18Grant not payable where applicant previously owned home

18 Grant not payable where applicant previously owned home

(1) A grant in respect of a dwelling‑house shall not be made to a sole applicant if the applicant has, or to joint applicants if any of the joint applicants has or have, before the prescribed date, (whether alone or together with another person or other persons): (a) owned another dwelling‑house in Australia; or (b) been a party to a contract, other than a contract that was discharged (otherwise than by performance of the contract) before the expiration of 3 months after it was entered into, for the purchase of another dwelling‑house, being a contract that provided for payment of the purchase price or part of the purchase price by instalments. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to the ownership of a dwelling‑house, or the entering into of a contract for the purchase of a dwelling‑house, by a person or persons if the Secretary is satisfied that it would be unreasonable to regard that dwelling‑house as, or as suitable for the purpose of constituting, the principal place of residence of the person or of those persons.