - Selling a property with a DHA Lease in place. These instructions reflect the requirements of the DHA lease. 

You can sell your property privately without appointing a real estate agent or entering into an agency agreement. For privacy and security reasons, you must not contact the occupant directly under any circumstances. 

For private sales, DHA will arrange access for all inspections. A DHA representative will attend each inspection to manage access. Inspections are scheduled at a mutually convenient time for you, the occupant and DHA. As DHA staff must attend, inspections are limited to standard weekday business hours. After-hours and weekend inspections are not available. 

To notify DHA of your intention to sell, start the sale process in Online Services. When prompted about whether you have an agreement with a real estate agent, select ‘Yes’ and enter ‘Self acting’.

If you are managing the sale yourself and have not appointed a sales agent, you must email. DHA will provide further instructions and assist you with the sales process. 
 

You must provide your sales agent with a copy of Sales agent instructions - Selling a property with a DHA Lease in place before they start marketing the property. These instructions outline the DHA lease requirements for marketing and access.

You must provide your solicitor or conveyancer with a copy of the solicitor and conveyancer instructions. DHA will liaise directly with your solicitor or conveyancer to support the settlement process.

You must provide DHA with the fully signed contract of sale once contracts are signed by both the vendor and the purchaser. You must:

• include solicitor or conveyancer and purchaser details
• ensure the contract is fully signed (counterpart copies are accepted).

DHA will then issue settlement and financial advice to the solicitor or conveyancer. 

You must notify DHA when:

• you appoint a sales agent 
• contracts are signed or exchanged 
• settlement occurs 
• you change your sales agent, solicitor or conveyancer
• the sale does not proceed.

You should provide these updates through Online Services. This is the preferred and primary method of notification and can be managed under the Sale Process tab. 
 

In the Sale Process tab, you can:

• download a sales package with property information to provide to your sales agent
• start the sales process, which notifies DHA of the listing so DHA can notify the occupant
• provide sales agent details to DHA
• access occupant details for sales inspection purposes (you must not contact the occupant directly)
• request a maintenance review following a pest and building inspection (allow up to seven days for a response)
• notify DHA when contracts are exchanged 
• notify DHA if a sale falls over
• notify DHA of any change to the sales agent, solicitor or conveyancer (by raising a mid-lease sale enquiry) 
• notify DHA of a change to the settlement date 
• cancel the sale to advise DHA that the property is no longer listed for sale.
   

A delegate is someone you nominate to act on your behalf in Online Services.

You can nominate any person. During a sale, this is often your real estate agent, solicitor or conveyancer.

To nominate a delegate:

• log in to Online Services
• select My Account in the top right corner
• select Manage delegates, then Create delegation
• enter the delegate’s details and create a confirmation key
• read and accept the declaration, then select Create delegation
• provide the confirmation key to your delegate.
   

If your sales agent requires marketing photos, they must obtain the occupant’s consent before arranging access. The agent must also provide adequate notice to allow the occupant to remove or secure any personal or identifiable items prior to photography. 

Once you start the sales process through your through your Online Services account, occupant details will become available under the Sale Process tab by selecting Occupant Details. 

This is personal information and must only be provided to your sales agent for the purpose of selling your property. You must not contact the occupant directly under any circumstances. You must not share these details with any third party other than your sales agent. 

The occupant’s privacy and security are paramount. If your sales agent is unable to contact the occupant to arrange inspections, contact DHA for assistance. 

DHA requests that sales agents provide the occupant with at least 72 hours’ notice for inspections, where possible, and to work with the occupant to arrange mutually convenient times. 

Sales agents may request to conduct a virtual inspection. If required, they must follow the guidelines outlined in the Sales agent instructions - Selling a property with a DHA Lease in place. 

Sales agents must not advertise open homes for the property without the occupant’s consent. '

Auctions must not be held on or adjacent to the property. 
 

If a purchaser’s pest and building inspection identifies issues that require a response from DHA, you may submit a Request for Maintenance Review via your Online Services account. Alternatively, your solicitor may provide a full copy of the inspection report by email. 

Any items requiring review must be clearly identified, including their location within the report (for example, page and paragraph reference). 

DHA will assess the report to determine whether the identified items fall within DHA’s maintenance obligations under the DHA lease and, where applicable, the Property Care Contract, or whether they are the responsibility of the owner or the occupant. DHA aims to provide a response within 7 days, subject to any inspection requirements.

Where items are covered under the DHA lease and, where applicable, the Property Care Contract, DHA will arrange rectification in accordance with its obligations and will confirm the outcome to the relevant parties, regardless of any change in property ownership. 
 

Once contracts are signed by both the vendor and the purchaser, you must provide DHA with the fully signed contract of sale as soon as possible. 

To do this, log in to Online Services, select the relevant Property ID and open the Sale Process tab. The contract must be signed by both paries and may be provided in counterpart. 

Providing the contract allows DHA to process the change of ownership after settlement and communicate settlement-related matters with your solicitor or conveyancer. Once received, DHA will issue settlement and financial advice. 
 

You must provide your solicitor or conveyancer with the solicitor and conveyancer instructions, which explain the settlement process for a DHA-leased property. 

DHA does not attend settlement.

After settlement, DHA will provide the new owner with access to Online Services account and your access will end. 

DHA recommends you download and save any relevant property information, including financial statements, before settlement.
 

• Defence member acknowledgement form (only applicable for purchasers who are Defence Members)
• Landlord information form
• Deed of Novation.