Teacher Housing

Policy

This policy sets out schools’ responsibilities for teacher housing allocation, eligibility and management.

Summary

• Teachers may contact the principal or business manager to enquire about availability of teacher housing or apply for tenancy.
• The Department is required to enter a Teacher Tenancy Agreement (lease) with each teacher per property.
• Principals, in consultation with the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA), are responsible for allocating teacher housing.
• Teachers must be employed by the Department to be eligible for teacher housing.
• This policy falls within the 'Manage' stage of the School Asset Lifecycle.

Details

The Department owns teacher houses that it uses to help attract teachers to particular remote locations. These houses are provided at market rents for a limited tenure only and do not form part of a teacher’s employment conditions.

The VSBA is required to enter a Teacher Tenancy Agreement (lease) with each teacher per property, and tenants are required to provide a security deposit.

Teachers may contact the principal or business manager to enquire about availability of teacher housing or apply for tenancy.

Allocation of teacher housing

Principals (in consultation with the VSBA) are responsible for allocating teacher housing to teachers who meet the eligibility criteria.

To enter a lease, the allocated teacher must complete a Teacher Housing Tenancy Agreement endorsed by the principal and VSBA property manager.

A tenant may expect to share the property with another tenant, depending on the availability of rental accommodation in the area.

Eligibility for teacher housing

Teachers must be employed by the Department to be eligible for teacher housing.

Priority will be given to teachers who do not own residential accommodation within 40km of their school.

If a teacher ceases to be employed by the Department, they will be required to vacate the property.

Teacher housing is not available to non-teacher (sundry) tenants without written approval from the VSBA.

Managing the property

The tenant, principal and Department share responsibility for managing the property. The lease specifies these responsibilities. For more detailed information, refer to the Teacher Housing Property Management Guidelines in the Guidance tab and the Teacher Tenancy Guidelines for Renting a Teacher House also available in the Resources tab.

Length of lease

The parties may agree on the period of the lease up to a maximum of 5 years, with an annual review.

An initial probationary period of 3 months will apply from the agreement commencement date. If the tenant complies with all terms of the agreement during that period, a monthly tenancy will ensue unless terminated by either party by providing 21 days notice.

Definitions

Parties of a lease
The parties of a Teacher Tenancy Agreement (lease) are:

• the tenant (teacher)
• the property manager (principal or business manager)
• the landlord (the VSBA as delegate for the Minister for Education)