Your rights and responsibilities

Payments

• you meet all your payment responsibilities, including paying your rent and water usage charges on time, and you pay money owing from previous Homes NSW tenancies
• if you are required to pay a rental bond, you must meet your payment responsibilities and make your payments on time
• you need to pay your electricity and gas usage.

Property Care and Occupancy

• you need to clean and maintain your property to a reasonable standard, including the gardens and ensure there is no damage done by yourself, your household members or visitors)
• you personally occupy the premises. It is not enough just to pay rent for the property. Homes NSW properties are a scarce resource and we need to ensure we are providing for people most in need
• you notify Homes NSW as soon as possible if any repairs are needed
• you ask Homes NSW for permission before making changes to your property such as installing an air conditioner or making building changes to the house and yard.
• you look after the security of the property, including advising Homes NSW if there are any issues with your smoke alarms.

Living Peacefully

• when you live as part of a community and as a Homes NSW tenant, you have certain responsibilities for your behaviour and how you look after your home
• ensure your family and visitors behave in an acceptable manner
• cooperate with neighbours and, if possible, settle any disputes by talking with your neighbours
• maintain a good community spirit by respecting your community’s right to peace
• check with Homes NSW that your pet is suitable for your home is not a nuisance to neighbours
• you treat all Homes NSW staff fairly and respectfully in all your dealings with us.

Changes to or Ending your Tenancy

• you must tell Homes NSW within 28 days about any change in your circumstances, such as employment, the number of people in your household and income changes for yourself or any household members
• if you are moving, you must notify Homes NSW. If you are on a fixed-term tenancy, you need to give 14 days notice that you are moving and 21 days if you are not on a fixed-term tenancy. The only exception to this is when you are in circumstances of domestic and family violence, where you are able to terminate your tenancy immediately if you are not the perpetrator
• when moving out, you ensure that the property is left as you found it and all outstanding payments are paid. You also need to hand the keys in to your local Homes NSW Houisng Services office
• if your tenancy is terminated by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), you must comply with the orders, hand the keys back and leave the property as you found it
• sometimes, it might be necessary for Homes NSW to relocate you to another property (if the property is identified for sale or redevelopment), so make sure you cooperate with Homes NSW if you need to be moved to alternative accommodation.