Help renting in the private market
Homes North Community Housing staff can facilitate and deliver a range of private rental assistance products and services that are available to help people to:
- Set up and maintain a tenancy in the private sector
- Pay urgent housing-related costs rent and water arrears
- Assist eligible people by providing payment of a subsidy for a period of time
Tenancy Facilitation
Homes North staff will provide:
- Assistance to compile appropriate documentation
- Help to search for suitable private rentals
- Support to submit rental applications to landlords and agents
- Coach on how to interact with agents /landlords
- Information on rights and responsibilities during a tenancy
- Assist to address listings on TICA
Bond Loans
Homes North staff will facilitate access to the Department of Communities & Justice (DCJ) interest-free bond loans to assist people into a private rental
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/policies/rentstart-assistance-policy#bondloan
Advance Rent
Homes North staff will facilitate access to the Department of Communities & Justice advance rent product to assist people to set up their tenancy in the private market.
Advance rent is available to people to move into accommodation such as Caravan Parks, and registered boarding houses where a deposit or key money is required.
Advance rent is provided to a client as a grant and is not repaid to DCJ.
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website:
https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/policies/rentstart-assistance-policy
Private Rental Brokerage service
This service assists people with complex needs and who have support to find and sustain a tenancy in the private sector
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/factsheets/brokerage-service
Rent Choice – Start Safely
Rent Choice Start Safely provides up to three years of financial support by providing a subsidy payment to the landlord/agent for people escaping domestic or family violence.
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/help/ways/start-safely
Rent Choice – Youth
Rent Choice Youth is a program that helps young people aged 16 to 24 years who are homeless or imminently homeless to find and maintain a private rental.
Financial support is provided by the payment of a subsidy.
The aim of the program is for the young person to undertake study or obtain employment with the support of case management by a participating support agency over a three year period.
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/help/ways/renting-private-market/rent-choice
Brokerage – Rent Choice Youth and Start Safely
Brokerage funding of up to $2000 can be provided for each Rent Choice client who secures a private rental tenancy, regardless of whether they receive a subsidy or not.
Brokerage is to be used to assist the client in establishing and maintaining their tenancy and/or to cover relevant work/study-related costs.
Private Rental Subsidy
A private rental subsidy is a short term to medium term solution by providing a subsidy for priority approved applicants accessing accommodation in the private rental market while the social housing provider (Homes North in the New England North West) is seeking an appropriate dwelling to meet the applicant’s specific needs.
To be eligible you must have a disability. For further details please refer to the Department of Communities and Justice website https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/factsheets/private-rental-subsidy
Rent Choice Assist
Rent Choice Assist provides rent support to low-income households that have experienced a financial shock, such as loss of employment or illness, and need some assistance to either maintain their current tenancy or access affordable accommodation in the private rental market.
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/policies/rent-choice-assist
Rent Choice Assist COVID-19
Rent Choice Assist COVID 19 specifically targets low-income households who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the loss of income, due to the need to self-isolate, job loss, or impacting care arrangements.
This product will initially be available and offered between April and July 2020, and will be delivered as a 12-month non-tapered subsidy, with a six-month income/eligibility review process.
Tenancy Guarantee
A Tenancy Guarantee of up to $1,500 (including GST) is available to landlords/agents to cover rental arrears, property damage and/or cleaning over and above the rental bond.
People will need to lodge an application and an assessment will be undertaken to assess eligibility.
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities and Justice website:
https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/policies/private-rental-assistance-policy-supplement
Tenancy Assistance (Rent and water arrears)
Tenants renting in the private rental market can apply for Tenancy Assistance once in a 12-month period. The maximum amount of assistance cannot be more than the equivalent of four weeks’ rent. Tenancy Assistance is not a loan and does not have to be repaid.
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website:
https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/help/ways/renting-private-market
Appeals and reviewing decisions
Many decisions made by social housing providers (Homes North for the New England North West region) may be reviewed or appealed on request. A review is a formal process that is undertaken to ensure the right decision has been made considering all the circumstances and which meet policy requirements.
If you think the wrong decision has been made we encourage you to raise the issue with the staff member and you always have the right to request to speak to a manager before you lodge the review request.
For further details please refer to the Department of Communities & Justice website:
https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/living/rights-responsibilities/appeals-and-reviewing-decisions
