- The grant may be paid where:
- A residential tenant can demonstrate they have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, has less than $5,000 in savings and is paying more than 30% of their current income in rent (a tenant is defined as being in rental hardship if this criteria is met); and
- Round 1 eligibility: The landlord provides rent relief to the tenant(s) within the period from 30 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 (inclusive).
- Round 2 eligibility: The landlord provides rent relief to the tenant(s) within the period from 1 October 2020 to 30 March 2021 (inclusive).
Residential landlords are eligible for a second round grant irrespective of whether they received a rental grant in the first round of the Residential Rental Grant Scheme (where appropriate relief has been provided).
A revised rental agreement (or other evidence to substantiate the provision of reduced rent) needs to be provided as part of the application process.
- No, deferrals of rent and installment plans do not qualify as rent relief under this scheme. A landlord must provide a genuine (i.e. not repayable) rent reduction to a tenant in rental hardship to be considered eligible for the purposes of this scheme.
- The calculation is based on the weekly rent payable under the original/existing rental agreement expressed as a percentage of a tenant’s current weekly gross income.
- A tenant will be considered to be significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic where they can demonstrate that post 30 March 2020 one of the following occurred:
- Loss of employment;
- Reduction in hours of 20% or more;
- Reduction in wages of 20% or more; or
- Operated as a sole trader business which was either suspended or experienced a reduction in turnover of 20% or more.
- Eligibility for a JobKeeper or JobSeeker payment is not required.
- Round 1: The grant is capped at $1,000 per household for a landlord who provides at least this amount of rent relief to their tenant(s) in rental hardship within the period from 30 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 (inclusive).
- Round 2: The grant is capped at $1,000 per household for a landlord who provides at least this amount of rent relief to their tenant(s) in rental hardship within the period from 1 October 2020 to 30 March 2021 (inclusive).
- Residential landlords are eligible for a second round grant irrespective of whether they received a rental grant in the first round of the Residential Rental Grant Scheme (where appropriate relief has been provided).
- If the landlord has provided rent relief to their tenant(s) in rental hardship of less than $1,000, a grant equal to the amount of rent relief may be provided.
- The landlord or agent acting on their behalf receives the grant directly if all eligibility criteria are met.
- The tenant(s) benefit through the reduction in rent payable to the landlord.
- Round 1: Tenants who meet the eligibility criteria and can demonstrate that they have received rent relief within the period from 30 March 2020 to 30 September 2021 can apply.
- Round 2: Tenants who meet the eligibility criteria and can demonstrate that they have received or will receive rent relief within the period from 1 October 2020 to 30 March 2021 can apply.
- Landlords may also now apply together with their tenants, subject to their tenant’s eligibility and consent to submit personal information and supporting evidence to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria. Tenants must also consent to the Government verifying this evidence.
- Yes, landlords or agents acting on a landlords behalf may now apply for the grant together with their tenants.
- Yes, all tenants with their name on the rental agreement may apply under this scheme.
- Each tenant will need to apply separately and will be individually assessed against the eligibility criteria. The requirement for each tenant to apply separately is due to Centrelink restrictions on the sharing of personal information such as customer reference numbers.
- The value of the grant associated with each eligible tenant is calculated on the value of rent relief provided to the household but pro-rated for tenants that meet all other eligibility criteria required under the scheme.
- A landlord may therefore receive more than one grant for a property. The maximum grant per property (for all tenants) is $1,000.
- The grant can be available if there is a formal sub-leasing and rent reduction agreement in place and all other eligibility criteria are met.
- The grant can be payable on either the head-lease or sub-lease but not both.
- The grant is capped at $1,000 per household consistent with other rental arrangements.
- No, tenants must demonstrate and provide evidence that they were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To do this, a tenant will need to prove that post 30 March 2020 one of the following occurred:
- Loss of employment;
- Reduction in hours of 20% or more;
- Reduction in wages of 20% or more; or
- Operated as a sole trader business which was either suspended or experienced a reduction in turnover of 20% or more.
- It is no longer a requirement for a tenant to be the recipient of a JobSeeker or JobKeeper payment.
- No, the grant is aimed at providing support to private landlords and tenants. For those experiencing rental hardship in public housing, contact Housing SA on 131 299.
- No, the grant is intended to encourage and support the provision of rent relief to tenants in rental hardship and does not operate as a loan repayable to the Government.
- No, a tenant is not under any obligation to apply for the grant. However, the grant supports the provision of rent relief that either has or will be provided in good faith to the tenant by the landlord.
- Applicants will be subject to audit by the Government of South Australia or its representatives and will be required to produce evidence at the request of the Government for a period of two years after the grant has been approved.
- If any information in the application is found to be false or misleading, the grant will be repayable on demand.
- The grants will be provided to successful applicants by the Department of Human Services (DHS). Whether an applicant is successful or not will be determined by DHS in its absolute discretion.
- To access grant funding, applicants will be required to agree to a declaration about the information they supply in the application. DHS will not be legally obliged to pay any grant monies to an applicant.
- Any questions relating to the grant or the application process can be forwarded to RRRS@sa.gov.au or 8226 2800.