Tenant Handbook

Welcome

We’re excited to welcome you to your new home and neighbourhood! If there’s anything you need to settle in or if you have questions, remember, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Inside this tenant handbook, you’ll find lots of useful information to make living in your new place easier and more enjoyable. From how to manage your maintenance requests to getting to know your community better, it’s all in here. We’ve also included important contact information and tips on living comfortably with your neighbours.

Make sure to keep this handbook saved. It’s a great resource for answering common questions and helping you navigate your new tenancy. Whether it’s making a complain or appeal, or understanding your lease, this guide has you covered.

Your Rights (NDIS SDA Tenants)

Equal Rights and Non-discrimination

Tenants are entitled to the same rights and privileges as all other tenants, without discrimination based on disability.

Respect and Dignity

Tenants must be treated with respect and dignity, acknowledging their autonomy, including the freedom to make their own choices.

Participation and Inclusion

Tenants have the right to fully participate in and be included within the community, with access to opportunities for social, economic, and cultural engagement.

Privacy and Confidentiality

The privacy and confidentiality of tenants will be protected in accordance with national laws and regulations.

Accessible Living Environment

Housing will be accessible and suitable to the needs of tenants under SDA, promoting their independence and well-being.

Support and Accommodation

Tenants have the right to access reasonable and necessary supports to assist in their tenancy and living arrangements.

Choice and Control

Tenants have the right to exercise choice and control over their living arrangements, including the selection of where and with whom they live.

Equality of Opportunity

Tenants will have equal opportunities to access housing, community resources, and services.

The Lease Agreement

The lease you signed at the start of your tenancy is a legally binding document and sets out the terms of the agreement. This includes the house address, the rent amount, how rent is to be paid, how long the agreement is, and any other conditions.

Policies

Cornerstone operates under a set of policies as regulated by the National Regulatory System (NRS), South Australian Housing Authority (SAHA), National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and some that are set internally. All relevant policies can be found here.

Information Brochure

During your sign-in, you were provided with an information brochure that summarises the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (but doesn’t replace it). The information brochure sets out the general rights and obligations of landlords and tenants renting or leasing a residential property in South Australia.

Insurance

Cornerstone does not provide insurance for your personal possessions. We recommend you seek advice in taking out a household contents insurance policy to cover your personal belongings against any damage or theft.

Property Inspection Sheet

At the beginning of your tenancy, you will be required to complete and sign two copies of a property inspection sheet. This is a prescribed form (required under the law) used to note the condition and cleanliness of your property at the time you move in, to be compared with if you vacate.
Please ensure that this form is completed as accurately as possible and return one of the copies to the Cornerstone office within 14 days of your tenancy start date.

Rent Due

Your rent payment must be received by Cornerstone in full (no part payments) at the start of your rental fortnight.

If you short-pay your rent, or the full amount isn’t received at the start of the rental fortnight, you will go into rental arrears. If you remain in rental arrears for 14 days you will receive a Form 2 Breach of Lease notification.

Failure to rectify the breach by making the necessary payments outlined in the Form 2 will result in us applying to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) for an order of Vacant Possession.

Rent Payments

Rent must be paid two weeks in advance via either Centrepay or BPAY. Cornerstone doesn’t accept cash for ongoing rent payments.

Rent Calculation And Review

Your rent is calculated in line with the Cornerstone Rent Policy, based on your housing type, and are generally reviewed in March and September each year (some housing types will only have one review a year).

In order for your rent to be reviewed, you will need to provide proof of income for all members of your household. If you receive a Centrelink payment or pension, you can sign an authority form allowing us to access your income details online.

If full household proof of income isn’t provided, your rent will be calculated at market rent.

Changes Of Circumstance

You must notify us as soon as possible when your household has an income change of $20.00 or more per week.

Water Supply And Usage

If stated in your tenancy agreement, we will invoice you the cost for water supply and usage. If there is only one meter for multiple properties, the water charges will be evenly divided between all tenants sharing the meter.

At the end of your tenancy, we will arrange to read the water meter to calculate the final water charge.

Water Concessions

Tenants on a Centrelink benefit may be eligible for water and council concessions. If you are eligible, you will need to obtain these concessions on Cornerstone’s behalf; your property manager can help direct you in this.

Invoices

Any invoice we give you (like for water or maintenance charges etc…) must be paid by the due date on the invoice. If you don’t pay your invoices on time we may apply to SACAT to get an order for payment.

If you find yourself in undue financial hardship, please reach out to your housing officer to arrange alternative payment options.

Lease Extensions

When your tenancy agreement is due to expire, you may be provided with a ‘lease extension’ instead of a new full lease. The lease extension simply extends the term of the inital tenancy agreement and provides a new rent rate.

It is always important to return your lease or lease extension by the return date, otherwise we may terminate the tenancy.

Pets

You can’t keep any pets at the property without getting permission first from Cornerstone and the other people living with you.

Cornerstone will usually agree, but the property must be big enough for the pet, the pet must meet local government rules, and the pet must not be dangerous. Cornerstone may also set some reasonable conditions for having the pet.

If your pet causes any damage, you will have to pay for it.

Locks

We will provide and maintain locks and other devices as necessary to ensure that your home is reasonably secure.

Neither Cornerstone nor you, the tenant, can alter, remove, or add any lock or device without the consent of the other party.

For fire safety, keyed deadlocks are not allowed on any door unless there is a hand-turned snib on the inside of the door.

Smoke Detectors

We will ensure that all hard-wired smoke detectors are installed and maintained. If you find that your detectors are malfunctioning in any way, please let us know as soon as possible.

Keys

If you accidentally lock yourself out of your house or lose your keys, you will either need to pay for a locksmith to assist you to regain entry or pick up a spare set of keys for our office during normal business hours.

If you pick up a spare set of keys from us, they need to be returned within 24 hours, or you will be charged the cost of rekeying the property.

Long-Term Guests

If you are planning to have a friend or family member stay with you for 6 or more weeks, you need to let us know as your rent will need to be reviewed considering your guest’s income.

Long-Term Absense

If you are planning to be away from your property for 4 or more weeks, you should let us know.

If you are wanting another person to look after your property during any absence (as a caretaker), you will need to discuss this with us and get prior approval.

Visitors

Any visitors you invite to your property are your responsibility and must observe any rules and policies that are in place. If a visitor damages the property, you are still liable to pay to have it repaired.

Bushfire Information

We recommend that you have a bushfire plan, and we encourage you to be involved in community strategies adopted by your local council in relation to bushfire prevention and preparation.

As the tenant, you are responsible for following government recommendations and making your own decision to stay or leave your property based on your bushfire survival plan. You can contact the Bushfire Information Hotline on 1800 362 361 if you are unsure.

Please refer to the CFS website for more information on bushfire preparedness.

Types Of Inspections

During your tenancy you will have at least one routine inspection, and one property condition survey per year.

The Routine Tenancy Inspection involves looking at the property, its cleanliness, and its state of repair. We can also discuss with you other aspects of your tenancy. These inspections are conducted by your housing officer and usually one other person from our office.

The Property Condition Survey is conducted by a licensed builder who visually assesses the internal and external condition of the property. These surveys are generally outsourced to independent contractors.

What Is Antisocial Behaviour?

Antisocial behaviour interferes with the reasonable peace, comfort or privacy of neighbours and residents. It can include but isn’t limited to threats, harassment, obscene language, assault, property damage, and making excessive noise.

What Antisocial Behaviour Isn’t

Noise or activity associated with daily life, such as children playing, isn’t considered antisocial behaviour. These issues can usually be resolved by talking to the neighbour or contacting a mediation service for help.

Responsibilities Of Cornerstone Tenants

As part of the lease agreement, Cornerstone tenants must respect the rights and privacy of their neighbours and ensure visitors to their home behave properly.

Tenants must not make excessive noise, damage the property or common areas, threaten or abuse others, or use the property for illegal activity.

Any substantiated instance of antisocial behaviour is a breach of your tenancy agreement.

How To Deal With A Dispute

• Be prepared to be reasonable and compromise – you are entitled to live peacefully and so are they.
• Don’t engage in arguments with your neighbour or their visitors.
• Don’t threaten or be aggressive towards your neighbour or their visitors.
• Don’t engage in any illegal activity, eg trespass and vandalism.

How To Lodge A Complaint

You can submit a complaint about another using our Complaints and Incidents Form.

If your complaint relates to a property that isn’t ours, we cannot deal with your complaint.

If the behaviour is ongoing, keep an antisocial behaviour complaint diary detailing each specific disturbance:

• where it happened and a description of the event
• how it affected you
• what action you took eg reported animal noise to your local council.

What is an Incident?

An incident is any unplanned event resulting in, or with the potential for, injury, damage or other loss. This includes a near miss.

Our Governing Principles for Incident Management

• Transparency: incidents are openly reported and recognised without fear of unwarranted blame. Tenants and their families or support persons will receive an apology, when necessary, along with explanations about what went wrong and the reasons behind it.
  
• Education: the system encourages learning from errors and systematically applies methods of improvement to do so.
  
• Commitment to Act: there is a clear commitment to addressing and fixing issues, with responsibilities for doing so being clearly defined and explicitly assigned.
  
• Accountability: it’s made clear where the boundaries of individual accountability lie; individuals are aware of the instances where they might be held responsible for their actions.
  
• Fairness: all individuals are treated fairly.
  
• Strategic Prioritisation of Action: efforts to solve issues are strategically prioritised, with resources allocated to areas where they can lead to the most significant improvements.
  
• Emphasis on Collaboration and Communication: the importance of working together is acknowledged as a crucial element in preventing failures within the system, promoted through an environment of trust and mutual respect.

Incident Support and Assistance

In cases where an incident impacts an individual with a disability, an evaluation will be conducted to determine the most effective way to offer support and assistance. Cornerstone will work with the person with a disability to establish communication with a chosen contact, such as a family member, caregiver, or advocate, including an independent advocate.
Should the individual with a disability opt for an independent advocacy service, Cornerstone will supply information about specific advocacy organisations. Upon request, Cornerstone will also facilitate communication with the selected organisation on behalf of the individual with a disability.

• Independent Advocacy SA
  1800 999 884 | indepedentadvocacysa.org.au
• Advocacy for disability access and inclusion
  1800 856 884 | advocacyfordisability.org.au
• Disability Rights Advocacy Service
  08 8351 1900 | dras.com.au
• Brain Injury SA | 08 8217 7600
  braininjurysa.com.au

Incident Reporting

All reportable incidents, except for those concerning the use of restrictive practice, must be reported to the NDIS Commission using the reportable incidents portal within 24 hours of the registered NDIS provider becoming aware of the incident.

Those concerning the use of restrictive practice, other than in accordance with an authorisation, must be notified within 5 days.

Critical Client Incidents

Critical client incidents are events that happen at or in relation to a property managed by Cornerstone and have caused or are likely to cause a serious negative impact on the health, safety or well-being of a tenant or any person present at the property. Critical client incidents are required to be reported to the South Australian Housing Authority.

Community housing tenants include children, young people, and adults in a range of settings, with various needs and abilities, and there are clear expectations that tenants are to be protected, and critical incidents are consistently and properly identified, reported, responded to, managed, and monitored.

Cornerstone must ensure that:

• the safety and well-being of their tenants is of the highest importance in the event of an incident
• critical client incidents are accurately identified
• critical client incidents are promptly reported to South Australian Housing Authority
• critical client incidents are addressed swiftly, effectively, and consistently
• every member of staff is aware of their duties following a critical client incident

How To Report an Incident

You can report an incident using our Complaints and Incidents Form.

Cornerstone will follow the process outlined in their Incident Management Process

Complaints

Complaints can be made using our Complaints and Incidents Form, by calling us, or verbally.

We will act with transparency throughout the complaint handling process and will attempt to resolve all complaints within 30 days of receiving the complaint.

If a complaint is not able to be resolved, or the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, the complainant may refer the matter to SACAT, or for NDIS SDA tenants, the NDIS Commission (as outlined below).

For NDIS clients, if we haven’t addressed your complaint to your satisfaction, you can contact the NDIS Commission by:
Calling 1800 035 544
Completing their online form
Using the National Relay Service for 1800 035 544

Appeals

What Is an Appeal?

An appeal is a formal application to review:
a decision relating to a dispute between a tenant and Cornerstone
a decision of Cornerstone that the tenant believes is unreasonable, oppressive or unjust.

Who Can Appeal?

Only the tenant who is directly impacted by the original decision has the right to appeal a decision made by Cornerstone. They will not be disadvantaged in any way by lodging an appeal.

When Should I Appeal A Decision?

An application for appeal should only be lodged after there has been a genuine attempt to resolve the issue through mediation or conciliation.

What Can’t I Appeal?

• Matters concerning an eviction made as part of a court or SACAT order
• Tenant debts
• Government policy
• Decisions relating to tenant rent arrears

How Can I Make An Appeal?

An application for appeal must be made within 30 days of the incident, decision, or action, and can be lodged using our Appeal Form.

Priority 1

A Priority 1 repair is any repair work that is urgent and immediately affects a person’s health, safety, or security.

These events require the immediate attention of a specialised service or organisation trained to respond to the event. Critical water, gas or electrical problems are those that cannot be resolved by turning off the mains tap or switch, or it is unsafe to do so.

Priority 1 repairs must be made safe or complete within 4 hours of notification to Cornerstone

The table below outlines the most common examples. Tenants outside the metropolitan area should check what their local contact numbers are for life-threatening emergency repairs.

Remember to call for emergency assistance before calling Cornerstone.

Priority 2

A Priority 2 repair is any repair work that is urgent but does not immediately affect a person’s health, safety, or security.

These events could potentially cause harm or damage if left unattended, and therefore need to be addressed quickly.

Priority 2 repairs must be made safe or be completed within 24 hours of notification.

Priority 3

A Priority 3 repair is a non-emergency maintenance request.

Examples include broken doors or cupboards, damaged paint or carpet, clothesline repairs, common lighting, and broken towel rails.

Priority 3 repairs must be complete within 60 days of notification if approved, or the tenant must be notified within 14 days of the decision to not approve.

General Principles

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1995, landlords and tenants share the responsibility for maintaining the condition of the rented premises.

Landlords have an obligation to ensure that the premises and ancillary property are in a reasonable state of repair at the beginning of the tenancy and to keep them in a reasonable state of repair having regard to their age, character and prospective life.

Tenants have an obligation to keep the premises and ancillary property in a reasonable state of cleanliness and must not intentionally or negligently cause or permit damage to the premises or ancillary property. At the end of the tenancy, the tenant must leave the premises in a reasonable condition, and in a reasonable state of cleanliness, taking into consideration any reasonable wear and tear that has occurred since the tenant took possession of the premises.

Any damage you or your visitors have caused is your responsibility and you will be charged for the repair.

Maintenance Jobs

When you report a maintenance issue to us, most of the time we will organise a contractor to attend your property.

When we send the job to the contractor, we will also include your name, address, and contact number (in line with our Privacy Policy).

The contractor will then contact you to arrange a suitable time to attend your property. Please be sure to be at the property at the time you arrange; if you miss the appointment, you could be charged the call-out fee.

Similarly, if you’ve missed out information or have given incorrect information about the maintenance issue, and a contractor attends your property needlessly, you could be charged the call-out fee.

Contractors

Only contractors that are approved by us can work on our properties.

While contractors are in your home, they are expected to conduct themselves in a polite and courteous manner. They are not permitted to use your phone, power, or toilet without your permission.

If you are not happy with the contractor’s behaviour or work, please let us know.

Any help you can give the contractor, such as moving furniture, or keeping children or pets out of the way, or turning the water on or off, will make the job easier and faster, and is appreciated.

Responsibilities

Both tenant and landlord share the responsibility for controlling pests at your property, depending on what it is.

We are responsible for:

• Bee & wasp infestations
• Birds, lice and bird-mites
• Fleas, roaches, and spiders (if infestation is reported within 90 days of occupation)
• Mice and rats (if infestation is reported within 90 days of occupation) – If there is a plague, we’ll assist you with treatment
• Possums
• White ants

You are responsible for:

• Ants
• Snakes

As a community housing provider, we are exempt from repairing heaters and air conditioners under the Residential Tenancies Act.

Owned By Cornerstone

Appliances that belong to us may be repaired, replaced, or removed at our discretion and expense. If you are found to be negligent in its operation or care, the cost may then be charged to you.

It is your responsibility as the tenant to clean and replace filter pads for any appliances on a regular basis.

Owned By Tenant

Approved appliances that belong to you are your responsibility, but must only be serviced or repaired by a qualified and approved tradesperson.

Any appliance you own must be removed by a qualified and approved tradesperson at the end of your tenancy, or with Cornerstone’s agreement, donated to Cornerstone.

Any repair or restoration costs required due to the installation or removal of your appliances is your responsibility.

Approval Process

Any proposed addition or alteration to the internal of external areas of the property must always be approved by us prior to any work being started.

Before we approve anything, you must provide us (in writing) details of plans, quotes, trade details, insurance information, council approvals, and service approvals

Visit our Policies and Resources page to download a Property Modification Form.

Once we receive this, we will consult with the Cornerstone Development Manager and Asset Manager to see if the proposed works are suitable, and don’t infringe on any future plans we may have. We may also need to visit your property to visually assess your proposal.

Completion

If we give approval to proceed, you must follow all instructions and conditions that we prescribe. You must also keep us informed along the way with the progress. We will also schedule an inspection during and after the works are complete to ensure compliance.

When you vacate the property, you will need to restore the addition or alteration to the original state, unless we agree that you can leave it as it is.

Blocked Drains

You may be charged for clearing blocked drains found to be caused by foreign objects (e.g. toys, sanitary products, food scraps, baby wipes, excessive amounts of toilet paper).

Gutters, Downpipes And Stormwater Pipes

If possible, you should attempt to keep the roof, gutters, downpipes, and stormwater drains free from leaves and other debris that might restrict the flow of stormwater from the property. If you are unable to clean your gutters yourself, you will need to arrange your own tradesperson to do it for you at your cost. If you live in a multi-storey building, we will clean your gutters for you.

Water Filtration Systems

If your property has a water filtration system, it is your responsibility to maintain it and get it regularly serviced at your cost.

Picture Hooks

Picture hooks and nails are not permitted without our approval. We can advise you of the types of picture hooks that are permitted upon request.

Blocked Sinks

Never put food scraps or pour fat or oils down the sink. If your sink blocks due to a foreign object, try using a rubber plunger to clear the blockage. If the sink stays blocked, submit a maintenance request. If the blockage is found to be a result of something you have done, then you may be charged to have a plumber come out to your property.

Dripping Taps

The rubber washers inside the taps act as a seal to stop the water leaking through the tap when closed. Over time, these can become worn and need to be replaced. Please let us know if this becomes the case.

Finding The Water Supply Tap

If you ever need to turn off the water to your property in the case of a burst pipe or fitting, it is important to know where the water supply tap and meter is located.

If you live in a standard house, your meter is usually located on the front edge of the property. If you live in a flat or block of units, the supply tap is usually found within a common area.

If you cannot find it, please don’t hesitate to contact the Housing Services department. Please bear in mind that sometimes the meter can become overgrown with grass or shrubs.

Preventative Measures

Please note these common errors to help prevent maintenance issues from occuring.

• Do not overload your power outlets, especially with multiple power boards.
• Never attempt any electrical, plumbing, or gas repairs yourself.
• Do not store any flammable liquids in large quantities in or around your home.
• Control weed and grass growth to avoid fire harzards.
• Advise us of any hazard you come across.
• If you have any safety or security concern, please contact us.

What Causes Mould?

Mould can be black, grey, green or white. It often looks like a stain or smudge and may smell musty. Areas prone to mould growth are those where condensation or high humidity is present, such as kitchens or bathrooms, as well as areas with restricted ventilation, such as cupboards.
Moulds are present virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors, and can grow on a range of materials, such as:

• food
• furniture and fabrics
• walls and carpets
• paper and timber
• plumbing
• decaying leaves, damp soil and compost

Ways To Reduce Mould Growth

• Ventilate rooms with open windows or doors, or by using extractor fans where available.
• Wipe away condensation.
• On cold days, heat rooms with dry heat.
• Open curtains and blinds during the day.
• Open windows and doors when possible.
• Use an exhaust fan or open a window when cooking.
• Open a window or door or use an exhaust fan when having a shower, bath or using a clothes dryer.
• Clean and dry surfaces that get wet regularly.

Mould Removal

PLEASE REMEMBER TO ALWAYS FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING SAFETY AND PRODUCT USE.

You can remove mould growth by using products like White King, Wipeout Mould, Domestos, Exit Mould and Selleys Rapid Mould.

Never dry-brush mould as doing so will release spores into the atmosphere that can induce allergic reactions in allergy-sensitive people.

If it is necessary to repaint mould-affected areas, please contact us for advice.

Termination Of Tenancy

If you breach your tenancy agreement, you will be notified in writing of the breach. If the breach is unresolved by the date specified in the notice, the matter will be referred to SACAT.

We will respect the principles of natural justice for tenants (e.g. access to information, giving reasons for decisions, internal and external review of decisions, and privacy) and will treat you fairly, efficiently, and with respect.

Tenant Notice

Tenants housed in community housing or supported housing must give three weeks’ written notice to vacate. Your rent will be charged to the last day of the notice period.

Once we receive your notice, we will be in contact to arrange an outgoing inspection and to finalise your tenancy.

Exiting Your Property

When you vacate the premises, you must make sure that it is presented in a reasonable state of cleanliness.

By the date of the outgoing inspection, you must:

• pay your rent until the last day of your tenancy
• remove all personal belongings
• remove all rubbish from inside and outside of the property
• repair any damage caused during the tenancy
• clean the property to a reasonable state
• pay any outstanding water or maintenance invoices
• return the keys to the housing officer conducting the outgoing inspection
• notify us of your forwarding address and updated contact details for the release of your bond.

Rent Variation

Under Section 55(2)(c)(ii), we are able to increase or decrease the rent of tenants on income-based rent in line with the variations in their income by giving at least 14 days’ notice (does not apply to tenants on Market Rent).

Method Of Rent Calculation

Under Section 55(2)(c)(iii), where there is a change in the method of calculating the rent, we must give the you 60 days’ written notice, specifying the date from which the change will become effective. This notice must be at least 6 months from the date of the agreement and at least 6 months from any prior change in the method of calculating rent.

Subletting

Under Section 74(2)(b)(i) A Cornerstone Housing tenant can only sublet their accommodation with prior agreement of Cornerstone Housing. Cornerstone Housing has absolute discretion to withhold consent.

Maintenance And Repair

Under Section 68(2)(b) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1995, Cornerstone Housing is not required to comply with Section 68(1) of the act (repair and maintain) in relation to the following items:

• air conditioners
• antennas
• ceiling fans
• washing machines
• dishwashers
• external blinds
• floor coverings
• garden sheds
• internal blinds and curtains
• light fittings
• rainwater tanks, other than where the tank is the only source of water for the premises
• refrigeration units
• room heaters
• spa bath motors
• swimming pools and associated plant or equipment
• waste disposal units
• water pumps, other than where the water pumped is the only water supplied to the premises
• window treatments.