Need Help With Paying Your Rent In An Emergency? Here’s How to Get It
Have you ever needed help with paying your rent in an emergency, or felt the pressure of falling behind on household bills? If you have, then take some comfort in the fact that you couldn’t be further from alone. The post-pandemic period of 2021-2023 saw significant increases in just about every household expense, leaving millions of Australians with no other choice but to seek rental assistance.
While the global economic conditions of today’s world have certainly spurred things on, a look into the recent past shows that soaring costs are anything but new. A 2018 report from ABC found that a quarter of Aussie households had less than $1,000 in emergency savings, and when so little is put aside for extreme situations – how much can be left for everything else?
Why people need help with rent
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, households fall into “housing stress” when more than 30% of their gross income goes towards housing costs. This stress is only compounded for low-income households (those falling within the bottom 40% of the distribution), leaving next to nothing spare for crucial expenses like food, transport, healthcare and education.
The latest Survey of Income and Housing (SIH) from the ABS delves deeper into this 30/40 rule, finding that almost 60% of low-income renters experienced housing stress purely as a result of accommodation costs. Factor in the fierce competition of the Australian rental market – particularly in densely populated cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Perth – and falling into financial dire straits can quickly become a reality.
With advance payments like rent bonds and deposits to worry about on top of the regular litany of household bills – there’s little mystery as to why so many tenants are seeking rental assistance with the simple goal of getting by.
Financial challenges are widespread
While few can count themselves safe from the precarious position many renters find themselves in today, it’s important to acknowledge the distinct vulnerability of certain demographics. A 2023 report from the Financial Resilience Barometer (FRB) found that Australia’s most financially vulnerable localities were also extremely disadvantaged along other socio-economic lines, with high levels of both financial resilience and vulnerability existing alongside each other throughout the nation’s capitals. This data proves that while disadvantaged groups are worst affected by rental costs, there’s not much separation in terms of location.
Another hidden complexity of housing insecurity is just how quickly a difficult financial situation can worsen. Consumer advocacy groups have warned of the dangers surrounding the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) sector’s recent move into the rental market, offering to ‘instantly’ cover the rent costs of struggling tenants. Additional fees and high interest rates are the unspoken drawbacks to schemes like these, leaving burdened renters in an even worse position than before.
How to get help with paying rent
Although recent economic trends and the present outlook for renters might seem bleak, it’s important to remember that you’re never on your own. Struggling to foot the bill for household costs – while a sad reflection of today’s world – is a lot more common than you might think, and there are numerous avenues through which you can start seeking rental assistance today.
Read your tenancy agreement and contact your union
While it might seem like an obvious point to make, reminding tenants of their extensive rights and protections is always a worthwhile practice. A careful read through your tenancy agreement will inform you of your specified rights in a range of contexts – from late rent payments and missed months to when – or if – eviction proceedings might begin.
The Tenants’ Union in your state can inform you on local laws around eviction and how long you have before proceedings may start. They will generally outline the best course of action for you to take depending on your specific tenancy agreement, and how to come to a lawful and amicable outcome with your landlord. Each Australian state has unique residential tenancy laws, so make sure you consult the correct legislation for your jurisdiction.
Here is a state-by-state breakdown of the official Tenants’ Unions and tribunals who may offer help paying rent in an emergency:
Australian Capital Territory:
- While the volunteer-led Tenants’ Union ACT had to close their doors in 2020 due to funding issues, they do still provide renting information and advice for a range of situations.
- ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal
New South Wales:
Northern Territory:
- Tenants’ Advice Service, Darwin Community Legal Service
- Consumer Affairs Division – Northern Territory Government of Australia
Queensland:
South Australia:
Victoria:
Tasmania:
Western Australia:
- Circle Green Community Legal
- Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety – Government of Western Australia
It’s also worth noting that when it comes to housing instability issues, Australia’s First Peoples continue to experience a unique disadvantage. While amounting to just 3.2% of the total population, Indigenous Australians made up around 20% of people experiencing homelessness at the 2021 census.
Institutions like the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATISHA) and the National Indigenous Australians Agency are linked with a number of statewide bodies, and provide specialised support and advocacy for community-led housing.
Talk to your landlord
If you have a good relationship with your landlord, they may be willing to provide help without the involvement of third parties. While there is no legal obligation on landlords to accept late or partial payments, they may be prepared to do so in certain circumstances.
Contact charities
Registered charities like the St Vincent de Paul Society play a key role in alleviating socio-economic hardship on a non-profit basis. The Australian arm of this global organisation provides more than $50 million per year to help cover the essentials for those struggling. They offer a range of support services across Australia, and may be able to help if you are experiencing an emergency housing or homelessness situation.
As Australia’s cost of living continues to soar, St Vincent de Paul National President Claire Victory has highlighted the growing dependence on charitable services:
“Our teams across Australia are experiencing a huge jump in demand from Australians struggling to afford basic living expenses such as housing, food, utilities and health care. Many are coming to us for the first time in chronic financial stress, as month after month of skyrocketing inflation and the flow-on effects of higher interest rates leave them unable to cope.”
You can contact Vinnies by calling 13 18 12 to find the specific supports available in your area, or make a donation to help keep this essential service afloat.
Explore other income sources
Although not a long-term solution to acute financial difficulty, seeking alternative sources of income can offer a quick fix if you’re falling short on monthly bills.
Seek help from friends and family who may be able to provide support, or request a pay advance from your employer. Some companies offer hardship advance payments for employees who are struggling financially, and it’s always worth making a request in emergency rental situations.
If you’re not in a crisis situation but could use some extra cash to help with daily costs, consider selling used items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Ebay or Gumtree.
Consider crowdfunding
Crowdfunding can provide crucial rental assistance when government and charity funding falls short. Rather than struggling with unworkable wait times and stringent application forms, you can harness the power of community and social media to receive quick access to tangible help.
Whether you’re seeking aid on an individual or group basis, GoFundMe allows you to immediately launch a crowdfund and share your story through social media. Donations can instantly be sent to your bank account, meaning help from loved ones and strangers will arrive right away.
Rent payment help for veterans
If you’re a veteran seeking support with rental costs, the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs may be able to provide assistance. They specialise in supporting those who have served in defence of the Australian nation, as well as providing aid and subsidies to veterans’ families.
You may be eligible to avail of everything from Acute Support Packages to Homelessness Support and Rent Assistance, so it’s worthwhile browsing their services or contacting them directly if you’re in need of urgent help.
Government aid
Government funding plays a crucial role in providing structural housing assistance to those who need it. There are a number of national schemes available in Australia that you can avail of upon meeting certain criteria.
Services Australia is a government agency who specialise in the delivery of a number of economic and social programmes. They offer a range of monetary housing aids like Rent Assistance and Crisis Payments, as well as providing valuable financial education and advice on managing your money.
This report from the Parliament of Australia suggests that those in private rental accommodation will always need some form of subsidy in order to meet costs, so it’s worth exploring if government schemes like the Commonwealth Rent Assistance can help you.
If you live in the state of New South Wales, the housing wing of the Department of Communities and Justice provides Rentstart Bond Loans – financial assistance packages covering up to 100% of rent bonds on new private rental tenancies. You’ll need to provide paperwork and meet some eligibility requirements in order to apply, but successfully obtaining a Rentstart Bond Loan could have a transformative effect on your situation.
Financial literacy can make the world of difference
Anyone can fall victim to financial difficulty, and you should never blame yourself for winding up in a tough situation. While many economic factors are completely out of your control, there are a number of resources available to help better manage the areas you do have power to change.
Organisations like Moneysmart strive to place financial power back in the hands of ordinary Australians, helping them not only to take control of their money, but to build a more financially literate and stable future. They offer free budget planner and simple money management tools to help you keep track of your day-to-day finances, both of which play key roles in their action plan on simple ways to save money.
There’s no shame in asking for help
Sadly, shame is an all-too-common side effect for those experiencing financial hardship. Volunteers from the crisis support charity Lifeline cited money-related stress as one of the leading issues affecting callers last year, with demand for the service reaching its highest point since the pandemic.
While financial burdens are real and stressful, compounding them with feelings of shame doesn’t help anyone – and can actually be detrimental to your situation in the long run. As Financial Educator Paridhi Jain recently pointed out in her article for The Sydney Morning Herald – shame is an emotion that drives withdrawal and secrecy, neither of which will do anything to help your financial situation.