Mark owns an investment property but doesn’t own his home. How is he assessed?
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Q. Mark
I own a residential unit that I have as an investment property. I own it outright and it is earning income. However, this is the only real estate I own. I do not own my principal place of residence. Am I assessed as a non-homeowner under the assets test? Could you please advise?
A. The distinction between homeowners and non-homeowners has nothing to do with your investment property and everything to do with your principal place of residence.
So, assuming the most likely scenario in your situation, in which you do not have the legal title to the home in which you live and do not have reasonable security of tenure or that you are paying rent for your current accommodation, then you will be assessed as a non-homeowner.
Even if you are not paying rent, as long as you are living in a private home you will still be considered a non-homeowner.
However, if your home is owned by a company and the company gives you reasonable security of tenure in the home, then you will still be considered a homeowner for Centrelink purposes.
Also, if instead of a home you own a campervan, caravan, transportable home or boat as your place of residence, then you will still be assessed as a homeowner.
If you recently sold your home (within the last 12 months) and still intend to use some of the proceeds of that sale to build or buy a house within 12 months of that sale, you would also still be considered a homeowner for Centrelink purposes.
Do you have an unusual living situation for assessment purposes? How has Centrelink assessed your living arrangements?
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