Teacher Housing

1 Definitions for the Teacher Housing Portfolio

In this document, unless the context otherwise requires:

ACL
ACL means the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic)

Agreement
Agreement means a lease between the Department and a Teacher Tenant in the form approved by the Department from time to time.

Business Day
Business Day means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday in Melbourne, Victoria.

Department
Department means the Department of Education and Training in the State of Victoria.

Host School
Host School means the school designated as having responsibility for a residence.

Landlord
Landlord means the Minister.

Minister
Minister means the Minister for Education in Victoria.

Premises
Premises means Teacher Housing assigned to a Teacher Tenant pursuant to the terms of an Agreement.

Property Condition Report
Property Condition Report means a condition report in the form required by the Department.

RTA
RTA means the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.

RTBA
RTBA means the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority.

Teacher Housing
Teacher Housing means residential properties owned by the Minister for Education in Victoria.

Teacher
Teacher means any person employed by the Department in a permanent, temporary, casual or non-school based education teaching service position.

Teacher Housing Handbook
Teacher Housing Handbook means the Teacher Tenancy Guidelines for Renting a Teacher House issued by the Department, available in the Resources tab.

Teacher Tenant
Teacher Tenant means a teacher occupying Teacher Housing, pursuant to the Agreement.

Tenant
Tenant means a Teacher Tenant.

VCAT
VCAT means the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

VSBA
VSBA means the Victorian Schools Building Authority.

Summary of key terms in the Teacher Tenancy Agreement

1. Landlord's/ Landlord's agent's contact details
   The full name and central office address of the VSBA — Property Unit, as the delegated representative of the Landlord — the Education Minister, must be provided. Where an agent is managing the property the following must be provided:
   • the agent's name
   • address
   • telephone, and
   • email address
   • together with an emergency telephone number that can be used outside of business hours
2. Tenant's contact details
   The Tenant's full name and all contact details must be inserted in the Agreement. As Teacher Housing properties are tenanted in accordance with the Teacher Housing portfolio’s eligibility criteria for use as a private residence, a Tenant must be an individual and not a company.
3. Property being leased
   The full street address of the Premises is required. If the Premises to be leased are only part of the property then, in addition to the street address, a plan of the property highlighting the part to be leased should be attached to the lease.
4. Service and utility charge
   Tenants in separately metered properties are responsible for the payment of all utility usage charges, including water, gas and electricity, telephone and internet. Tenants are responsible for handset and subsequent telephone line rental and internet connection. Tenants are responsible for arranging connections with relevant local providers. The VSBA is responsible for:
   • payment of municipal rates
   • gas cylinder, not the filing
   • water service and sewerage charge, but not usage of it except where multiple dwellings are served by a single meter.
5. Period of lease
   The term of the Agreement will be a monthly periodic tenancy. Where the premises is part of a body corporate — such as, a villa unit, apartment, flat, and so on — the VSBA will supply the Tenant with a copy of the rules of the body corporate before signing the tenancy Agreement.
6. Duration of the Agreement
   An initial probationary period of 3 months will apply from the commencement date.
7. Probationary period
   If the tenant does not comply with the terms of the Agreement during the probationary period, the Landlord or VSBA officer with delegated authority may give written notice requesting that the Teacher Tenant vacate the Premises on no less than 21 days’ notice in writing.