Support if you experience family violence while a public housing tenant
If you're experiencing domestic and family violence, there are services that can help. Housing ACT has policies to support tenants experiencing domestic or family violence. Read get help now.
How to get support
If you’re a public housing tenant and you experience family or domestic violence, speak to your housing manager. They can help you access support.
Support you can get
Emergency accommodation
Housing ACT works with tenants or applicants who have experienced domestic and family violence to obtain emergency accommodation. This may include working with ACT domestic and family violence services which provide crisis support, or other emergency accommodation options. Our priority is to make sure our tenants are safe.
Transfer to a different property
Tenants who have experienced domestic and family violence may be able to transfer to an alternative property. Housing ACT transfers tenants as soon as possible considering their needs and preferences.
Security upgrades
A tenant may request security upgrades for their property to better protect themselves from a perpetrator, to help them feel safer in their home. Where a tenant requests a security upgrade, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service or one of Housing ACT’s Tenant Support Community Connections Officers will assess the request and coordinate the works required.
Help to connect with other support services
Housing ACT works with tenants or applicants who have experienced domestic and family violence to connect them with appropriate community domestic and family violence support services.
These services may include legal support, domestic and family violence services, youth support, shelter services and food and clothing services.
Ending your lease early
You can end your lease early if you experience family or domestic violence.
If you want to move out of your property earlier than the 3-week notice period, you can use a Family Violence Termination Notice. This will allow you to vacate on the vacate date you put in the notice. You’ll only need to pay rent up to the vacate date.
A Family Violence Termination Notice will end your public housing tenancy and other supports available to you. It also means if you need public housing in the future, you’ll need to reapply.
You should only use a Family Violence Termination Notice if:
- you’ve found other accommodation
- you don't need a public housing property anymore.
Read how to end a tenancy because of family violence.