Living in social housing

Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant and request help with your home or tenancy or find out more about management transfers in some areas

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Rights and responsibilities

Understand your rights as a tenant, what your responsibilities are and how your tenancy is managed
- Antisocial behaviour in public housing
  
  How DCJ manages antisocial behaviour, how to report it and what to do if a complaint is made against you
- Appeals and reviewing decisions
  
  What decisions made by DCJ can be appealed and how the review process works
- Being away from your home
  
  If you are going to be away from your home for more than six weeks, you need to let DCJ know
- Changes to your household
  
  It is your responsibility to tell us within 28 days of any changes in your household
- Changes to your tenancy: tenant factsheet
  
  Understand what the transfer of tenancy management to community housing providers means for you
- DCJ Housing's obligations
  
  DCJ Housing follows rules about how it delivers services, handles appeals and uses your information
- Fixed term leases and lease review
  
  The different lengths of leases we offer to tenants and how we review them
- Garden maintenance
  
  Information on individual and common area gardens. What are your responsibilities and what does DCJ maintain? Guide to what species are recommended and what are not allowed.
- Get involved
  
  Be part of your community and help shape how social housing is delivered
- Income Confirmation Scheme
  
  DCJ tenants who receive a Centrelink income can have their income details sent electronically to DCJ Housing
- Informing DCJ of changes
  
  You need to let us know if your income changes, if you're going to be away from your home and if anyone is moving in with you
- Neighbours
  
  All tenants have the right to peaceful enjoyment of their home
- NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal
  
  What to do if you receive a notice of termination and what happens at an NCAT hearing
- Pets
  
  You may be able to keep pets at home if animals are allowed by the property owner and the home is suitable
- Privacy and personal information notification
  
  DCJ Housing has a legal obligation to notify you about how, why and when we will use your personal and health information
- Running a business from home
  
  Tenants may operate a business from their home with approval from DCJ
- Signing a tenancy agreement
  
  A tenancy agreement is a legal document that you sign before you move into your home. It sets out the rights and responsibilities between a tenant and DCJ.
- Smoke free areas
  
  Smoking is banned in all enclosed common areas in DCJ Housing properties
- 2022 Tenant Amnesty
  
  The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) ran a tenant amnesty for all DCJ Public Housing and Aboriginal Housing Office tenants and approved household members from 6 June to 17 July 2022.
- Tenant's rights and responsibilities
  
  Understand your rights and obligations under the tenancy agreement
- Virtual Client Service Visits
  
  This factsheet is to provide information to public housing tenants about virtual client service visits (CSVs).
Paying rent and other charges

Information on how rent is set, access to payment options for rent and water and an overview of other charges you may need to pay
- DCJ Housing rental bonds
  
  People who cause damage to their DCJ Housing property may need to pay a bond.
- Debt and your DCJ Housing property
  
  How to begin repaying your debt to DCJ and how to get financial counselling
- Market rent review
  
  DCJ reviews market rents each year to ensure rents for public housing properties are fair and affordable
- Payment options
  
  Five easy payment options to pay your rent, water and other DCJ accounts
- Rent and other Tenancy charges
  
  Information on your rent subsidy, non-rent charges and rental arrears
- Rent and water arrears
  
  If you are having trouble keeping up with your rent or water charges, it's important that you let DCJ know as soon as possible
- Rent, rent subsidies and reviews
  
  DCJ Housing regularly reviews the market rent for our properties and tenant eligibility for rent subsidy
- Start Work Bonus
  
  During the Start Work Bonus period you will have no increase in your rent so you will have extra money in your pocket
- Tenant repair costs
  
  You are responsible for keeping your home in good condition and reporting damage as soon as possible
- Vacant bedroom charge
  
  A vacant bedroom charge will be applied to DCJ Housing tenants living in a property with more rooms than the household is entitled to
- Water charges
  
  Tenants of DCJ and the Aboriginal Housing Office are required to pay for water usage in their home
Repairs, modifications and maintenance to a property

Access eRepair, understand what changes you can ask for or make to your home, or request maintenance
- Access to properties
  
  DCJ contractors will need to enter your home to carry out maintenance work and perform inspections
- Centralised Gas Hot Water System Reimbursement Scheme
  
  From 1 February 2022, social housing tenants who resided in a property where a centralised gas hot water service was in use from March 2014 to March 2020 can apply for reimbursement of their gas usage costs
- Cleaning
  
  Maintenance work information for DCJ Housing tenants
- eRepair
  
  An online service for DCJ tenants to lodge non-urgent home maintenance requests
- Home modification request
  
  DCJ assists eligible tenants and approved applicants to modify their home to help them live independently
- Maintenance and home alterations
  
  How to report maintenance issues and request permission for home alterations
- Making alterations to a property
  
  As a DCJ tenant, you may make changes and alterations to your home
- Modifications for people with disabilities or the elderly
  
  You can request a modification to your home to help you live independently
- Occupational therapist assessment overview
  
  Information for occupational therapists completing a property assessment for a DCJ Housing client
- Painting
  
  DCJ tenants can apply for approval to perform decorative painting in their home
- Pay TV
  
  DCJ tenants can only install a pay TV connection with approval
- Requesting maintenance and reporting problems
  
  How to request repairs for your home or report vandalism to your building
- Swimming pools in public housing properties
  
  DCJ tenants can apply to install a permanent above-ground pool, or an inflatable or portable pool in their backyard
- Tenant Experience Dashboard
  
  Rate your maintenance experience and view current ratings for our maintenance contractors
Help for job seekers and students

We’re helping you access training programs to gain skills and jobs.
- Career Pathways
  
  You can access training, with support through the process. We’ll help you overcome common barriers, like childcare or travel costs, and help you get on-the-job experience.
- DCJ Scholarships
  
  We offer $1,000 scholarships to students enrolled in education and training, to help cover the costs of studying. Applications for 2019 are now closed.
- Opportunity Pathways Social Impact Investment
  
  The Opportunity Pathways – Social Impact Investment (OP-SII) is a trial program based on Opportunity Pathways (a three year initiative under Future Directions for Social Housing in NSW). It aims to help people receiving social housing assistance to access education, training and work.
- Start Work Bonus
  
  Starting work can sometimes mean extra costs. We’re helping to take the pressure off by offering help with your rent.
- Smart and Skilled Fee-Free Scholarships
  
  You can access training courses to help you get skills to find a job, without having to worry about course fees.
Move, swap or transfer housing

Find information on transferring to more suitable home, swapping homes with another tenant and moving out of social housing
- Tenant transfers
  
  If your home no longer meets your needs, you can apply for a transfer
- Recognition as a tenant
  
  An eligible member of a household can apply to have the tenancy transferred to their name if the original tenant leaves
- Mutual exchange program
  
  The Mutual Exchange Program allows DCJ Housing tenants to swap their properties
- Moving out of your home
  
  How to notify DCJ you are leaving, the amount of notice required and what happens after you move
- Rentstart Move
  
  If you're leaving public housing, you can apply to DCJ for financial help with your move
- Statement of Satisfactory Tenancy
  
  A reference from DCJ Housing to help our former tenants secure a lease from a private landlord or real estate agent
- Changing, renewing or ending a tenancy
  
  Understand how your tenancy with DCJ can be changed, renewed or ended
- Relocating tenants for management purposes
  
  Understand how DCJ manages the relocation process and what you can expect
Health, safety and savings at home

Tips for reducing your energy and water bills, managing your household and reducing health risks at home
- Asbestos
  
  Understand what asbestos is and what to do if it's in your home
- Fire safety and smoke alarms
  
  Preventing household fires and making sure your smoke alarms are working
- Fire Safety Program
  
  The Fire Safety Program ensures all DCJ properties continue to meet fire safety standards.
- Food and family expenses
  
  Being a smart shopper can help balance the budget for food and kids' essentials
- Gardening, waste and recycling
  
  Tips for getting the most out of your garden and reducing waste at home
- Lead paint
  
  Lead paint in good condition isn't dangerous, but it's important to beware if it's damaged
- Reducing your water and energy bills
  
  Use energy and water more efficiently so you spend less on bills
- Solar hot water systems
  
  Using your solar hot water system efficiently can help lower your electricity bill
- Treating mould in your home
  
  How to safely get rid of mould and stop it from coming back
- Unwanted household items
  
  Many common household problem items like chemicals, batteries and bulky goods can be recycled, donated or disposed of by your council to reduce landfill
- Support for older people and adults with disability
  
  You can now contact the Ageing and Disability Commission if you have concerns of abuse, neglect and exploitation of an older person or an adult with disability caused by someone they know, including a family member, partner or neighbour.
- Protecting older people and adults with a disability from abuse
  
  Everyone has the right to feel safe and be treated with dignity and respect in their own home and community.
Management Transfer Program

Find out more about when and where the management of some tenancies is transferring to community housing providers
- Management Transfer Program overview
  
  Find out more about management transfers in some areas
- Community housing
  
  Find out more about Community Housing Providers. Community housing is one of the 3 ways social housing is provided in NSW.
- Information for landlords and agents of leased properties
  
  Find out more information if you are a landlord or agent of leased properties
Community housing tenants

Community housing tenants are tenants of the community housing provider. They are not tenants of DCJ Housing
- Rights and responsibilities: community housing
  
  Tenants of community housing have rights and responsibilities to do with their home and tenancy
- Appealing a decision: community housing
  
  You can appeal decisions made by community housing providers, including decisions about eligibility for community housing, transfer, offers of housing and rental subsidy calculations
- Get involved: community housing
  
  Have your say in how community housing is run and how it meets the needs of tenants
- Maintenance: community housing
  
  It is your responsibility as a tenant is to report any relevant repairs to your housing provider as soon as possible. This is particularly important if there is likely to be further damage if the repair is not completed quickly.
- Rent payments: community housing
  
  Tenants of community housing pay rent to their community housing provider
Headleasing Guidelines

These Guidelines have been developed to assist both landlords and real estate agents to better understand the operational requirements when dealing with DCJ on matters relating to Headleasing.
- Headleasing Guidelines
  
  These Guidelines have been developed to assist both landlords and real estate agents to better understand the operational requirements when dealing with DCJ on matters relating to Headleasing.
- DCJ Housing Statement of Business Ethics
  
  The Statement of Business Ethics outlines how DCJ conducts all its purchasing, contracting and commercial partnership activities according to the principles and practices.
Visiting your home

Information on why our staff may be required to visit your home.
- Visiting your home
  
  Find out why our staff may visit your home.

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Last updated: 16 Aug 2023

Living in social housing

Quick access

Browse Living in social housing

Rights and responsibilities

Paying rent and other charges

Repairs, modifications and maintenance to a property

Help for job seekers and students

Move, swap or transfer housing

Health, safety and savings at home

Management Transfer Program

Community housing tenants

Headleasing Guidelines

Visiting your home