You are here

9.2.1 Overview

Document
Principal home

The Principal home, is generally the place in which a person resides for the greatest amount of time each year. This must be established in order to assess whether or not a person is a homeowner.    

More ?

Homeowner/s

The value of any right or interest a person has in their principal home is disregarded from the value of that person's assets.    

More ?

Non-homeowner/s

If a non-homeowner pays rent, they may be eligible to receive rent assistance.    

More ?

Care situations

A person can reside in several different types of care. Rent assistance is not payable if residential care is Australian government subsidised.    

More ?

Special residences

There are three types of special residences:

  • Retirement Village 
  • Granny Flat
  • Sale Leaseback

Homeownership status for these types of residences, depends on the amount of entry contribution paid.    

More ?


A person is a homeowner if they have a right or interest, which gives reasonable security of tenure in the principal home.

Refer to sections 52Q and 52R of VEA for the definition when determining if a person is a considered to be a homeowner when living in a special residence.  

A person is also considered to be a homeowner if they have sold their home in the previous 12 months and intend to use part or all of the proceeds to purchase another home.