Private Rental Brokerage

Contact Details
For any queries about the Private Rental Brokerage program contact:

Jack Te Teira
PRB Coordinator
Phone: 03 : 9321 2912 or 0407 972 013
Email: jack.teteira@vincentcare.org.au
 
Contents of this web page

About the Private Rental Brokerage program

Agencies on Steering Committee

Key Program Documents

•   Program Guidelines
•   Application Form
•   Case Manager Guide
•   Case Studies
•   Roles and Responsibilities
•   Acquittal Guide and Form
•   Dispute Policy
•   Evaluation and Consent Form
•   Tools and Resources

Download PRB Brochure	Download PRB Flyer

About the Private Rental Brokerage program
The Private Rental Brokerage program was developed in response to concerns that young people who had experienced homelessness faced a range of additional barriers when trying to enter the private rental market.
 
The program, as developed by St Vincent de Paul in conjunction with key agencies in the North/West Metropolitan Region, has been designed to offer a range of flexible financial brokerage packages to help young people with the assistance of a case manager to secure and sustain long-term housing in the private rental market.
 
This program is part of the Victorian Government’s statewide Creating Connections program and will commence in April 2008 and continue through until June 2010.
 
Financial brokerage packages of up to $2000 are available to young people, for three distinct purposes:

Budgeting incentive – as a tool for budgeting and financial management purposes, this will contribute to young people’s weekly rental payments, with an agreed amount of brokerage support.

Tenancy setup costs – provision of material assistance for the purchase of essential goods, removalists and storage that are necessary to establish and maintain the tenancy. This is designed to complement other schemes such as the Office of Housing Rental Bond Scheme and the Housing Establishment Fund.

Property Enhancement Grant (PEG) – grant for the landlord and tenant in consultation to undertake agreed works to improve rental premises prior to commencement of the tenancy, or once the tenancy has commenced.

The documents provided on this website give further detail about how the program is accessed, managed and implemented. All case managers are encouraged to read these documents in full before commencing an application on behalf of a young person.
 
Agencies on Steering Committee
 
•    VincentCare Victoria (lead agency)
•    Metrowest Housing
•    Berry Street
•    Melton Housing
•    Sunshine Youth Housing
•    Women’s Housing Limited
•    Crossroads – Salvation Army

Key Program Documents

These outline the following:

• Eligibility criteria which must be met
• Overview of the application process
• Assistance available through the program, broken down into the three key components of Budgeting Incentive, Tenancy setup costs and Property Enhancement Grant
• Allocation and management of financial packages
• Acquittal process
• Program learnings and evaluation process

This is the form that will be used to apply for funds from the program. Once it is completed and forwarded to the PRB Coordinator (including the mandatory Budget Sheet outlining the young person’s financial capacity to enter and sustain private rental), it will be assessed for approval. The application form has been designed to help the young person and case manager work through a range of ‘private rental readiness’ issues, and to identify their future housing plans and preferences.

This document has been developed to help the case manager and young person understand the purpose and rationale for each of the questions being asked in the application form. It should be used alongside the Application Form to ensure that the application has the best chance of being approved.

This outlines the key roles and responsibilities of each of the three key parties – the PRB Coordinator, the Case Manager, and the young person applying for a grant. It highlights the fact that once a grant has been approved, expenditure and acquittal of the grant is the responsibility of the Case Manager.

This document outlines three different case studies with examples of how decisions might be made by the young person and the case worker about how much to apply for from each of the three financial brokerage packages. In particular, it identifies how the Property Enhancement Grant (PEG) might be used or allowed for in the application process.

Outlines the key steps that must be followed by the Case Manager (and their agency) to ensure that the grant is managed and acquitted as per the program guidelines, and as approved by the PRB Coordinator.  Details what should be done in the case of any variations to expenditure that may be necessary.

Outlines the key steps to be taken if a case manager or the young person is unhappy with the outcome of the application. In the first instance we would expect this to be raised directly with the PRB coordinator for resolution and then, if the matter could not be resolved, further dispute mechanisms would commence.

This form is to assist with the evaluation of the PRB program. The program is to be independently evaluated to ascertain its effectiveness; in providing greater access for young people to private rental accommodation. To assist in this process it is appropriate the participants of the program are made aware of this and that the independent evaluator can have their consent to be contacted in regard to their opinion of the program.
                                                
Tools and Resources
The following are key tools and resources that may be useful for young people (and their case managers) in the process of planning and searching for private rental.
 
This page will be updated regularly. If you come across any links or resources that you think may be useful for others, please email us and we will add them for others to use.

• Rental Rates Guide to the North West Region – this has been developed based on the Office of Housing’s Rental Report (published quarterly), with information specific to rents in this region.

o    Download Median Rents

• Office of Housing Rental Report – link to this document, in case you want to look at how rentals compare in other parts of Melbourne or Victoria. Provides a useful overview of how the ‘market’ is performing each quarter, including updated rental vacancy rates.

o    Link to Office of Housing Rental Reports

• Guides from the Tenants Union from Victoria – these can be accessed online or printed copies requested for agencies to distribute. The Tenants Union is an excellent source of advice for potential tenants, as well as an essential reference point once a tenancy has commenced. They can assist with any disputes between tenants and landlords, but more importantly help to resolve issues before disputes occur.

o     www.tuv.org.au
o     Download Step-by-Step Guide

• Victoria University ‘Shared Housing Guide’ – an excellent resource for people considering going into a shared tenancy, includes things to consider before you start searching, how to compare properties you are looking at, and a checklist for ‘moving in’. While the guide is aimed specifically at VU students, it can be readily used by others.

o     http://www.vu.edu.au/library/pdf/Shared%20Housing%20Guide.pdf

• Searchable rental websites – very useful for seeing what is available in your price range and in particular suburbs:

o     www.domain.com.au
o     www.realestate.com.au
o     www.property.com.au

• Other links

o     Fitted for Work www.fittedforwork.org.au

This is an organisation that will assist young women with clothing and advise for attending interviews with employers and real estate agents.