An $80 million rental assistance fund has been established to provide rent relief payments of up to $2,000 to Victorians experiencing rental hardship due to Covid-19.Once your application has been approved, your rental relief payment will typically be processed within two weeks. The grant will be paid directly to your agent, lessor or landlord to contribute to your rental payments. The new laws apply from 29 March 2020.
There are no citizenship or permanent residency requirements for applicants. Applicants that may be eligible include casual workers on holiday and working visas, skilled visas, seasonal workers, New Zealand citizens and all refugee and temporary protection visa holders. Also 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 unable to pay your rent due to financial hardship and :
• Have less than $5,000 in savings and still be paying at least 30 per cent of your income in rent.
• Have household income which is less than $1,903 per week or less than 100,000 Per annum.
• Have now, or will soon have, a bond registered with the Victorian Residential Tenancies Bond Authority.
If you meet the above criteria Then you are eligible to apply. However before you can apply you must contact your Landlord /property manager to negotiate an alternative arrangement such as rent reduction or deferral of payments. When you reach an agreement, make sure it’s in writing and lodge the agreement with Consumer Affairs Victoria.
There is no requirement of paying back the rent relief grant however it cannot be directly Paid to tenants or used for non-rental expenses, such as utilities or household items.
If a landlord provides tenants impacted by coronavirus with rent relief, they will be eligible for a 25 per cent discount on their land tax, while any remaining land tax can be deferred until March 2021.
Tenants and landlords who struggle to strike a deal over rent reductions will be given access to a fast-tracked dispute resolution service, with Consumer Affairs Victoria or the Victorian Small Business Commission mediating to ensure fair agreements are reached.There will be a six months temporary ban on expelling someone from their residential premises except in certain circumstances. However you cannot refuse to Pay rent. There will Also be no increase in residential rents for six months.
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. (Please do not call this number if it’s not an emergency & follow standard procedure below)
How to Apply
To apply for the grant please apply at Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) website & for All other residential tenancy matters, contact Consumer Affairs Victoria
or Tenants Victoria
( Disclaimer : Please note this article is for information only by Unicorn Taxation & Accounting Pty Ltd and not an advice for your specific circumstances, please take specific advice for your own situation )
