Helpful Hints

Returning your Relocation paperwork = more houses on HomeFind

DHA cannot issue you a HomeFind pin or put your current DHA home on HomeFind until Toll Transitions receives your Pre-AFR or signed AFR confirming your intention to relocate.

This means the earlier you return your relocation paperwork, the earlier your house becomes available on HomeFind for other families moving to your current location. Your current DHA home cannot be placed on HomeFind until your paperwork has been processed.

Warranty Scheme

Defence and Toll Transitions have a warranty arrangement for any removal related loss or damage to your household or personal effects.

Using your Own Vehicle

When taking up a posting you may choose to travel by road using your own car. You may also choose an alternative route rather than the most direct route.
If you use an alternative means of travel and not the entitled means, Defence will normally only pay for whichever of these is the least expensive.
Please note the cost comparison includes the fares available to Defence under its contract with Qantas.

Water Restrictions

Water restrictions are now a fact of life in Australia and restrictions and bans are in effect to various degrees in a number of local council and community areas. Be mindful of the water usage during a period of low rainfall, but remember you have a responsibility to maintain the property and grounds of
your Service Residence.
The status of water restrictions is not an excuse for the exemption from any tenant charges where it is clear that there has been neglect in the care of lawns and gardens.

Housing Maintenance Line - Ph: 1300 366 615

A call to this number during business hours (8:30am-4:30pm) will connect you to your local HMC for all your maintenance requirements. After hours (4:30pm-8:30am), this number will connect you to the after hours emergency maintenance service only.

Contents Insurance

DHA insurance does not cover loss or damage to the contents of your Service Residence. You are strongly encouraged to comprehensively insure your contents against events such as burglary, fire and water damage.

Taxation Government payments and your Entitlements

Members are strongly encouraged to check the implications of their entitlements on their personal affairs such as taxation, child support payments or government payments such as Family Tax Benefit, prior to any application for entitlement. An information bulletin on taxation implications of these entitlements is available on request from Defence taxation.management@defence.gov.au.

Pets

Pets are an important part of many Defence families and are welcome in most DHA homes. However, some DHA properties are not suitable for keeping pets, for a variety of reasons. To ensure you are allocated a residence that suits your family needs, it is important to let DHA know you have pets on your Application for Relocation.
Tenants are responsible for the control and care of their pets. Tenants not complying with regulations will risk loss of entitlement to keep pets in their Service Residence. All pet damage is considered a tenant charge. More information regarding pets in DHA homes is available in your welcome kit.

Defence Drivers License Scheme

With the exception of theNorthern Territory, Commonwealth, State and Territory authorities have agreed to the implementation of a Defence Driving Licence Scheme (DDLS) for Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and for eligible members of their families.

Under the DDLS, personnel and their families driving licences will be recognised throughout Australia and thus no requirement will exist to change a driving licence solely because of a transfer interstate. However, on expiry, licences are to be renewed in the current State or Territory of domicile.

Defence members and their dependants drive on their interstate licence as long as they have been issued with the Driver Identification document issued by the Department of Defence (AB-135), which should be available from the members administrative unit. In the case of NSW, the Road Transport (Driving License) Regulations 2008, Regulation 99 refers. That said, Defence is liaising with the RTAs to see if they can utilise the ADF Identification Card and Families Card, in lieu of the requirement to carry the AB-135.

The DDLS does not apply to transfer of vehicle registration. Registration is linked to Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance schemes supplied by the private sector, which would make the implementation of any blanket waiver of the three month registration transfer requirement an extremely difficult proposal to successfully negotiate with all jurisdictions.

DI(G)PERS 17-2 - Defence Drivers Licence Scheme (DDLS) is the extant policy.

Transit Numbers