In Tasmania, if you are on a low or middle income, your first point of call for housing assistance is Housing Connect. They can assess your needs and help you to find anything from emergency accommodation to a long-term home. For more information, contact Housing Connect on 1 8 0 0 8 0 0 5 8 8 or drop in to one of the seven Housing Connect offices state-wide.
Housing Connect may put you in touch with a Housing Association or place you on a waiting list to rent from Homes Tasmania. To rent from a Housing Association and Homes Tasmania, you will need to meet their criteria for eligibility. Housing Connect will tell you how to apply.
Housing Connect can also tell you about affordable housing options. Through the Homes Tasmania MyHome program and available Homes Tasmania homes, it is possible to share the ownership of a property with the Director of Housing and pay much less for it than you would on the open market.
Rent in the open market
This means that you will rent directly from the property owner or through a real estate agency and have a lease. You can find rental homes listed, or advertise that you want a home, on websites or through real estate agencies. Commonly used websites include Realestate.com and Gumtree.
Private landlords may also advertise on community noticeboards and newsletters, or by word of mouth (when someone tells someone else).
Rent from a tenant
This means that you will rent from a person who is already renting the home. On the lease they will be the lead tenant and you will be the sub-tenant. The owner’s responsibilities are to the lead tenant. If you are a sub-tenant, you may not have the same rights as the lead tenant under the original lease.
Make sure to find out what your tenant rights are before you sign a lease.
Boarding premises
This is usually a property with many bedrooms and shared facilities like bathrooms, toilets, kitchens or laundries. Each tenant agrees with the owner to rent one bedroom. Often the rules that apply to boarding house tenancies are different to share house tenancies. A boarding house may provide meals, and a list of rules about the use of the house amenities and things that are allowed to happen in the house.
You cannot be charged bond in a boarding house. A statement of key terms and House Rules should be supplied to you by the owner to make you aware of your rights and responsibilities.
Rent in Communal Housing
This is a group of independent units or houses on a block of land, with communal (shared) areas that people are encouraged to use (kitchens, games rooms, gardens etc.) Communal Housing may be offered to people who meet specific criteria, such as age.
Rent in a Group Home or N.D.I.S. Specialist Disability Accommodation
This is private accommodation that can be owned by Homes Tasmania, a community organization, a private company or a collective (sometimes a group of parents of people with disability). A group home is a house with a number of bedrooms, usually 3 or 4, rented out to people who require significant daily assistance to meet their independent living needs
GET STARTED
If you are homeless, make contact with trusted people in your network of support and let them know. If you do not tell people about your situation, they will not be able to help you.
If you need housing and support for finding a bed urgently, call Housing Connect on 1 8 0 0 8 0 0 5 8 8.
If you are unsure where to start looking for a place to live, check out our article on Finding a place to call home.
If you are a participant of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (N.D.I.S.), and require a specialised housing solution because of your disability, you may be able to get funding for Specialist Disability Accommodation (S.D.A.). One a small number of people with disability are eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation. Specialist Disability Accommodation is purpose-built to meet the needs of people with very high support requirements.
You or your nominee can discuss this with your National Disability Insurance Agency Planner. You can also contact Gateway Services in your region to find out more by phoning 1 8 0 0 1 7 1 2 3 3.
Getting ready to rent?
Have a look at this excellent Finding Your Way Getting Ready to Move (Rental) booklet.
Learn what your rights and responsibilities as a tenant are by watching this video.
ACTION STEPS
Here you can find a simple list of the best actions to take if you are interested in this topic:
1 .
Talk to your network of support. A house, room or even a caravan in a driveway may be available for you to rent now from someone you know.
2 .
If you are homeless or soon to be homeless, or are on a low income, phone or visit Homes Tasmania or Housing Connect.
3 .
Consider any specialist housing options that are available to meet your particular circumstances or needs.
4 .
If you are renting through the open market, search the real estate rental section of newspapers in your region. Look at real estate websites and guides and community notice boards Talk with real estate agents and shop keepers. Share accommodation can also be found this way.
5 .
Contact Local Government (council) areas to ask if they provide rental accommodation. Tell them that you are interested in living in their municipality (area), and ask them to send you their newsletter and any relevant information about housing.
6 .
View rental homes online if you can. This will save time. Look at Google maps. Enter the house number and street address to see the street view and location.
7 .
When you find somewhere to view, go to the open home or phone the real estate agent or property owner to arrange a date and time to look at the home.