FAQs
What is the review and do I have to complete it?
As an ADF member receiving Rent Allowance (RA) you are required to participate in the annual RA Review (please refer to PACMAN 7.8.38).
This review checks your personal circumstances and confirms that you are getting the amount of RA that you are eligible for. The review consists of eight questions, where you need to upload a current rent receipt/tenant payment history. This must include:
- Address of the rental property
- Amount and period of rent payment
- Name of the agent or owner to whom the rent is paid.
Note: If renting privately, a signed written statement from the owner/landlord must contain all the details outlined above for a receipt. You can also complete an owner member statement located on the DHA website.
If you have difficulty and cannot load your documents email housing@dha.gov.au
How long does the review take?
The review consists of eight questions and takes only a few minutes to submit. Your submission is required by 3 May 2018 to ensure your RA eligibility continues.
DHA will notify you when the review of your submission has been completed, this can take up to 12 weeks.
Is everyone reviewed?
Members who occupied their RA property after 1 November 2017 and those who are vacating up to 2 weeks after the review commences, are exempt from the current year’s review. All other members are reviewed.
I’m deployed, seagoing or out field, can I delay my review?
If you know you will be away at the time of the review, contact DHA to complete it before you depart.
If you do not have access to the internet, your RA Review due date can be extended until you return – please let us know of your return date via housing@dha.gov.au
I’m away on leave and don’t have access to the DRN
The RA Review can be completed wherever you are, if you have internet access.
Can someone complete my review for me?
You can authorise another person to be your delegate to complete all actions on your behalf in Online Services, including the RA Review. Login to Online Services to nominate a delegate.
What happens after I submit my review and current rent receipt?
If you have had no changes to your circumstances, you do not need to do anything further. Please allow up to 12 weeks for your review to be processed, you will receive an email once this is complete.
What if I have noted changes on my review?
It’s common for members to advise of changes to their categorisation, rent and sharing arrangements. Your dashboard in Online Services will indicate if you need to provide any further documentation to support the change. Once those documents have been received, we will assess your RA and if the amount of your allowance changes, we will let you know.
Typically, a change to your categorisation, the purchase of a home, a move to another location or a change to sharing arrangements may result in a change to your allowance amount or eligibility. You can use the RA calculator to estimate your new RA amount.
My rent amount has changed. What do I provide?
If you have indicated a change to your rent amount, you must provide a receipt or tenant ledger showing the new amount. You also need to provide a copy of your new signed lease with the new amount or provide a signed letter from the landlord or real estate agent advising of the rent increase and the date it commenced.
Does changing the number of people I am sharing with change my RA?
Your RA is calculated based on your rank, how much rent you pay, the RA ceiling applicable to where you live and if you are sharing. When the sharing arrangements change it is likely to change your RA. You can check how your RA will be affected by logging on to Online Services and utilising the RA calculator.
If you are sharing with other Defence members at the time your sharing arrangements change, they also need to advise DHA of the changes to adjust their RA.
What happens when my categorisation has changed?
When your categorisation changes, we will reassess your RA to ensure you are receiving the correct amount. You will be prompted to provide your categorisation form in Online Services. Your new RA amount begins on the effective date of your categorisation change.
You can use the RA Calculator to quickly and easily estimate what your new RA amount will be.
If you are changing categorisation to MWD, we may have available Service Residences (SR) in your area. Simply email us at housing@dha.gov.au to request access to start viewing available properties.
If you are changing categorisation to MWOD or MWD(U), log into Online Services to view available Member Choice Accommodation (MCA) in your area.
How do I amend my submission if I made a mistake?
To update your submission send an email stating the changes to housing@dha.gov.au
My RA was suspended; how do I restart it?
RA may be suspended when a submission is not completed by the due date. DHA will send an email to notify you if your RA has been suspended. If this occurs, contact DHA on 139 DHA or housing@dha.gov.au to complete your submission and restart your RA.
Where RA eligibility continues to exist, the suspension will be cancelled and RA will be backdated to the date it was suspended.
I have bought a property. How is my RA affected?
If you have purchased a property within your posting location, it is deemed a suitable own home unless it has been assessed by the delegate as unsuitable in accordance with PACMAN Chapter 7 Part 2.
If you have indicated in the RA Review that you have a property in your posting locality, we will contact you by email outlining all the information that you need to provide to DHA for the delegate to conduct an own home assessment.
To determine a home’s suitability, we will need some information about the home such as its address to determine if it is in your posting locality or not and how many bedrooms it has to see if it can accommodate your family amongst other things.
Once we receive the information from you, we will assess the property against the considerations in PACMAN Chapter 7 Part 2 and advise you of the outcome.
Continued RA eligibility exists up to the earliest of the following two dates:
- One week after settlement of an own home
- Three months after the date entered into a contract to purchase the own home
If DHA determine the home is not suitable there is no change to RA eligibility.
Note: a posting location includes a greater area if approved in accordance with PACMAN 1.3.55.1.b.
I am thinking of buying a property. How is my RA affected?
Purchasing an own home can affect your RA if the home is in your current posting location and is assessed as a suitable own home.
For more details about what happens to your RA when you purchase your own home, refer to PACMAN Chapter 7 Part 2.
Note: a posting location includes a greater area if approved in accordance with
PACMAN 1.3.55.1.b.