My Tenancy

Your rent is due two weeks in advance, in accordance with your lease. Remember, we’re here to help. So if you’re getting behind in payments and need to talk about anything that might be affecting your ability to pay your rent, please reach out to us.

Similarly, if you have a water use invoice or repairs invoice, and you are having difficulty paying by the due date, please contact your Housing Officer and we can work out an agreed payment plan.

If we notice that you are behind in paying your rent or water, we’ll contact you to talk about the situation, and offer to:

• organise a repayment plan for you
• refer you to a professional financial counselling service

For confidential financial advice you can contact the National Debt Helpline direct on 1800 007 007 or go to their website.

How and when to pay your rent

You can pay your rent weekly or fortnightly, but it must always be paid two weeks in advance.

You can pay in two simple, reliable ways:

1. Centrepay (for Centrelink customers) 

• Centrepay is a free service that automatically pays your rent from your Centrelink payments.
• You can set it up using myGov, the Express Plus Centrelink app, at a Service Centre, or by calling us on 1300 312 447.
• You’ll need your Centrelink Customer Reference Number and Housing Choices Australia’s Customer Reference Number. If you are not sure where to find this, please contact your Housing Officer.
• Click here to read more about Centrepay

2. BPAY 

• BPAY is a secure and reliable way of paying rent from your bank.
• To set up rent payments log in to your bank’s app, website or phone banking service.
• Choose the pay bills or payment section and enter our Biller code and your BPAY reference number.
• Set up ongoing payments so your rent is always paid on time.
• Call us on 1300 312 447 if you need our Biller code your unique BPAY reference number.

It’s important you let Housing Choices know if people move in or out of your home, as this will change your household income, and may affect your rent.  Please notify your Housing Officer within 14 days if any of the following changes occur:

• A household member begins or stops working.
• There is a new (approved) household member.
• A household member leaves.
• A household member’s work hours change.
• If a Centrelink benefit changes (For example, when a child turns 16 and you no longer receive family tax and/or parenting payments).
• A child turns 18.

Household transfer

A resident may experience changes to their household, and may find their accommodation is no longer suitable for them or their family. Housing Choices SA may be able to assist with a transfer to another property that betters suits their needs.

To register for a transfer, you will have lived in your current home for at least 3 years.
All transfer requests must be discussed with your Housing Officer first and supported with a Housing Needs Assessment.

Each transfer application will be assessed based on need and considered together with other housing registrations.

To contact your Housing Officer telephone 1300 312 447 or email infosa@hcau.org.au

Ending your tenancy

You may find yourself in a situation where you want to end your tenancy agreement with Housing Choices South Australia.

You will need to:

• Complete the attached Termination of Tenancy Form, or
• write a letter to your Housing Officer giving at least two weeks’ notice including your new address.
• You should also download the Vacate Cleaning Checklist to ensure the property is left in a suitable condition.

Before you vacate your home, your Housing Officer will make an appointment to visit you and to make notes about the condition of the property. If you need to carry out any repairs, this will be fully explained to you.

Your Housing Officer will discuss the process for returning your Rental Bond and if any claim will be made against it.

If the tenant (person whose name the lease is held with) leaves the property or dies a succession of tenancy may be considered to the partner or an adult child who has resided as a member of the household for a minimum of 12 months.

Your Housing Officer will assist with the End or Tenancy or Succession of Tenancy process, please contact them.