Private Rental Assistance Policy

POLICY STATEMENT

I. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to guide staff on eligibility and assessment of applications for private rental assistance.

II. Definitions

• Private Rental Assistance – provides a range of financial assistance for eligible clients to help them set up or maintain a tenancy in the private rental market.
• Tenancy Assistance – Short-term financial support for clients in rental arrears facing eviction.
• Temporary Accommodation – Short-term support for clients facing homelessness

III. Coverage

This policy applies to all Southern Cross Housing (SCH) staff.

IV. Principles

Private rental assistance products offer short-term assistance to clients who may:

• have difficulty entering the private rental market,
• have complex needs,
• have low income,
• be homeless or at risk of homelessness, or
• be experiencing a crisis, or escaping domestic violence.

SCH can offer, or facilitate access to, the following private rental assistance products on behalf of the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ):

• Statements of Satisfactory Tenancy,
• Assistance to obtain a private rental property through the Private Rental Brokerage Service,
• Tenancy Guarantee,
• Private Rental Subsidies (PRS), and/or
• Brokerage Funds.

SCH can also offer a Rent Choice Start Safely Subsidy and some rentstart assistance products including tenancy assistance and temporary accommodation. In the Shoalhaven region, SCH will offer these products and arrange payment to providers. In other regions, SCH will refer potential applicants to the Housing NSW contact centre for assessment.
Each private rental assistance and rentstart assistance option has different eligibility requirements, but generally, you must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and a resident of New South Wales to be eligible. Further information on eligibility and assessment is available on the DCJ website.

V. Responsibilities

The Access and Demand team is responsible for assessing eligibility for private rental assistance and rentstart assistance products.