Tenant Rent Statements
Starting in January, we will be sending quarterly rent statements to all tenants. These statements are to help keep you informed about your rent payments and balance.
The first statement will be sent on its own, but future ones wilI be included with our quarterly newsletter for convenience This initiative aims to promote transparency and help you manage your finances.
Rent Review – update
In our August newsletter there was an update on Rent Review for social housing tenants.
Rent reviews are part of Link Wentworth’s operation and responsibility, to make sure we don’t charge residents too much or too little rent.
As you know, the rent you pay is based on your household income, which also is used to work out your eligibility for a rent subsidy. If you are in social housing, the amount of rent you pay is based on a percentage of your income, at 25 to 30% of your household income, plus100% of your maximum entitlement for Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA).
Like other Community Housing Providers, Link Wentworth conducts rent reviews for residents twice a year, to ensure you are paying the correct rent. The next rent review will take place in early 2025.
Reminder: If you are receiving a Centrelink payment and not receiving Commonwealth Rent Assistance, we encourage you to find out whether you are eligible for this financial support.
Contact Centrelink, or you can ask your Tenancy Manager for help.
Market rent review
As well as looking at how much rent our residents pay, Link Wentworth must also regularly review the market rent we assign to our properties, to check that they are up-to-date with the private rental market.
Most residents receive a rent subsidy, so the market rent reviews won’t affect you.
What is market rent?
Market rent is the amount a property would cost to rent in the private market. Like all social housing providers, Link Wentworth uses market rent as a ‘cap’ for the rent we charge, to ensure that you never pay more than what a property is worth in the private market.
We generally carry out a market rent review every year – however, this was paused during Covid and will now resume from 2025.
There are only a very small number of our tenants who pay market rent, rather than a subsidised rent, and who may be affected by the market rent review If you pay market rent and are likely to be affected by this review, we will be in touch with you directly by late January.
Residents who don’t receive a rent subsidy are encouraged to find out whether they are eligible for one.
Water Usage Charging
We’re reviewing the way we charge for water use, to make sure everyone is billed fairly and the process is easy to understand and transparent. Our aim is to ensure the policy works for all our tenants. More updates and details will be coming throughout 2025.
Who can I ask about this?
We are working hard to improve our processes. More information will be coming your way in early 2025. In the meantime, if you need more information, please ask your tenancy manager, visit our website or call us on 1314 21.
Link Wentworth wishes to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which we work and pay our respect to the Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.