Rent Choice Assist is a subsidy to help people set up or maintain a private rental home. By contributing to the rent for a safe and secure home, we help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to get back on their feet.
We can also refer you to services for education and employment support to help you get back on your feet.
Eligibility
To be eligible for Rent Choice Assist you must be:
- 18 years or older
- an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident
- homeless or at risk of being homeless due to a financial setback
- have income and assets within the low income limit
- receiving low to medium support
- not listed on the NSW Housing Register
- unable to access your assets, and
- able to be financially independent after the subsidy ends.
Applying for Rent Choice Assist
- Fill out the Rent Choice Assist application form
- Send the completed form to the relevant Homes NSW office listed above.
Finding a private rental home
For more information on finding a rental home, visit finding a place to live.
If you are not currently in a stable home, you will need to find an affordable home and sign a lease to receive the Rent Choice Assist subsidy. This is a home where the rent is no more than 50% of your income plus any Commonwealth rent assistance you may be entitled to.
You may also be eligible for additional supports. For more information, visit Experiencing hardship during a tenancy or get help with rent and moving costs.
Changes in your circumstances
You must let us know within 28 days if there are any changes to your circumstances. This includes changes in household members, household income, market rent, your address, or your landlord or real estate agent.
How the subsidy works
For the first 12 months, you’ll pay:
- 25% of your weekly household income, plus
- 100% of your Commonwealth Rent Assistance.
We’ll cover the rest (called the subsidy) and pay it directly to your landlord or real estate agent. After 12 months, your rent contribution will gradually increase, and we’ll guide you through the changes.
The subsidy can be paid for up to 36 months. Every three months, we will review your need for the subsidy and see if you need more support.
You might receive a bigger subsidy in certain areas where the rent is higher.
Additional support
You may also receive:
- Get Started: up to $850 to help pay a holding deposit on a property and costs associated with searching for and securing private rental accommodation such as transport, clothing and haircuts and photocopying ID.
- Brokerage: to help pay for goods and services to set up a new home such as furniture, moving costs and study costs.
You can also apply for other types of private rental assistance, including:
- Tenancy Facilitation: help to search and apply for private rental properties.
- Private Rental Brokerage Service: help for eligible clients with complex needs to secure and sustain private rental accommodation.
- Bond Extra: a guarantee of up to $1,500 over the rental bond amount that may be paid to landlords or agents if there are rental arrears and/or property damage when a Residential Tenancy Agreement ends.
- Rentstart Bond Loan: an interest free loan to help pay up to four weeks’ bond. Apply online for a Rentstart Bond Loan.
- Advance Rent: a grant to help pay for 1-2 weeks rent in advance at the start of a tenancy.