Residential land will be considered vacant and subject to the following ramifications if in a financial year the land has not been occupied for six months or more, whether continuously or cumulatively. There are two streams of vacant home tax (VHT) that may be imposed if a residential property is found unoccupied, find what stream suits you.
If a property owner does not wish to pay VHT in a monetary manner (Stream 01), the property owner may register the home as 'available' for occupation for those in need of a housing solution.
If Stream 02 does not suit you, visit Stream 02 for an alternative way to pay your VHT.
Example Scenario
- A property owner has a vacant property and wishes to avoid paying VHT in a monetary manner.
- The property owner may register their property as occupiable space via the Need Over Greed website.
- Once occupied, the occupiers may register their occupation which will remove the listing from the Need
Over Greed website.
- The property owner and occupier enter into an agreement that any modification made to the property
are for the betterment of said property however should be mostly temporary.
- If the property owner wishes to take back their home they must give 1 month of notice to the occupiers
via the Need Over Greed Website, likewise for the occupiers if they wish to vacate the property.
Incentive
CLO doesn’t have the pay VHT.
Many stories of why houses are left vacant stem from people being unable to afford renovations to make it liveable or falling ill and not being able to tend to the property. If “squatters” modify a home in poor shape bit by bit over time perhaps the CLO will be left with a home that is liveable again.
Outcome
Short term and potentially long term accommodation is provided for those in need of housing, the CLO avoids paying VHT.
Similar Initiatives
Safety House
This VHT adopts a similar approach of identifying homes that are open to occupation as the Safety House campaign that was run across Australia, starting in Victoria in 1979.
This campaign identified neighbourhoods or houses that were safe places where kids could find safe haven if they ever felt threatened. The threat could be anything: being lost, being afraid because a stranger was following them, needing help because bullies were harassing them.
This VHT stream is the equivalent of placing a "Safety House" sign on your letter box once your house is registered. People looking for housing will be able to identify your house as occupiable and from there they can "book" your house via the website for as long or short they desire or until you (the property owner) decides to re-occupy the house yourself for the next calendar year to avoid paying VHT.
