Housing SA requires each tenant to read and sign a standard 'Conditions of Tenancy' form before moving into the home. This is a contract which binds both Housing SA and the tenant to observe a clearly stated set of responsibilities.

Housing SA requires each new tenant to begin with a 12 month probationary lease. If tenants show that they can keep to the conditions of their lease agreement, they may then be offered a fixed term lease of either one, two, five or ten years. If tenants fail to keep to the conditions of their lease agreement, but could benefit from further support to do so, they may be offered a further 12 month probationary lease.

For more information, see the Housing Trust policies on the South Australian Department of Human Services website, in particular the policy on probationary and fixed term lease agreements.

Although Housing SA tenancies are not subject to all of the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA), the conditions of Housing SA tenancies are broadly consistent with those applying in private sector tenancies and, where possible, Housing SA complies with the spirit of the Act. See Which legislation appliesfor more information about the relevant residential tenancies provisions.