Home Buyback - home relocation, gifting and occupancy arrangements | Resilient Homes Program
The Resilient Homes program provides Home Buyback participants the option to relocate or gift it to a third party for relocation. Relocation is also an option for people in eligible for Home Resilient Measures. Occupancy agreements help to homeowners to remain in their home for a short term.
The Resilient Homes Program provides Home Buyback participants the option to relocate the home or gift it to a third party for relocation. Relocation is also an option for eligible people under the Home Resilient Measures stream.
The occupancy arrangement is designed to support homeowners by allowing them to remain in their homes at no cost on a short-term basis post buyback completion. This allows them more time to make plans such as to relocate their existing home or to construct a new home.
Why you might relocate your home
The relocation and reuse of homes has many benefits including:
- the sustainable reuse of homes reduces waste
- cost-effective housing solution for recipients
- maintains a connection to the homes and communities
- maintains regional housing stock
- preserves the built heritage of the area.
Home relocation
Relocation is an option for eligible Home Buyback participants and is also available under Resilient Measures. Home Buyback participants can advise if they wish to relocate their home to a flood resilient location in the region when they accept their offer. See the fact sheet for Home Buyback participants (PDF 115.2KB).
Homeowners eligible for Resilient Measures can apply for a Home Relocation grant of up to $100,000 including GST to relocate their current home to a safer location on their property, or to another property in the region.
The following is a list of things to consider when deciding to relocate a home.
Determining if the home is suitable for relocation
To determine whether relocation is a suitable option for your home it is important that the following preliminary steps are undertaken.
- Engineering report to be undertaken, as well as advise from other suitable professionals, to determine if existing home is suitable for relocation. This should include:
- an assessment of the wiring to understand if rewiring is necessary
- a structural assessment of the house
- asbestos assessment
- each component of the report should be undertaken by a professional certifier
- any planning approvals and heritage requirements.
Choosing the right land and transport route
- Check with your solicitor that the land you are relocating the home to*:
- has a building entitlement and all relevant approvals (including planning approvals) can be obtained
- is out of risk of flooding
- complies with RA’s requirements set out in its sale contract
- includes provision of services that would typically be delivered for residential land.
- Check if the land is suitable for your home – key considerations include size, elevation, slope, bush fire and applicable regulations.
- The transport route will be assessed by a home relocation company.
- Schedule a pre-development meeting with your local council’s duty planner to discuss approvals, due diligence etc.
* Home Buyback participants in the Northern Rivers may have the option of purchasing land as part of the Resilient Lands Program. Purchasing land through this program will ensure access to land that has a building entitlement, is flood resilient and includes provision of required services.
Determining whether home relocation is within your budget
- Develop a working budget based off the relocation estimate from your relocation contractor, quotes from other contractors/trades, fees for any applications, and costs for refit and refurbishment.
- Speak to your financier regarding mortgage portability if required.
- For people in the Lismore LGA, the Lismore Housing Grant Program provides grants of $15,000 to eligible owner occupiers of a flood affected house in Lismore LGA who want to relocate their existing house to another site within the LGA (provided they do not own any other residential property).
Approvals and documentation required (may vary from property to property)
- Participants need to submit a Development Application (DA) for the removal of the house and a DA for the setup of the house on the new land. This can also be done through a representative, generally a planning consultant.
- RA will require a Construction Works Access Licence (CWAL) for access to prepare the property for relocation, and other information set out in the sale contract with RA.
Remediation/make safe works
- Upon removal of the home, the property must be promptly remediated and left in a suitable condition by the homeowner. For example, it must be:
- ‘Clean and tidy’: it must be clear of debris and rubbish, and loose or proud materials (e.g. steel or concrete piles, or steel reinforcement) must be removed. Flat, in situ concrete slabs may remain.
- ‘Safe and secure’: services such as gas, electricity and water must be made safe, and any excavations on the property caused by the removal of the home must be backfilled.
Resources
- Home Relocation fact sheet (PDF 115.2KB)
- The Concierge Team helps support Home Buyback homeowners through the relocation process. Please reach out through concierge@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au.
Home gifting
If a buyback homeowner chooses not to relocate their home, they can gift the home to someone else who can relocate it for residential use within the region.
‘Gifting’ means that NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) will allow a third party to remove the dwelling from the land for $0 (for free), if that person meets certain RA requirements.
If the gifting proposal is approved by RA, the sale contract will allow for gifting.
The recipient will be asked to provide a Deed Poll to RA.
The recipient is responsible for all stages of the relocation process. Approval may be required to remove and transport the home, and then to re-install it at the final proposed location.
Occupancy arrangement
In recognition of the challenges faced by property owners in the Northern Rivers, the RA is providing an occupancy arrangement, in certain circumstances.
For homeowners
Homeowners undergoing a buyback under the Resilient Homes Program may be eligible to enter into an occupancy arrangement, where the homeowner requires access to their current home after settlement of the Home Buyback while relocating their home or building a new home.
This arrangement will allow homeowners who meet certain eligibility criteria to legally occupy the home, following settlement, for a period of up to 12 months:
- The homeowner must be able to demonstrate that:
- action is being actively taken to relocate from their current home or build their new home
- they are unable to reside at the new location
- funds are needed to be released urgently for one or more of these purposes (otherwise, a delayed settlement should be requested).
Homeowners should contact the Resilient Homes Program team on 1800 844 085 or resilienthomesprogram@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au for further information.
For tenants or other occupants
Tenants or other occupants of a Home Buyback property may also be eligible for an occupancy arrangement if they meet certain eligibility criteria, for a period of up to 6 months. The tenant or other occupant of a Buyback property must demonstrate they require additional time to source suitable alternative accommodation after completion of the Buyback purchase, because:
- they have not been able to access the minimum 6-month settlement period under RA’s existing policy, and have not previously declined such an offer, and
- are at risk of homelessness.
To be eligible, the tenant or other occupant must be in lawful occupation of the property when seeking the occupancy arrangement from RA.
Tenants should contact their landlord or property manager. They can also contact the Resilient Homes Program team on 1800 844 085 or resilienthomesprogram@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au for further information and to confirm eligibility requirements.
Fact sheets and guidance
Find resources about the Resilient Homes Program in our publications and reports library
