The Victorian Government has established a rental assistance fund to provide rent relief payments of up to $3,000 to Victorians experiencing rental hardship due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The one off grant is specifically for tenants living in their primary residence to help them maintain safe, secure and stable accommodation. It is paid directly to the tenant’s agent, lessor or landlord to contribute to the tenant’s rental payments after a rent reduction agreement has been lodged with Consumer Affairs Victoria.

 

What is the rent-relief grant?

The Victorian Government has established a rental assistance fund to provide rent relief payments of up to $3,000 to Victorians experiencing rental hardship due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The one off grant is specifically for tenants living in their primary residence to help them maintain safe, secure and stable accommodation. It is paid directly to the tenant’s agent, lessor or landlord to contribute to the tenant’s rental payments after a rent reduction agreement has been lodged with Consumer Affairs Victoria. 

 

Have settings for the rent relief grant changed?

Yes, the Victorian Government has increased the grant from $2,000 to $3,000 and extended the time you can lodge your grant application until 28 March 2021. The amount of personal savings you can hold to be eligible for the grant also increased from $5,000 to $10,000 on 4 September .2020

 

I have already applied for the initial grant amount of $2,000, but haven’t heard the outcome of my application. Do I need to reapply to receive the increased amount of ?$3,000

No. We will calculate the full amount up to the $3,000 limit with the details you provided in your existing application.

 

I received a grant before the increase came in on 20 # August 2020. Am I eligible to receive another payment at the higher rate of $3,000?

Yes. If you continue to meet the eligibility criteria and have already received a grant of up to $2,000, we will automatically calculate whether you are eligible for an additional payment of up to $1,000. We will contact you to confirm your tenancy is still current and eligible. You do not need to take any action.

 

I applied for the grant or my application was rejected before the personal savings limit was increased to $10,000. Will my application be re-assessed with the new savings limit?

Yes. You do not need to do anything. We will advise you if you are eligible for the grant taking into account the new savings limit. If you have already received a grant, the new saving limit will not affect you or the amount of grant you have received.

 

What should I do if I can’t afford my rent?

If you are unable to pay your rent due to financial hardship, in the first instance you should contact your landlord or property manager as soon as possible to negotiate an alternative arrangement such as rent reduction.

When you reach an agreement, make sure it’s in writing and lodge the agreement with Consumer Affairs Victoria $.

You may then be eligible for a Rent Relief Grant.

 

Who is eligible for the grant?

The grant will assist renters in Victoria experiencing financial hardship due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

To be eligible for the grant you will need to have registered a reduced rental agreement with Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Deferral of rent is not considered a rent reduction and therefore does not meet the eligibility criteria. Your household income must be less than $1,903 per week, and you have less than $10,000 in savings and still be paying at least 30 per cent of your income in rent.

There are no citizenship or permanent residency requirements for applicants. Applicants that may be eligible include casual workers on holiday and working visas, international students, skilled visa holders, seasonal workers, New Zealand citizens and all refugee and temporary protection visa holders.

To register your agreement with Consumer Affairs Victoria, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your rights page $.

 

What does ‘rental hardship’ mean?

Rental hardship is a situation where a tenant is paying more than 30 per cent of their income in rent and may have limited personal savings and access to other benefits or support.

 

Am I eligible if I live in a multi-occupancy house with a shared lease?

Yes. If you are one of the lease holders in your home and meet the eligibility criteria you may qualify for a grant that represents your portion of the rent.

If you are experiencing financial difficulty paying your rent due to a loss or reduction of income due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, in the first instance you and the other tenants on the lease should contact your agent, lessor or landlord to negotiate an alternative arrangement such as rent reduction.

 

Should I stop paying my rent?

No. To avoid breaching your tenancy agreement it is important you continue to pay your rent.

If you are experiencing rental hardship, in the first instance you should contact your agent, lessor or landlord to negotiate an alternative arrangement such as rent reduction.

If you are unable to secure a rent reduction, you should engage in a dispute resolution process with your landlord and Consumer Affairs Victoria’s dispute resolution
service. Consumer Affairs Victoria $ will act as a referee to ensure a fair agreement can be reached between all parties

 

What do I need to know before speaking with my agent or

landlord about a rent reduction?

Consumer Affairs Victoria has a range of advice on how to resolve rent issues. For more information, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your rights page 

What if I can’t reach an agreement with my agent or landlord?

If an agreement cannot be reached, contact Consumer Affairs Victoria $ for assistance.

 

I’m a landlord, does this mean I don’t need to agree to a rent reduction with my tenant?

Landlords should still negotiate in good faith with their tenants.
To be eligible for rent relief tenants must have either:

1. 1. negotiated a rental reduction with their real estate agent or landlord; or

2. 2. have undertaken a dispute resolution or mediation process with Consumer Affairs Victoria

The amount of the rental relief grant paid on behalf of tenants is based on reduced rent arrangements negotiated between the tenant and landlord. The grant should be treated as a deposit amount to the rental balance and has the same effect as if the tenant had made a rental payment. The grant should not be used as a top-up for the landlord to make up the difference between the previous rent and the reduced rent agreed as part of a rent deduction.

 

How do I apply for a grant?

You can apply for a grant until 28 March 2021, however your application can only be processed if you have reached
an agreement for a rent reduction with your landlord and lodged this agreement with Consumer Affairs Victoria, or completed a mediation process through Consumer Affairs Victoria.

If you have lodged your new rental agreement with Consumer Affairs Victoria, you can apply for a Rent Relief Grant online $.

If you need a paper-based application, please telephone 1800 950 444 between 9am and 12pm Monday to Friday and a form will be sent out to you.

To contact the department about your grant application please email RentRelief@dhhs.vic.gov.au or telephone 1800 950 444 between 9am and 12pm Monday to Friday.

 

What happens after I complete my application?

If you need to provide additional information, you will receive an email with the detail required to complete the assessment of your application. You will have 14 business days from that email to provide this. If we don’t receive it within this timeframe, your application may be assessed as ineligible.

 

How soon will relief payments be available?

Once your application has been approved, your rental relief payment will typically be processed within two weeks. The payment is made directly to your agent, lessor or landlord. The Department of Health and Human Services will inform you once the payment is made.

 

What if I leave my tenancy before my application is processed?

If your tenancy circumstances change you will need to advise us. Please email RentRelief@dhhs.vic.gov.au or telephone 1800 950 444 between 9am and 12pm Monday to Friday to discuss your application.

 

What can the grant be used for?

 

The rent relief grant is specifically for the purpose of supporting eligible people experiencing rental hardship.

The payment will be made directly by the Department of Health and Human Services to your landlord or real estate agent as a credit towards your rental payments. The grant should be treated as a deposit amount to the rental balance and has the same effect as if you had made a rental payment.

 

How is the amount of the grant calculated?

We will calculate the amount of grant to a maximum $3,000 you can be paid when we assess your application. The amount of grant is dependent on your income, and the level of reduced rent you are paying. The grant is to be calculated as follows:

Where the amount the person is paying on rent is above 30% of their income and this difference between 30% of their income and their rent is:

more than $77 per week the applicant will receive the full $3,000 grant

less than $77 per week, the grant will be calculated as 39 weeks multiplied by this amount.

 

How are single and couple applicants assessed for the grant?

If an applicant is single, then their application will be assessed against each of the eligibility criteria.
If the applicant is a member of a couple, then their application will be assessed against each of the eligibility criteria as follows:

Only one person needs to demonstrate their income or working hours have been affected by a COVID-19 event

Only one person needs to have an agreement registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria to reduce rent

Only one person in the couple needs to be listed on a bond or other accommodation agreement

The couple is jointly assessed on income, assets and rental stress

If all of the criteria are satisfied, the couple is eligible for one rental grant.

 

What if I am in urgent need of somewhere to stay?

If you or someone you know is in immediate need of crisis or emergency accommodation, please contact the statewide after-hours service on 1800 825 955 (free call) Monday to Friday and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays. This number will direct your call to a service closest to you, or if the call is outside business hours, it will be directed to Salvation Army Crisis Services.

If the housing issue relates to family violence, please phone the Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre on 1800 015 188 (free call) or (03) 9322 3555 open 24 hours.

 

What if I’m not eligible but I’m at risk of losing my tenancy

for other reasons?

Other rental support programs are available for people either at risk of or experiencing homelessness. These include:

RentAssist Bond Loan – If you want to rent privately and need assistance with the bond, you may be able to borrow the money for an interest free loan

Commonwealth Rental Assistance - a payment to assist with rental costs for eligible people getting a Centrelink payment

Financial help for private renters - information about concessions, hardship support, loans, financial advice and counselling

In home support – programs and services that may help people stay in their rented home

Rental advice – organisations that provide specialist advice on renting, tenancy issues and relationship and general dispute resolution

You can find out more about these services at help with renting page.

If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, you may also be eligible for assistance under the Private Rental Assistance Program (PRAP).

The program aims to secure and sustain housing in the private rental market through financial assistance for rent in advance, rental arrears and rental subsidies, minor property modifications, and skills training including financial management and budgeting.

To find out more information contact 1800 825 955 (free call) Monday to Friday and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays.

 

Source: https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/help-renting/rentrelief