Opening doors to more rental options
The housing market is experiencing local and global pressures, with house prices and rents increasing and housing availability decreasing. Anyone trying to secure and maintain private rental accommodation understands these pressures, including the impacts of the rising cost of renting. The Private Rental Assistance program delivers financial support for eligible South Australians who need help to maintain their private rental accommodation.
What assistance is available?
The main types of support available for eligible customers who need help meeting the costs of privately renting include:
Bond guarantees
A bond guarantee is an undertaking to a property owners or agent that the South Australian Housing Authority will pay for legitimate claims at the end of a tenancy (e.g., unpaid rent). More information
Rent in advance
Rent in advance is a grant based on the amount of rent payable at the time of the customer’s assessment for rent support and the type of accommodation the customer is moving into. More information
Rent in arrears
Rent in arrears is a grant for eligible customers who fall behind in their rent and are at risk of being evicted from the private rental tenancy (if they meet some conditions). More information
Am I eligible for support?
You are eligible for Private Rental Assistance if:
- you have independent income
- you meet the income and assets limits for this program
- you can provide proof of your income, identity, and rent
- the total rent for the property is no more than $600 per week
- the share of rent is no more than 50% of your total assessable income before tax
- the property is in South Australia
- you don’t have a debt to the South Australian Housing Authority, or your debt is less than $1,000
- an arrangement to repay a debt owed to the South Australian Housing Authority is in place
- you aren’t bankrupt with a debt to the South Australian Housing Authority
- you don’t have a financial interest in a residential property
- you’re not an overseas student
- the rental assistance won’t contravene the conditions of an intervention order
- an arrangement to repay a debt owed to the South Australian Housing Authority is in place
- you aren’t bankrupt with a debt to the South Australian Housing Authority
- you don’t have a financial interest in a residential property
- you’re not an overseas student
- the rental assistance won’t contravene the conditions of an intervention order.
More support now available
Recent changes to the eligibility criteria for the Private Rental Assistance scheme means more South Australians can now access support. The changes included lifting the weekly maximum property rent limit from $450 per week to $600 per week and increasing the household cash assets test limit from $5,000 to $62,150 per household. Rent in advance payments for eligible customers have also been increased to 2 weeks’ rent for low-income households, as well as an increase in the availability of rent in arrears payments for eligible customers.
Special circumstances
The South Australian Housing Authority may help customers who might not be eligible for the Private Rental Assistance scheme but have special circumstances – if they meet conditions including the property is in South Australia, the customer is not an overseas student, and providing assistance won’t contravene the conditions of an intervention order. More information
More information
Visit the Private Rental Assistance program webpage to find out more about eligibility for the program, the types and amounts of financial support available, and other important information. You can also make an application for support.
Contact the South Australian Housing Authority on 131 299 ☏ (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm) or email housingcustomers@sa.gov.au ✉
Visit the Contact us webpage for more information about contacting the South Australian Housing Authority.