Residential Relief Grants Scheme Changes
The Residential Relief Grants Scheme is available to provide landlords with direct one-off payments equivalent to 75 per cent of the accrued rent arrears incurred during the emergency period, up to a maximum of $4,000.
This will include any rent that was waived or deferred during the emergency period. A key condition of landlords receiving the funding is that a fixed-term tenancy agreement of six months or longer is entered into with the existing tenant at a reasonable rent that is affordable.
Tenants will be able to apply for the new grants scheme if they satisfy the following criteria:
- Lost their job or 50 per cent of their income due to COVID-19 or were in receipt of a Centrelink payment (excluding JobKeeper), on or after 20 March 2020;
- Have less than $10,000 in savings;
- Pay more than 25 per cent of their income in rent per week;
- Are tenants or sub-tenants in a private residential property, rooming house or residential park;
- Have a tenancy agreement in place as at December 1, 2020;
- The debt was incurred before December 1, 2020; and
- Have a bond lodged with the Bond Administrator.
Shelter WA has been advocating for changes to the Scheme and welcomes this initiative. However a suite of solutions is needed to mitigate against a new wave of homelessness.
Read the official announcement here. Read more here from the Landlords Bulletin from the Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.
Apply for the grants here. Applications close on Monday, 28 June 2021.
