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SAH (Victoria)

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Salvation Army Housing Victoria (SAHV)

Physical Address
95-99 Railway Rd
Blackburn, VIC 3130

Postal Address
PO Box 479
Blackburn, VIC 3130

Contact Us
T: 03 8878 4500

Office hours
Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm

Salvation Army Housing Victoria is QIP accredited provider and also registered under the Welcome Here project that celebrates diversity.

Accredited Welcome Here Member

Applying for Accommodation

SAHV currently manage 750+ properties, predominantly in the Transitional Housing Management Program (THM). There are however a number of tenancies in the Long Term Housing Program (LTH), Rooming House Program (RHP), and Crisis Support Accommodation (CSA). These programs are designed to provide medium to long term housing to low-income individuals and families. The specific housing programs reflect the needs of, and the transitional status of a range of tenants which include singles, couples, families, individuals with disabilities and older individuals.

SAHV has also acquired since inception 50+ title held properties across Victoria. Areas where properties are owned include Warrnambool, Geelong, Metropolitan Melbourne and Gippsland. These properties fall into the LTH Program and access for tenancy is via the Victorian Housing Register (VHR) found on the MyGov website.

SAHV operates in the following areas:

East Metro (East Region),
East Gippsland (East Region),
Western Victoria (West Region, Warrnambool and Portland),
Melbourne (Central Region),
Geelong (Barwon), and
Shepparton.

Our Housing Service

SAHV provides a housing service to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Access to our Transitional Housing Properties is through DHHS funded Open Doors Services found across Victoria. Access to all rooming house and long term properties is via the VHR found on the MyGov website.

Our Partnerships

We work with a range of non-government and government services in the local area to help people access the services and support programs they may require throughout the duration of their tenancy.

Affiliations

SAHV is a member of the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA).

Our Mission

Our mission is to assist individuals experiencing social disadvantage and to establish and maintain safe, affordable, secure tenancies through the management of a range of high quality housing options.

Rent

Rent is based on a percentage of your income, and dependent on the type of property, may or may not include a percentage of income plus Commonwealth Rental Assistance. This will be discussed at the time of application to a property. Our Rent Setting Policy can also be found on the SAHV website.

Rental Payments

Rent payments can be made by direct deposit or Centrepay. You will be provided with information on rent processes and details of how you can pay rent at the beginning of your tenancy.

Property Keys

One complete set of keys is provided to all persons aged over 18 residing at the property. You are responsible for the cost of cutting extra sets or if you lose the original set.

SAHV has a copy of the keys and can get spare keys cut with due notice.

General Repairs and Maintenance

SAHV meets all requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act VIC 1997 (RTA) for all urgent and non-urgent repairs. Tenants need to report maintenance issues as soon as possible for this to occur.

All tenants will be given an afterhours number for all urgent repairs that are required outside of SAHV office hours.

Helping You Settle In

We know that as you settle in, you may have further questions about the property, your tenancy agreement or any other services that SAHV may be able to provide. All you need to do is contact your Housing Worker and they will be able to assist you with any further information.

Moving In

Before you move into your new home, you should consider the following:

Notify Australia Post, friends, family and businesses of your change of address
Have final readings made of gas and electricity meters in your previous home (this will make it easier to have these services connected at your new home).
Complete the necessary forms to ensure that you have gas and/or electricity supplied at your new home, your Support or Housing worker can also assist with this.
You are advised to insure your personal belongings and contents of your home. SAHV’s insurance policy only covers the buildings, and not individual items
Don’t forget to notify all other agencies of your change in address

Visitor and Relatives

At SAHV we understand that you might have visitors, friends and relatives staying with you from time to time. We generally accommodate people who have contacted their Housing Worker with requests for an additional person/s to reside at the premises as a visitor. This request needs to be made through your Housing Worker. You are also responsible for any damage that may be caused by your visitors.

Subletting of the Property

Tenants of SAHV are not permitted to assign the lease or sublet the premises or accept lodgers, under any circumstances.

Pets

You have to seek written permission from us if you get a pet or have an existing pet when you sign your lease agreement. Pets must be registered and you will be responsible for any damage caused by the pet.

Car Parking

You are only allowed to park your vehicle in the allocated or numbered car park space that is part of the property. Do not park on the lawns or garden areas. No unregistered cars are allowed to be stored at the property.

Changing Needs

We understand that people’s circumstances change. Sometimes this means that your housing is no longer suitable for you. Please let us know if your needs have changed and we can explore various options.

In a situation where your needs have changed due to health or disability we may be able to modify your home to better suit your needs. We will ask a General Practitioner (GP) or an Occupational Therapist (OT) to provide a complete assessment of your needs.

SAH will review the report to determine if the modifications are possible.

Home Modifications

You are not allowed to make any alterations, installations and additions, to the property without seeking permission from SAHV. Further information is in the Alterations and Disability Modifications Policy.

Community Engagement

If you are interested in community activities such as neighbourhood renewal programs, volunteer work, participating in a resident group or generally want to be part of your community, you are more than welcome to call your Support Worker who works closely alongside you or provides you with opportunities to become involved.

Neighbours

SAHV recognises the importance of building sustainable and peaceful communities and has developed a wide range of strategies to ensure you enjoy a successful and long term tenancy.

You will have neighbours, either next door if you live in a house, or maybe upstairs or downstairs if you live in a flat or rooming house.

You have a right to expect that they will respect your privacy, the property and your peace and quiet. They, of course, have the right to expect the same of you. If you experience neighbourhood issues, we recommend that you first try to resolve the issue by speaking directly to those involved. However, if you find that problem continues or you feel that the problem is too serious or confrontational to discuss directly with a neighbour, then it is important that you tell your Housing or Support Worker about it as soon as possible.

Rights and Responsibilities

At Salvation Army Housing Victoria (SAHV) we know that creating a new home can be stressful and we will do our best to make the process as simple as possible.

To do this we recognise that we need to agree on how we can best work together. It is a two way process.

Privacy and Confidentiality

SAHV is subject to the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cwth), the Information Privacy Principles in the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) as well as the Health Privacy Principles in the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) which govern the collection, security, use and disclosure of personal information and health information respectively.

We may:

Collect personal information about you that helps us find accommodation
Give your phone contact number to contractors to arrange repairs with your consent
Discuss tenancy issues with your support worker
Disclose information to other support services that you may require, for example counselling services, health services and financial support and in some circumstances with other Victorian Housing Register (VHR) agencies
Release information where this is required by law, for example, on written request from authorities such as Centrelink and the Australian Taxation Office
Disclose information to other government agencies or statutory bodies for purposes including child protection, health reasons, law enforcement and
investigation, where authorised to do so under the act or by any other law
Provide information to the Tribunal for the purposes of debt recovery.

The information about your tenancy is securely kept in our offices in your tenant file and in our electronic Tenant Management System. These include items such as your original application, tenancy agreement, rent reviews, property inspections and copies of all letters sent and received.

You have the right to access and correct your personal information held by us. If it is incorrect or incomplete you can ask us to correct it. To discuss your information or correct it, please talk to your Housing Worker.

For further information about what we do with your personal information refer to our Privacy Policy.

To provide feedback or make a complaint, you can speak to your Housing Worker or you can contact the State Manager. Further information is also available in our Complaints Policy.

Interpreter Services

Should English not be your first language or if you are hearing impaired, we are able to arrange a translator to attend your appointments.

Please discuss this with your Housing Worker or Support Worker if these services are required.

Your commitment to Salvation Army Housing

As a tenant we ask you to:

Treat our employees respectfully
Provide us with accurate information, openly and honestly
Read, or have to read to you, any information that we send or give to you
Reply to our requests by the due date
Contact your Housing Worker if your income or household changes
Contact your Housing Worker if you need further information
Provide feedback about the quality of our service so we can continue to meet your needs.

If you think that we are not meeting the standards we have said we will provide, we ask you to let us know as soon as possible. We will respond to your questions and comments quickly and appropriately. If you are unsatisfied with our response, we ask you to follow our complaints and appeals procedures as outlined in the brochure that is part of your tenancy pack.

Your Rights

SAH is committed to the fair and just treatment of all our tenants.

As a tenant you have the right to:

Be treated in a fair and non-discriminatory way
Be treated with respect
Access safe and secure housing
Be consulted about your housing needs and preferences
Have your personal information treated as confidential and private
Be consulted on changes to the way your tenancy is managed
Complain and appeal decisions
Use advocates
Access your own information on file.

Our Obligations

SAH is obliged to:

Provide the premises in a clean and reasonable state
Maintain and repair the premises (having regard to their age, character and prospective life)
Allow the tenant peace, comfort and privacy
Pay council rates and land tax charges
Pay sewer charges
Keep proper records of rent received during the tenancy
Provide and maintain locks to ensure the premises are reasonably secure
Complete and provide two signed inspection sheets and an information brochure to the tenant at the commencement of the tenancy.