Cost of Living: Housing & Rental

The housing situation for many people is currently very challenging but it is only one part of the cost of living crisis, which many are experiencing. The 'double whammy' is that vacancy rates are at a record low level, so landlords know they can easily find renters.

Where private rental properties are available, rents are increasing to such an extent that many can no longer afford these and must look for alternative solutions. The impact of increased costs across any essential services is always disproportionately felt by the lowest income recipients.

With the rises in interest rates, homeowners with mortgages are also struggling to make ends meet. We are starting to see pensioners who are struggling to pay-off their homes with the interest rate increases.

Refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, especially those who are not eligible to receive Commonwealth Government allowances, are a particularly challenging group.

Some agencies such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, Baptcare and the Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project (BASP) occasionally have funding from the State Government and may be able to help.

People in Department of Housing accommodation are fortunate to be housed and pay no more than 30% of their income in rent, but they, too, can face issues with paying their monthly rent.

What our conferences can do to ensure a hand-up and not a hand-out?

• Help the person/family to make a list of income and expenditure for a fortnight/month. Making sure that it includes essential costs such as: rent, utilities (electricity, gas, water), food and drink, transport, education, medical, insurance policy/policies’, car registration etc.
• Ensure the person/family won’t be evicted. We need to avoid any risk of homelessness. For example:
  With the person's permission we can plead their case with real estate agent or landlord. Explain the current hardship being endured and ask if there is any leeway that could be extended in favour of the tenant. This could be deferring issuing a Notice to Vacate or negotiating an achievable payment plan. Our conferences could also assist this process with the contribution of a part payment. This usually helps to gain some goodwill for the person.
• Ensure the person is accessing all hardship assistance for other essential bills such as utilities. It is important to look at any possible ways to free up income to ensure rental payments are being met to avoid eviction.
• What might a hand-up look like? For example: contribute a part payment of the rent as a one-off; provide details of rental/housing assistance support; provide additional supermarket vouchers if spending less on food will allow money to be freed to pay rent/mortgage; suggest seeking financial counselling or advice and provide details of the agencies listed here which may be able to help.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) website spells out all the relevant housing options relating to different housing tenures such as public housing, community housing and private rental.

It provides an easy and useful way to step through the most appropriate path to housing for the person you are supporting by asking about the person’s current housing situation. It also provides avenues for assisting people when they have fallen behind with rent or mortgage repayments.

Visit the website via this link: https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/help-renting

Help with housing

The links below provide information about renting, applying for public and community housing; what to do in a housing emergency such as escaping family violence. The site includes a ‘housing options finder’ where, by answering targeted questions, you can find the relevant answers to particular cases.

www.vic.gov.au/department-families-fairness-and-housing

Tenancy Plus used to be known as the Social Housing Advocacy Support Program (SHASP). Tenancy Plus aims to prevent homelessness and support renters to stay in housing. Community housing renters on the Victorian Housing Register are also eligible for help from Tenancy Plus. Tenancy Plus support providers will work with you to create a support plan that is tailored to your needs and goals. Support providers can also connect you to a range of other support services in your local area.

www.housing.vic.gov.au

Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program (TAAP) services help Victorians who have a private residential tenancy agreement and are experiencing financial disadvantage or family violence (regardless of financial circumstances)

www.consumer.vic.gov.au

Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) is financial help to eligible people getting a Centrelink payment who pay rent and are not public tenants. This is in effect additional income to cover the cost of rent.
It is helpful to know if a person receives CRA as this enables a deeper understanding of the household’s budgetary demands. If the person is a pensioner, receives a Centrelink payment or receives more than the base rate of the family tax benefit, she/he may be eligible.

Australian Government Payments’ information can be found at: https://www.linkt.com.au/linkt-assist/melbourne 

Know your local networks

Sometimes, local community agencies have access to some funds for rent relief, so members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with community networks. The central council, regional or conference Social Justice Officer can draw up a list of these community networks for conference members to access.

NILS No Interest Loans

It is possible in some cases that Vinnies NILS can be used for rent payments with specific criteria to be followed. Contact https://www.vinniesnils.org.au

Other financial advice and assistance can be obtained through the National Debt Helpline: www.ndh.org.au

Homelessness/Risk of Homelessness

This website is a useful one: https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/rentassist-bond-loan

Housing and Crisis accommodation contact number: 1800 825 955

Another project to help those sleeping rough is part of the Homeless to Home initiative. The contact details are supportivehousing@sacredheartmission.org

Private Rental Assistance Program (PRAP) is a Victorian Government program that is intended as a preventative intervention that helps households vulnerable to homelessness.

There is reasonable flexibility in relation to what can be delivered. VincentCare is one PRAP agency providing support and can be contacted at 9304 0104 or checkout their website:
https://vincentcare.org.au/our-services/private-rental-assistance-program/ 

Commissioner for Residential Tenancies
This statutory body develops policy in response to market implication for tenants.

It could be useful to advocate to the Commissioner by seeking a meeting and presenting the experience of people we assist.

This is more likely to be effective if we present a number of cases that show a trend rather than an individual case.