If you are a low income tenant you may be eligible for financial assistance to help meet the cost of renting. Below is an outline of the assistance which may be available to tenants as of July 1996. Check with the relevant government department for any changes.
Bond assistance, paid by Homeswest, is available to low income earners who need help to pay bond on a private rental property.
If you are eligible for a Housing Assistance Loan your bond is paid directly to the owner/agent.
Bond assistance is a loan only. Since January 1994, all tenants that receive a Homeswest Housing Assistance Loan must enter into an arrangement to repay the loan.
You must start making repayments from the time the loan is approved until it has been repaid. The minimum repayment is $2.00 per week.
You are liable to repay Homeswest the entire loan even if the owner does not return the full bond at the end of the tenancy.
The owner/agent is required to lodge the bond in a joint account with the tenant, in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act (1987) - See chapter 2.9 The Security Bond for more information on bond lodgement requirements.
If you receive a Social Security pension, benefit or allowance you may be eligible for rent assistance paid by the Department of Social Security.
Assistance is available for people paying:
Rates and methods of payment vary according to the amount of rent paid and the type of Social Security payment you receive. Rent assistance is currently not available to public housing (Homeswest) tenants.
Low income earners in emergency or crisis situations that need to re-locate may be eligible to receive assistance for furniture removal and transportation costs from the Department of Family and Children's Services (F&CS) under the Family Crisis Program.
You must be a holder of, or eligible for, a Commonwealth Health Care Card to apply for assistance.
Assistance will be considered in the following unforeseeable or legitimate crisis situations:
A support letter from a Social Worker/Welfare Worker may assist your application for assistance. It is helpful to attach an income and expenditure statement and supporting documents, such as a medical letter.
Support letters should be addressed to the Duty Officer of the appropriate F&CS Regional Office.
Financial counsellors provide information and support to people who are experiencing money difficulties.
If you are having problems paying your rent, then financial counsellors may be able to help.
They can give free advice and help with:
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