The Department of Housing understands that the decisions it makes can affect customers. The appeal process allows any concerns you have to be dealt with in a fair and open manner.
There are two levels of appeal:
Tier 1: An internal review by a Senior Review Officer who has not previously been involved in your case.
Tier 2: An appeal hearing by the Regional Appeals Committee.
What can you appeal?
You can appeal decisions that relate to:
- your application for rental housing
- bond assistance
- requests for priority housing assistance
- assessment of tenant liability charges
- requests to transfer to another rental home
The appeals process is there to make sure that these and other decisions can be independently reviewed by people who were not involved in the original decision.
You have 12 months from when you receive a decision to make an appeal to the Department.
If your appeal relates to a decision about a home loan please contact Keystart on 1300 720 855.
What you cannot appeal
Decisions that are applied to all customers cannot be appealed such as an increase in rent for all Department of Housing tenants.
Other things you cannot appeal against are:
- Decisions you received more than 12 months ago
- Decisions where legal action has been taken by the Department of Housing
- Decisions that are being or have been considered by the Minister or the State Ombudsman
- Decisions on the purchase or sale of Department assets, including properties.
You can:
- Fill in an appeal form that the Department sends you with the original decision
- collect an appeal form from your local Department of Housing office.
- Download an appeal form from the Department of Housing website www.housing.wa.gov.au/Files/homes_appeals0902.pdf
The Department can give you a list of welfare and community agencies who can provide independent advice and help you to prepare your appeal.
Under the Freedom of Information Act you may apply to the Department for copies of documents relating to your case.
It is important you give us any extra information such as medical reports, support letters from other Government agencies or people who are helping you when you lodge
your appeal. This is to make sure that all of your concerns are looked at during the appeal hearing.
Tier 1 appeal is a review by a Department officer. The Review Officer is a senior staff member who has not been involved in your case before.
Your case will be reviewed to see if:
- All relevant factors have been looked at
- If the decision was reasonable given your circumstances
- If sufficient evidence was available to reach the decision
- Whether the original decision should be overturned
- Whether your case is eligible to be heard by the Regional Appeals Committee
The Reviewing Officer may contact you to ask for extra information during this process. The Department willnotify you of the outcome of the Tier 1 review within 30 days of your appeal being received by the Department.
Tier 2: Regional Appeals Committee
If an appeal hearing is arranged for you, the Regional Appeal Committee will invite you to attend the hearing so you can discuss your case. The Department recommends
that you bring someone along to help you - this may be a friend, family member or someone who has been helping you with your situation.
The Committee will ask you questions to make sure that all the issues are understood. After hearing your case the Committee will look at all of the facts before reaching a
decision.
The Department aims to decide on all appeals within 60days of your appeal being received.
Where?
The Regional Appeals Committee hearing will be held at a Department of Housing office. If you cant attend the hearing in person, you may request a telephone conference.
If you disagree with the outcome of your Tier 2 appeal, the Department will advise you of the most appropriate agencies to contact, which may be:
- The Small Disputes Division of the Magistrate’s Court
- The State Ombudsman
- Equal Opportunity Commission brochure
- Human Rights Commission
Appeals Policy and other related documents
The Appeals Mechanism Manual is currently being reviewed.
Housing Appeals Mechanism Review - Discussion paper, October 2009 (164kB)
For more information on PDF documents, click on the PDF icon to the right. 
