Housing is a basic human right. Every human being needs an apartment to live in and conduct their affairs. So it’s normal if you are wondering how to get help with renting a house in western Australia. The Australian government has provided its citizens with various ways of getting access to affordable housing services.
The range of assistance can be in the form of social housing plans like public housing and targeted financial assistance for eligible Australians. You can leverage various housing assistance plans if you’re in a tight position. Housing is more than putting a roof over your head. Living in a house of a standard that is affordable and appropriate has its benefits.
The type of house you live in has an impact on your health and can go as far as influencing your employment opportunities. Furthermore, having a good house can also affect your mental health.
Rent assistance is a regular payment from Centrelink available for certain people renting homes in Australia. It is a form of non-taxable income supplement. Once you rent in community housing or a private rental market, rental assistance is open to you.
Who qualifies for rental assistance in Australia?
There are many ways a tenant can get accommodation assistance to rent an apartment in Perth. If you have difficulty paying rent, and co-renting in Perth isn’t an option, consider rent assistance to help you solve your housing problems. Housing is one of the most common issues in Australia.
It is on everyone’s monthly budget to keep a roof over our heads. Statistics hold that rent eats up to 30% of average weekly earnings. It can also go as high as 50% every month. Very few people own houses. Hence, a vast population is left with only one option, tenancy.
Public housing prices in major cities in West Australia hang around $500 weekly. This amount might be a little hefty for a low-income earner. Here’s where rental assistance comes in. You can cover up the part of the fees you’re missing. Low-income households have an increased risk of experiencing financial housing stress.
Financial housing stress is a lot more dangerous than people give it credit for. It can be a major contributor to housing instability which can go as far as making you homeless. However, housing assistance does more than improve your mental health; it also improves your quality of life. A few things make you eligible to receive rent assistance in Western Australia.
Age pension
The age pension is a scheme designed to help people of older age brackets with income since they won’t be able to work on their own anymore. The age pension is paid to people who meet age and residency requirements.
It would help if you lived in Australia before laying a claim for the age pension. You must have been an Australian resident for at least ten years. However, there are certain exemptions to this law. Some of those exemptions include the following:
- posses qualifying residence exemption
- be a widow in Australia, and her late partner was an Australian resident.
You are eligible for rental assistance in Australia if you’re on an age pension.
Tenants in defence housing
The service in Australia already offers housing options and assistance for its members and their families. However, the various options will only be available if your rank matches the option. Hence, limiting the scheme a little.
That’s where rental assistance comes in. Renting assistance works with the rent you pay and provides assistance with these numbers.
What is a rent affordability check in western Australia?
Whether you apply for a mortgage, a car, or rental assistance, there are some steps you have to undergo before you can be considered. This process is referred to as an affordability check. A lender that gives out money without conducting affordability checks is dealing in bad business.
The reason it’s bad business is that you may need more finances to be able to pay the money back. Hence, affordability checks are extremely important to keep the business running.
Organisations look at a few things while conducting affordability checks on their customers.
- Credit score
- Salary
- Current loans
- Goods and services tax on residential rent
Rent assistance organisations look at the money coming in and going out each month. Then, they use this information to determine what’s left after that. This calculation will determine if you have enough money to compensate for your rental assistance.
If you want to check your eligibility financially, most rental assistance agencies in Australia have affordability calculators on their official websites. So you can quickly hop onto their website and get a rough idea of how much the company will be willing to give you.
