DHOAS Fast 5
1. Once I establish that I am eligible for DHOAS, what do I receive?
DHOAS pays a monthly subsidy payment directly into an eligible DHOAS home loan. The payment subsidises the interest payable by recipients of DHOAS over the course of your entitlement period.
2. How do I apply for a DHOAS Subsidy Certificate?
The online Application for Subsidy Certificate form is available on the DHOAS website. You will need to attach your complete service records, specifically a long version of your ADO Service Record, to your application. If you are unable to complete the online form, a PDF version is still available, which you can email to DVA for assessment, being sure to attach supporting evidence. If eligible, you will be forwarded your subsidy certificate by email.
3. What are Service Credits and how are they accrued?
A DHOAS Service Credit is equal to your total years of ADF service minus your qualifying period (and minus any time you have already received Defence Home Owner Scheme (DHOS), Defence Service Homes (DSH) or DHOAS subsidies). Warlike service extends your service credit. Breaks in service can impact on your entitlement. Service credits are measured in years and months and are capped at 20 years or up to 25 years with warlike service.
For permanent members they accrue 1 service credit per month of effective service and for effective Reserve members they accrue 12 service credits per financial year.
For example – A Permanent serving ADF member has completed 10 years of effective service. This member completed the qualifying period after 2 years consecutive service, then started to accrue 1 service credit for each month of service, meaning this member has accrued 8 years of service credit since qualifying for the scheme.
4. Can I only access DHOAS through one of three Home Loan Providers?
Defence has appointed a panel of three Home Loan Providers to offer a choice of DHOAS-approved loans. The following providers have the exclusive right to provide DHOAS home loans:
- Australian Military Bank
- Defence Bank
- National Australia Bank
All three Home Loan Providers are committed to offering eligible members a DHOAS loan product that is of equal or better value in comparison to a non-DHOAS loan.
It is important to note that DVA or Defence have no influence over how much you can borrow, your home loan interest rate, or if your home loan is approved. These factors are only determined by you and your respective home loan provider.
5. When should I contact DHOAS?
You can contact DHOAS if you have any queries regarding how to apply for the scheme, how to authorise the commencement of and maintain your subsidy payments, and to report any changes in your circumstances, such as changes to your service status, DHOAS home loan, subsidised property, contact details or personal situation, by calling the DHOAS customer service team on 1300 4 DHOAS (1300 434 627) or by emailing dhoas@dva.gov.au to ensure all your information is up to date.