Building Tenancy Skills

Building capacity to maintain tenancies.

The Building Tenancy Skills Project ran from 2021-2024 and is now complete.

Bringing together tenants with disability and sector representatives to improve rental experiences.

Shelter WA, in a partnership with People with disabilities WA (PWdWA) have worked together since September 2021 on the Building Tenancy Skills Project. With a team of thirteen people with personal experience of disability and renting, we have codesigned resources that help tenants with disability feel more confident about their rights and responsibilities as tenants. Our codesign partners have also included Circle Green, the Financial Counsellors Association of WA, Consumer Protection, Developmental Disability WA and REIWA.

The Building Tenancy Skills Project ran from 2021-2024 and is now complete. You are welcome to download and use the tenancy resources including videos and fact sheets.

Watch an overview of the project from Dr Donna Turner

Background

There are approximately 411,500 people who experience disability of some kind who are living in Western Australia. The vast majority either own or are buying their home or are renting privately in the community. (ABS 2019)

Approximately 111,000 people with disability are renting, around 70,000 are in private sector housing. People who experience higher levels of disability are more likely to be renting in social housing than people without disability. If the person experiences a high level of disability and has a high need for support, they may receive NDIS funding for Specialist Disability Accommodation or funding to assist with living independently. However, individualised NDIS funding is available to only a small percentage of people. In September 2023, 54, 165people in WA were receiving individualised NDIS funding.

The majority of people with disability who would like tenancy support will need to access mainstream services, including legal advice, advocacy, financial counselling and assistance with arrears. Access to these services can be the difference between a person being able to keep their rental home or being evicted. What we see currently is that people with disability are more likely to experience issues during rental inspections (Choice, 2018)

Note: Many people do not use the word disability in relation to their own experience but in this project, the term includes people who experience ongoing challenges in their everyday lives that can impact on their ability to maintain their rented property. This includes people who experience physical and sensory restrictions, an acquired brain injury, neurological, or intellectual disability. People who are living with mental health challenges or problematic substance use are also included if they experience psychosocial disability.

Gallery

These are photos from March 2021 when members of the Co-Design Team and service providers from Circle Green, the Financial Counsellors’ Association of Western Australia, People with Disabilities WA Inc. and Consumer Protection worked together to identify useful resources on tenancy issues.