Tenancy Charges and Account Management - Previous Policy Rules and Rates

First Adult

$985

$1,231

$1,835

Additional adult

$260

$325

$490

First child

$195

$244

$370

Each additional child

$135

$169

$245

First Adult

$880

$1,100

$1,645

Additional adult

$235

$294

$435

First child

$175

$219

$330

Each additional child

$120

$150

$220

First Adult

$835

$1,044

$1,555

Additional adult

$220

$275

$415

First child

$165

$206

$315

Each additional child

$115

$144

$205

First Adult

$830

$1,038

$1,545

Additional adult

$220

$275

$410

First child

$165

$206

$310

Each additional child

$115

$144

$205

First Adult

$815

$1019

$1,520

Additional adult

$215

$269

$405

First child

$160

$200

$305

Each additional child

$110

$138

$200

First Adult

$795

$994

$1,480

Additional adult

$210

$263

$395

First child

$155

$194

$300

Each additional child

$110

$138

$195

First Adult

$775

$969

$1,445

Additional adult

$205

$256

$385

First child

$155

$194

$290

Each additional child

$105

$131

$190

First Adult

$755

$944

$1,405

Additional adult

$200

$250

$375

First child

$150

$188

$285

Each additional child

$105

$131

$185

First Adult

$735

$919

$1,365

Additional adult

$195

$244

$365

First child

$145

$181

$275

Each additional child

$100

$125

$180

First Adult

$710

$888

$1,325

Additional adult

$190

$238

$350

First child

$140

$175

$265

Each additional child

$95

$119

$175

First Adult

$685

$856

$1,275

Additional adult

$180

$225

$340

First child

$135

$169

$255

Each additional child

$95

$119

$170

First Adult

$675

$844

$1,255

Additional adult

$180

$225

$335

First child

$130

$163

$255

Each additional child

$90

$113

$165

First Adult

$635

$794

$1,185

Additional adult

$170

$213

$315

First child

$125

$156

$240

Each additional child

$85

$106

$160

First Adult

$615

$769

$1,145

Additional adult

$160

$200

$310

First child

$125

$156

$230

Each additional child

$85

$106

$150

First Adult

$595

$744

$1,105

Additional adult

$155

$194

$295

First child

$120

$150

$220

Each additional child

$80

$100

$145

First Adult

$550

$688

$1,025

Additional adult

$145

$181

$275

First child

$110

$138

$205

Each additional child

$75

$94

$135

$30 per week deduction from assessable income for Single Pensioners. Pension increase granted in 2009 Commonwealth Budget.

Prior to 12 October 2009: This deduction did not apply.
12 October 2009 to 9 October 2011: 
$30 per week was excluded from income of full pensioners with a pro-rata amount deducted for part pensioners.
10 October 2011 to 22 April 2012:
$15 per week was excluded from income of full pensioners with a pro-rata amount deducted for part pensioners.
23 April 2012 to 7 October 2012:
$5.55 per week was excluded from income of full pensioners with a pro-rata amount deducted for part pensioners.
From 8 October 2012:
This deduction no longer applied.

$5 minimum rent criteria

Prior to 5 December 2005:
The minimum rent assessment only applied to single person households. Where other household members received an income, DCJ assessed the subsidy based on the income of the other household members.

From 5 December 2005:
Where a person did not receive an income, DCJ applied the minimum rent assessment, even if there were other people in the household receiving an income. However, DCJ could only assess one person in the household without an income at the $5 minimum rent.

From 11 July 2006:
The $5 minimum rent applies to all adult household members who do not receive an income, as documented in the $5 minimum rent criteria table in section 4 above.

18% Pensioner Concession
DCJ assessed Aged, Disability and Veterans pensioners at 18% of their income (where they have held this entitlement since 1990). Provided that they have no other household members and any additional income is less than $11 per week for singles and $22 per week for couples and they were receiving a Postal Concession and do not effect a mutual exchange.

From 12 October 2009, DCJ increased the pensioner concession rate by 1% to 19%. These increases will continue until the tenant is charged 25% of income in rent from October 2015.

18% Pensioner Concession
The tenant will retain the 18% pensioner concession rate if they have had continued eligibility since February 1990.

From 12 October 2009, DCJ increased the pensioner concession rate by 1% to 19%. These increases will continue until the tenant is charged 25% of income in rent from October 2015.

18% Pensioner Concession
Tenancies that started on or after 3 April 2000 are not eligible for the 18% pensioner concession rate.

Household member under 18
DCJ does not assess income of other household members who are under 18.

Household member under 18
DCJ does not assess income of other household members who are under 18.

Household member under 18
DCJ does not assess income of other household members who are under 18.

From 11 October 2010, that rate was increased to 15%.

From 11 October 2010, that rate was increased to 15%.

From 11 October 2010, that rate was increased to 15%.

Statutory incomes of people over 25
DCJ assessed the statutory incomes of tenants, partners and other household members 25 years and over at 20%.

Statutory incomes of people over 25
DCJ assessed the statutory incomes of tenants, partners and other household members 25 years and over at:

• 21% from 3 April 2000
• 22% from 7 May 2001
• 23% from 6 May 2002
• 24% from 30 June 2003
• 25% from 15 November 2004

Statutory incomes of people over 25
DCJ assessed the statutory incomes of tenants, partners and other household members 25 years and over at 25%.

Non-statutory incomes of people over 25
DCJ assessed the non-statutory incomes of tenants, partners and other household members 25 years of age and over at between 20% and 25% (sliding scale between $350 and $650 per week).

Non-statutory incomes of people over 25
DCJ applied a 1% increase, up to 25%, to the non-statutory incomes of tenants, partners and other household members 25 years of age and over. Sliding scale ends at 25% when gross income is over:

• $590 per week from 3 April 2000
• $530 per week from 7 May 2001
• $470 per week from 6 May 2002
• $410 per week from 30 June 2003
• Sliding scale ends 15 November 2004

See the tables below for more details

Non-statutory incomes of people over 25
DCJ assessed the non-statutory incomes of tenants, partners and other household members 25 years of age and over at 25%.

Upper limit for non-statutory income
DCJ charged market rent where the upper limit of non-statutory incomes (see point above) exceeded $800 in country and $1000 in metropolitan areas.

Upper limit for non-statutory income
DCJ charged market rent where the upper limit of non-statutory incomes (see point above) exceeded $800 in country and $1000 in metropolitan areas.

Upper limit for non-statutory income
DCJ charged market rent where the upper limit of non-statutory incomes (see point above) exceeded $800 in country and $1000 in metropolitan areas.

Water usage charges - stage 1

Stage 1 commenced on 5 December 2005. From that date, DCJ charged all non-exempt tenants a percentage of their rent payable as a water usage charge.

This charge applied whether or not the tenant’s home had a separate or shared water meter.

Water usage charges - stage 2

Stage 2 commenced from July 2006 and, progressively after that date, DCJ charged tenants living in homes with separate water meters for water based on their actual water usage.

Water usage reconciliation

This section only applies to tenants who were current tenants of DCJ on 5 November 2006.

From 5 December 2005, DCJ charged every non-exempt tenant a weekly percentage water charge of the tenant’s weekly rent payable.

From 6 November 2006, for those tenants required to pay an actual water charge, DCJ made a calculation on a reconciliation date to compare the percentage water usage charged to the tenant from 5 December 2005 up to the end date of the latest water authority billing period, with the actual water usage payable over the same period.

For new tenants who commenced their tenancy after 5 December 2005, this reconciliation period commenced on the start date of their tenancy.
DCJ posted any credit adjustment due to the tenant arising from the reconciliation to their water usage account. DCJ waived any debit adjustment arising from the reconciliation.

The reconciliation date varied for each tenant and followed receipt by DCJ of the first bill from the relevant water authority after 6 November, where:
The tenant lived in the property for the full period of that water usage bill, and
The start date of that water usage billing period was a date on or after 1 July 2006.
Where actual usage information was not available to DCJ for the full period covered by the reconciliation, DCJ used all available information to estimate actual water usage over the full reconciliation period.
Where a tenancy started after 5 December 2005, DCJ used the tenancy start date for reconciliation, except where a tenant transferred to their property from another DCJ property. In that case, DCJ sought to reconcile the tenant’s account back to 5 December 2005, using links to any former tenancies in separately metered dwellings since 5 December 2005. Where this was not possible, the tenant’s account was automatically reconciled back to the earliest date linked on the DCJ system, and tenants were able to request a manual adjustment for any previous tenancies in separately metered dwellings between 5 December 2005 and the earliest date available.

Where an earlier tenancy was a joint tenancy, the tenancy was not included in the automated reconciliation but may have been included in a manual adjustment.

Where a tenant left their DCJ property after 5 December 2005 but before a reconciliation occurred, a reconciliation of the vacated account was not undertaken.