‘DHA offered us the opportunity to build wealth but take away all those day-to-day issues'
Thirty years ago, Susan and Robert Longbottom had a plan to build financial wealth and set themselves up for a comfortable future.
Today, Susan is preparing to retire secure in the knowledge that the properties she leases to DHA will provide her with a steady income.
The Canberra public servant has been progressively building her rental portfolio which now includes two homes in Queensland and one in the ACT, all of which are leased to DHA.
Ask her how much effort it takes to look after them and she smiles.
“One of the benefits of investing with DHA is that you almost forget that you have an investment property until you get the extra money in your bank account every month,” she said.
But property investing hasn’t always been that easy.
For most of those 30 years, Susan and Robert also owned private rentals and their experience as landlords was markedly different.
Their non-DHA rentals were a burden. Agent inspections were often superficial, maintenance issues built up, and repair bills arrived in a rush at the end of each tenancy. The cost and effort of repainting, recarpeting and organising repairs usually fell to them.
"My husband and I had to devote a lot of time and energy into managing those properties, finding tenants and managing the maintenance," Susan said. "It was quite onerous on both of us.
“DHA offered us an opportunity to invest in property, still build wealth, but take away a lot of those day-to-day issues."
The couple eventually consolidated all of their property investments with DHA, and the relief was immediate. Repairs were managed promptly without fuss and rental payments arrived consistently every month, regardless of whether the property was occupied.
“My friends who own investment properties seem to be forever complaining about the quality of tenants, or nonpayment of rent, or the tenants have broken this or that. I think they are envious of the fact that I don’t have to do anything. With DHA it’s so easy.”
"The DHA management fee has actually worked out to be more economical over time. Because it's spread across the life of the lease, it's a lot more affordable."
Planning for the unexpected
After Robert passed away three years ago, Susan found herself solely responsible for the family finances. The prospect was daunting until she called DHA.
"DHA was absolutely amazing. They managed all the changes in the leases, found documentation I couldn't locate, provided copies of everything I needed to take over the financial management. They were awesome.
"As I focus on my upcoming retirement, I look forward to continuing my relationship with DHA. Instead of using it to build wealth, I'm going to change tack and use the DHA properties as my retirement income.
“DHA gives you the opportunity to invest in properties all over Australia. That’s an enormous benefit. You can have a look at how each centre is performing in the market and make your decision about where you want to invest.”
There are benefits beyond financial ones too. Susan takes quiet pride in the fact that serving Defence members and their families are occupying the properties.
“One of the biggest benefits for me as a landlord is that I don’t have to go searching for quality tenants who will look after and respect my properties.
“The fact that my homes are providing somewhere to live for our serving Australian Defence Force men and women is wonderful. I know they're looked after by DHA and I feel comfortable knowing they have quality, well-maintained homes wherever they are in Australia."
Planning for retirement? Find out how DHA can work for your future. Call our Investor Support Team on 133 342 or submit an enquiry(Opens in a new tab/window).
The opinions expressed in this testimonial only reflect the experiences of this investor as at 01/05/2026. DHA does not take into account an investor's objectives or financial needs. Investors should always seek appropriate independent advice before making any investment decisions with DHA.
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