If you are serving or have served in the Australian Defence Force, you may have heard about the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme, usually shortened to DHOAS. It is a government-backed scheme that can help eligible ADF members and their families on the path to home ownership by paying a monthly subsidy into an eligible DHOAS home loan.

This article gives you a clear overview of what DHOAS is and how the scheme is set up. For anything to do with your personal eligibility, entitlements or subsidy amount, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is the only source that can give you the right answer, and we will point you there throughout.

For full eligibility criteria, visit dhoas.gov.au or call 1300 434 627.

If you are weighing up whether an Australian Military Bank DHOAS home loan could suit you, that is where a conversation with the Synergy team can help. Synergy Mortgage Brokers is accredited with Australian Military Bank, a DHOAS home loan provider, and we can help eligible ADF members apply for an Australian Military Bank DHOAS home loan.

What is DHOAS?

DHOAS is a scheme administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on behalf of the Department of Defence. It is set up under the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Act 2008 and commenced on 1 July 2008.

In short, the scheme pays a monthly subsidy directly into an eligible DHOAS home loan held with one of the Defence-nominated home loan providers. The subsidy is designed to reduce the ongoing cost of the loan for eligible ADF members and their families while they hold the loan and meet the scheme conditions.

The details on who qualifies, how much subsidy applies, how long it runs and the conditions attached are set and assessed by DVA. The DHOAS website has the current rules and rates and is the right place to read them.

We are unable to confirm your eligibility for DHOAS. For full eligibility criteria, visit dhoas.gov.au or call 1300 434 627.

Why ADF Members Look Into DHOAS

Home ownership can feel out of reach when service life involves postings, relocations and long stretches away from family. For eligible members, DHOAS is one of the benefits that has been set up with that reality in mind. It is worth knowing about, asking about and making time to understand properly.

What we see in our day-to-day work is that many ADF members have heard of DHOAS, but are not sure how it fits alongside a regular home loan application. Our role is to help eligible members apply for an Australian Military Bank DHOAS home loan and to talk through the home loan product itself, not to interpret the scheme. Those two conversations happen best in parallel: one with DVA about your entitlement, and one with us about the loan.

Who Does What

It helps to know who sits where in the DHOAS process, because questions get to the right answer faster when they go to the right place.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)

DVA administers DHOAS. They are the authority on eligibility, tier levels, service credits, subsidy amounts, lump sum options, occupancy conditions and any change of circumstances. If you want to know whether you qualify, how much you would receive or what happens if your circumstances change, DVA is the right first call.

You can reach them at dhoas.gov.au, via dhoas@dva.gov.au or on 1300 434 627.

Defence-nominated home loan providers

There are three home loan providers nominated under DHOAS: Australian Military Bank, Defence Bank and NAB. A DHOAS home loan has to be held with one of them for the subsidy to be paid in.

Your mortgage broker

Synergy Mortgage Brokers is accredited with Australian Military Bank, a DHOAS home loan provider. We can help eligible ADF members apply for an Australian Military Bank DHOAS home loan and talk you through the home loan product, the application process and what to expect at each step.

What we do not do is assess your DHOAS eligibility or advise you on the scheme itself. That sits with DVA, and we will always point you back to them for those questions.

What the Process Looks Like on the Home Loan Side

From the loan side of things, the process is fairly familiar if you have applied for a home loan before. The DHOAS-specific steps run alongside it, and DVA manages those.

• You speak with DVA about your DHOAS eligibility and, if eligible, apply for a Subsidy Certificate through them.
• You choose a Defence-nominated home loan provider. If that is the Australian Military Bank, Synergy can help you apply for the home loan.
• We work with you on the home loan application the same way we would for any other client: borrowing capacity, documents, property, and settlement.
• The DHOAS-side paperwork that connects your subsidy to the loan is managed between you, DVA and the lender.

If you are not sure where your DHOAS paperwork is up to, DVA is the right place to check. If you have questions about the home loan side of things, that is a conversation for us.

Questions We Often Get

Am I eligible for DHOAS?

We are unable to confirm your eligibility for DHOAS. For full eligibility criteria, visit dhoas.gov.au or call 1300 434 627.

How much subsidy would I receive?

Subsidy amounts are set and assessed by DVA based on their scheme rules. The DHOAS website publishes current tier levels and rates. Please contact DVA on 1300 434 627 for anything specific to your situation.

Should I take a lump sum or monthly payments?

That is a question about your DHOAS entitlement, and DVA is the right place to discuss it. They can explain the options available to you under the scheme so you can make an informed decision.

When is the best time to apply?

Timing around service milestones is something DVA can talk you through as part of your eligibility conversation. From our side, we can speak with you about timing on the home loan application itself once you know where you stand on DHOAS.

How does DHOAS interact with other ADF entitlements?

Other ADF entitlements are administered separately and have their own criteria. DVA can point you to the right information for each.

How Synergy Can Help

Based on the Sunshine Coast and in Toowoomba, Synergy Mortgage Brokers works with clients across Australia on their home loan needs, including ADF members looking at an Australian Military Bank DHOAS home loan. The team is led by Director and Mortgage Broker Brendan Philp, alongside Director Marcus Barnard, who brings more than 25 years of banking experience.

On DHOAS loans specifically, we can help you with the home loan itself once you have your Subsidy Certificate from DVA. That includes talking through the Australian Military Bank DHOAS home loan product, preparing the application, and supporting you through to settlement. We cannot assess your DHOAS eligibility or advise you on the scheme, and we will always refer those questions back to DVA.

Our service does not cost you anything out of pocket. Like all mortgage brokers in Australia, we are paid a commission by the lender when the loan settles, and we work in your best interests as required by law.

Whether you are based locally or stationed elsewhere in Australia, we offer phone and video consultations, so geography is not a barrier.

To get started, contact Synergy Mortgage Brokers for a free, no-obligation chat:

1300 324 588 | hello@synergymortgagebrokers.com.au | www.synergymortgagebrokers.com.au

Where to Go for DHOAS Information

For anything to do with your DHOAS eligibility, entitlement or how to apply, DVA is the right place to start. Their team can speak with you directly about your service history, the tier level you may qualify for and the next steps under the scheme.

We are unable to confirm your eligibility for DHOAS. For full eligibility criteria, visit dhoas.gov.au or call 1300 434 627.

Website: www.dhoas.gov.au

Email: dhoas@dva.gov.au

Phone: 1300 434 627

Please note: All decisions relating to the administration of the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme are made pursuant to the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Act 2008. This article is general information only and is not advice on DHOAS eligibility, entitlement or subsidies. ADF members are encouraged to speak with DVA directly and seek independent advice before making decisions about their entitlement.