About the assessment process

Homes progressing through the Home Buyback stream will require an independent valuation to be undertaken by a valuer appointed by RA.  To complete the valuation, the valuer will need to inspect the property and the home.  

RA will attend the site visit alongside its valuer. At this time, required identification checks will be completed by RA if they have not already been completed.

A valuation is another form of assessment and does not guarantee a Home Buyback offer. However, a valuation is required to complete RA’s assessment of a Home Buyback application.  

Also see the Home Buyback Valuation page for more information.

A home visit will take place to undertake a Home Assessment by representatives from RA and flood resilience experts appointed by RA. The Home Assessment identifies whether home resilience measures are suitable for the home, and if so which measures might be most appropriate (e.g. home raising, home retrofit). This helps to determine suitability for Resilient Homes Program stream.

RA will attend the site visit alongside its home assessor. At this time, required identification checks will be completed by RA if they have not already been completed.

After the Home Assessment, a Home Assessment Report is prepared and provided to you. It identifies opportunities to increase your property’s flood resilience and reduce the impact of future floods. In the Home Assessment Report, you will find information on the:

• options that may be suitable for your home
• flood resilient strategies and floor levels for your home
• next steps and contact details for further assistance.

View the Home Assessments page for more information.

The Home Assessment Report provides guidance that is general in nature only and does not provide advice or recommendations on what may be most appropriate treatment for homes. As part of the process, homeowners will engage suitably qualified experts such as architects and engineers to provide this advice to them. 

Applications will be assessed by RA.  That assessment will be reviewed and a decision made by the Resilient Homes Program Approval Panel.  If successful, homeowners will receive an offer from  RA.  The information about what may be offered is available below.

Homeowners who are successful will receive an offer for one of the following:

• Home Buyback – a buyback of the property whereby the homeowner receives a payment for the purchase of the property
• Home Raising – a grant payment of up to $100,000 (including GST) towards the cost of elevating the liveable areas of the home and associated consequential works
• Home Rebuild – a grant payment of up to $100,000 (including GST) towards the cost of rebuilding a more resilient home where the property was destroyed or uninhabitable
• Home Relocation – a grant of up to $100,000 (including GST) to help homeowners relocate their current home to a safer location on their property, or to another property in the region  
• Home Retrofit – a provision of a grant payment up to the value of $50,000 (including GST) towards the cost of retrofitting and/or repair work of on the residential dwelling to incorporate flood resilient design and materials in eligible areas.

A Home Buyback – Retreat Grant may be available for eligible homes on lots larger than two hectares or for homes that have been impacted by landslides. More information is available in the Large Lot (PDF 98.82KB)and Landslide policies (PDF 149.42KB). 

Where the estimated costs for the Resilient Measures (i.e. Home Raising, Home Rebuild, Home Relocation and Home Retrofit) is more than the available grant value, RA will match financial contributions provided by the homeowner for eligible activities (co-contribution) up to a maximum of 100 per cent of the available grant value.

The maximum for a single home is: 

• Home Raising, Home Relocation or Home Rebuild - $100,000 (including GST) plus $100,000 in co-contribution up to the maximum grant value of $200,000 in total.
• Home Retrofit - $50,000 (including GST) plus $50,000 in co-contribution up to a maximum grant value of $100,000 in total. 

Homeowners who are dissatisfied with a Resilient Homes Program decision can request an internal review or an appeal.

This must be done within 90 days of receiving written notice of the decision, or, if a homeowner is submitting an appeal following an internal review, this must be submitted within 30 days of receiving written notice of the internal review decision.