Rent is charged every Saturday. You’re responsible for paying rent at least one week in advance. Unpaid rent becomes a debt you owe to Housing SA.
Housing SA tells you if your rent changes.
For public and Aboriginal housing, you will pay either market rent or subsidised rent:
- Market rent is the maximum amount of rent you can be charged. It’s based on the State Valuer-General’s assessment of the property you rent and takes into account its size, nature and location.
- Subsidised rent is based on your household’s total assessable income before tax. If you’re eligible for subsidised rent, your rent is no more than 25% of your household’s total assessable income before tax.
Caring arrangements
You need to provide proof of the caring arrangement. You can provide either of these:
- a letter from a health professional stating who’s providing care, who’s receiving care, and confirming the carer provides constant care
- a letter from Centrelink confirming the caring arrangement.
Rent reviews
Market rents are reviewed once a year.
Subsidised rents are reviewed twice a year or whenever the people in your household or your household income changes.
You may need to provide proof of your household’s income.
2018-19 State Budget rent changes
The 2018-19 State Budget introduced changes to rent in public, Aboriginal and community housing that affect households who:
- pay subsidised rent in cottage flats
- have a moderate or higher income.
The changes also affect you if you live in a public housing property that’s been transferred to a community housing provider since 2015.
You’re not affected by these changes if you live in a remote Aboriginal Community.
Subsidised rent in cottage flats
From late 2018, subsidised rents in cottage flats are increasing until they reach 25% of your household's total assessable income before tax.
Rents increase in stages by:
- 1.5% of your household’s total assessable income before tax, in both November 2018 and November 2019
- 1% of your household’s total assessable income before tax in line with subsidised rent reviews from late 2020 to late 2021.
Rent increases as a result of the changes are no more than $10 per week at each stage unless there is a change in your household income.
Households with a moderate income
Households with a moderate income will pay up to 30% of their household’s total assessable income before tax from late 2021.
More detail about moderate income levels will be made available closer to 2021.
Related information
On this site
Other websites
- Housing Connect - SA Housing Authority
- Rent policy - SA Housing Authority
- Understanding your Housing SA account statement and water invoice - SA Housing Authority
- Provide feedback about Housing SA - SA Housing Authority
