My Tenancy

How is my rent calculated?

The actual rent you pay and how it is calculated depends on whether your home is part of a social or affordable housing program. The amount of rent that residents pay is a subsided rent and therefore Housing Choices Tasmania may also refer to this as the “tenant contribution”.

Social housing rents

Social housing rents are charged as a percentage of assessable household income plus 100% of Commonwealth Rental Assistance (CRA). For more information on CRA eligibility and access to the payment please click here.

As a general rule, Housing Choices Tasmania charges no more than 25% of the assessable household income which is capped at 75% of the market rent. The market rent reflects what it would cost to rent the property through a private landlord.

For more information about how your rent is calculated, contact your local Housing Choices Tasmania office or your Housing Officer directly.

Affordable housing rents

Affordable housing rents are based on the market rent. Affordable housing rates will be no more than 75% of the market rent for a property. The market rent is reviewed and adjusted in line with the  rental market (generally on an annual basis).

Bonds

Housing Choices Tasmania does require a Bond payment at the point of commencing a tenancy with us.

Bonds are generally set at the equivalent of 4 weeks rent in advance. Bonds are held with the Tasmanian State Government’s Rental Bond Authority (MyBond). Your Housing Officer will provide information on this process during your initial appointment with us.

How and when to pay rent

Rent is calculated each week. You can pay your rent either weekly or fortnightly. We offer a range of ways to pay:

• through the Centrepay system (for Centrelink recipients)
• by automatic bank transfer
• by a Housing Choices Tasmania Rent Card.

We do not offer direct-debit services for rent payments, but you can organise your own automatic bank transfers into our account.  In line with the lease agreements entered into between our residents and Housing Choices Tasmania, rents are expected to be two weeks in advance at all times.

Income changes

All rents are reviewed at least annually. It is also your responsibility to notify Housing Choices Tasmania of any change in your income and/or family circumstances within 14 days of the effect of that change.

If you receive Centrelink payments, you will may also need to advise Centrelink of any change in income and/or family circumstances so your payments and Commonwealth Rent Assistance payments can be reviewed.

What happens if I do not pay my rent on time?

If you are finding it hard to pay your rent and are worried about falling behind with your rent payments, you should contact your Housing Officer as soon as you can.
We will help you to come to an agreement to pay off any money that you owe at a reasonable ratework with you help you maintain your tenancy. We can also provide referrals to services that may be able to assist in managing any financial or other issues that may be impacting on your capacity to pay.

However, should you fail to keep to this agreement Housing Choices Tasmania may need to take legal action which could ultimately lead to you losing your home.

I am in debt. Where can I get help?

There are a number of services that can assist you. Financial counsellors provide information, support and advocacy to help people in financial difficulty. Their services are free, independent and confidential. Contact your Housing Officer, who can provide you with details of financial counselling in your local area.

Will I be evicted if I do not pay my rent?

At Housing Choices Tasmania, it is our aim to support residents to sustain their tenancies in order that they have a safe, secure and affordable home for the long term. We therefore attempt to work with our residents to address barriers to rental payment.

However, if your rent account continues to fall into serious arrears and you do not comply with any repayment agreements in place, there is the possibility that you could be evicted.