Applicants applying for social housing will be assessed against the following criteria to determine eligibility for social housing and level of housing need. You must meet all of the eligibility criteria to receive assistance.

• Social housing eligibility criteria
  
  
• Australian citizenship or permanent residency
• Queensland residency
• Assets test (property ownership and liquid assets)
• Independent income
• Household income limits
• Appropriateness of current housing - you must meet at least one of the following to demonstrate that your current housing does not meet your housing needs:
  
  
• Homelessness - to identify households that are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Physical amenity - to identify where the design and/or size of current housing does not meet the household’ s needs, or where there are health and safety risks with the current housing.
• Rent affordability - to identify applicants whose current weekly rent is unaffordable against the established bench marks when calculated as a percentage of gross household income.
• Location - to identify households which must move or remain where they are in order to access essential facilities or support services.
• Formation of new households - to identify applicants who have been referred for housing assistance by Disability Services to establish alternative housing.
  
  

If you meet the social housing eligibility criteria, you will then be assessed against the Accessibility/Sustainability criteria.

• Accessibility/Sustainability eligibility criteria - the Accessibility/Sustainability criteria is to identify if you experience barriers which prevent you from finding or sustaining housing appropriate to your housing needs in the private rental market. The Accessibility/Sustainability criteria include:
  
  
• Barriers to access - to identify households experiencing difficulty in accessing appropriate housing in the private market due to personal attributes (i.e. personal presentation, household structure or size etc).
• Housing supply - to identify households experiencing difficulty in accessing appropriate housing because of the lack of supply of the appropriate housing required by the applicant/household in the private rental market.
• Medical condition and/or disability - to identify applicants who have had, and will continue to have difficulty acquiring and/or sustaining a tenancy in the private rental market due to the applicant and/or household member having a medical condition and/or disability.
• Sustainability - to identify applicants whose previous housing history identifies that they have experienced significant difficulties in sustaining tenancies in the private rental market and/or long term social housing.

For more information, see the fact sheet Eligibility for housing assistance (39Kb) or contact your nearest Housing Services office to discuss your individual household circumstances.

You can apply for housing assistance in three ways:

• You can contact your nearest Housing Services office to arrange an appointment to discuss your eligibility and housing needs. At the interview, you will need to complete and sign an Application for Housing Assistance form.
• You can complete an Application for Housing Assistance form (725Kb) and send it to your nearest Housing Services office. You will then be contacted to arrange an appointment to discuss your application.
• You can apply to long term community housing providers and affordable housing providers who will then send the application to the nearest Housing Services office on your behalf.

Departmental staff will advise which documents you need to bring to the interview, for example, proof of identification forms, evidence of your household’s income and assets, evidence of citizenship and Queensland residency, evidence of appropriateness of current housing, evidence of any specific housing needs, etc.

For more information, see the fact sheet Applying for housing assistance (35Kb).

All general income is considered assessable when determining income eligibility for housing assistance. The combined gross assessable household income must be within the current income limits for the household size.

Applicants must have an independent income/s which is earned in Queensland, and at least one applicant in the household must:

• receive an independent income amount of $182.13 per week, and
• have received this income for at least four weeks immediately before applying for housing assistance.

Any other household member who has no income, a very low income or cannot identify or verify their income, will be assessed as having an income based on the Equivalent Centrelink Payment.

Note: The Equivalent Centrelink Payment is the payment that most closely aligns with your circumstances, even if you do not qualify or meet the payment requirements. The Equivalent Centrelink Payment depends on, but is not limited to, your age, marital status, whether you live at or away from home, and if you have children.

For more information on the income eligibility criteria, see the fact sheet Eligibility for housing assistance (39Kb) or contact your nearest Housing Services office to discuss your individual household assessable incomes.

Your housing need will be assessed against the following criteria to determine your eligibility for housing assistance and level of housing need:

• Social housing eligibility criteria
• Appropriateness eligibility criteria, and
• Accessibility/Sustainability eligibility criteria.

For more information on the above eligibility criteria, see the fact sheet Eligibility for housing assistance (39Kb).

If you are eligible for social housing assistance, your application is placed on the housing register according to your level of housing need.

• Very high need - applicants who have the highest housing need as they are homeless, or their current housing is inappropriate and they have a number of issues with accessing and sustaining a tenancy in the private market.
• High need - applicants whose current housing is inappropriate and they have some issues with accessing or sustaining a tenancy in the private market.
• Moderate need - applicants whose current housing is inappropriate and they have fewer issues with accessing or sustaining a tenancy in the private market.
• Lower need - applicants who have issues with their current housing but do not have any barriers to accessing and sustaining appropriate housing. They have the financial means and capacity to rent appropriate housing in the private sector.

Note: Applicants within each of the levels of housing need are considered to be equal and are listed in order of their application date.

Contact your nearest Housing Services office to discuss your housing needs or for more information on other housing products offered by the department.

The department cannot predict when an offer of social housing may be made to you. Offers of housing are affected by:

• the number of properties in the area you want to live in
• the number of properties that become available, for example, from people moving out of social housing
• the number of people listed on the housing register who have a higher housing need than you and who are listed for the same areas you have chosen, and
• people listed on the housing register who have the same housing need as you but who have had their application approved before you for the same areas you have chosen.

Each of these factors can change very quickly.

For more information, see the fact sheet Waiting for social housing (36Kb).

The department recognises that pets contribute to the health and wellbeing of tenants.

You can keep a pet in a departmental property if:

• approval is first obtained from the department
• the type of housing you live in is suitable for that type of pet
• keeping the pet/s is allowed under local government Local Laws, and
• the pet/s do not interfere with the reasonable peace, comfort and privacy of neighbours.

For more information, see the fact sheet Pets in social housing (36Kb).

You can list for social housing anywhere in Queensland where the department has properties, regardless of where you currently live.

You must list for six locations (suburbs, towns, cities) of your choice, except where:

• you have a demonstrated need to live in a particular location, or
• you are listing for a regional or remote area.

You may be offered housing from any of your selected areas.

For more information, see the fact sheet Applying for housing assistance (35Kb).

If you are approved for social housing assistance, you must advise the department of any changes to your household circumstances or housing need. The department reviews your eligibility and level of housing need regularly so it is important this information is kept up-to-date.

This includes changes to:

• your address - your application will be cancelled if we do not have your current address and cannot contact you
• your name, for example, if you marry, divorce or separate
• the number of people on your housing application, for example, you have another child, you and your partner separate, you add a new household member to your application or a household member listed on your application moves out
• a household member’s health, for example, if the household member cannot climb stairs or has a specific housing needs resulting from a disability or medical condition. You will need to provide evidence from a medical practitioner explaining how the change in health affects your housing needs
• other related housing issues, or
• you no longer require social housing assistance.

For more information, see the fact sheet Waiting for social housing (36Kb).

Department tenants can apply for a transfer to another property if they can demonstrate a definite need to move to more appropriate housing. All evidence and appropriate documentation must be provided so the department can assess your request.

To be considered for a transfer, you must meet at least one of the following criteria to demonstrate that your current housing does not meet your housing needs:

• your safety is at risk
• you need to live in a particular location in order to access essential services, gain employment, meet cultural obligations, gain access to children or for family/informal support
• the design and/or size of your current housing does not meet your household’s needs, or
• you have been referred to Housing and Homelessness Services by Disability Services or Queensland Health as you have a disability and need to establish alternative housing.

For more information, see the fact sheet Transfers (29Kb).

When there is a change in the household circumstances that requires a change to the legal tenant/s on the State Tenancy Agreement, a succession of tenancy is performed.

Tenants applying to succeed a tenancy must meet eligibility criteria and provide evidence as required to support their application.

A succession of tenancy is required when:

• a legal tenant has died
• an existing household member wishes to become the legal tenant
• when a legal tenant leaves the household (e.g. marriage separation).

A succession of tenancy is not required when a tenant has:

• changed their name after marriage or reverted to their maiden name, or
• changed their name by Deed Poll.

You should still advise the department of these changes. For more information, see the fact sheet Succession of tenancy (31Kb).

You can apply to be absent from your property, and in some cases, you must obtain the department’s prior written approval.

• Absences up to three months - you must tell the department if you will be away for up to three months. You do not need to obtain prior approval or supply any evidence.
• Absences up to six or 12 months - you must obtain the department’s prior approval to be absent from your home between three to 12 months. You will also need to supply evidence supporting the reasons you need to be absent.
• Absences for more than 12 months - the department will not approve requests for absences for more than 12 months.

Your rent will stay the same during your absence and the department encourage you to have a caretaker while you are away to protect the property from possible vandalism.

For more information on what evidence you need to supply to support your application to be absent from your property, see the fact sheet Temporary absences from your property (36Kb).

There are number of ways to pay your rent so you can choose the rent payment method that suits your needs.

You can pay your rent by:

• EasyPay - EasyPay is an electronic deduction method which deducts your payment and pays it directly to the Department of Communities (Housing and Homelessness Services). EasyPay is the department’s preferred rent payment method because it saves you time and effort. EasyPay consists of three types of electronic deductions:
  
  
• Rent deduction scheme (deduct directly from Centrelink payments)
• Direct deduction facility (deduct directly from the Department of Veteran Affairs payments)
• Bank direct debit (deduct directly from your bank account).
  
  
• Payment cards - to make payments at any Australia Post Office.
• BPay - to make payments electronically over the phone or via the internet.
• Periodical payments - to transfer directly from your bank, credit union or building society to the department.
• Cheques or money orders - to send a cheque or money order to the department.

For more information, see the fact sheet How to pay your rent (32Kb).

If you have any problems paying your rent, talk to your nearest Housing Services office as soon as possible about a repayment arrangement to avoid being issued with Notices from the department (i.e. Notice to Remedy Breach or Notice to Leave etc).

If you keep to the terms of the repayment arrangement, you will not receive Notices from the department relating to your rent.

To discuss your rental account or to enter into a repayment arrangement, contact your nearest Housing Services office.

You can have visitors staying in your property, however, there are conditions. You must tell your nearest Housing Services office:

• if the visitors are staying more than four weeks
• your visitors names
• the date they started their visit, and
• how long they intend to visit.

You are responsible for the behaviour of your visitor/s. For example, you should make sure that they do not abuse or harass neighbours and create excessive noise.

Note: Visitors staying longer than four weeks are considered as ‘residents’ in your household and their income will be included in your rent assessment.

For more information, see the fact sheet Visitors at your property (28Kb).

You should contact a locksmith immediately to have your keys replaced. Note: You are responsible for the replacement of lost keys and costs associated with replacing locks or barrels (where deemed appropriate).

For more information, contact your nearest Housing Services office.

Maintenance is carried out as required, for example, if you have leaking taps or blocked drains. The department provides a maintenance service during office hours and an emergency out-of-hour’s service.

• For maintenance service or emergencies during office hours - call your nearest maintenance service provider number.
• For emergency after hours maintenance service - call 1800 808 107.

For more information on maintenance response time or what is considered an emergency situation, see the fact sheet Maintenance of your property (37Kb).

• Check if street lights or neighbours’ lights are working as there may be a general blackout.
• Check the switch board. Units and attached houses have sub-boards inside the unit; houses have external switchboards. Check that the main switch is turned on.
• Older houses have fuses. Replace any broken fuse wire with the same size wire. Power points use 15 amp wire; lights use 10 amp. Do not attempt this if you are unsure, please call the department.
• Most houses are fitted with circuit breakers/residual current devices (RCD). Check that these are on. The RCD is on when the switch is in the ‘up’ position.
• If you still do not have power, contact your maintenance service provider or after hours on 1800 808 107 to report the problem.

For more information, see the fact sheet Maintenance of your property (37Kb).

As tenants, you are approved to have a telephone connected to your property. If you move into social housing where a telephone line exists, but the telephone has never been connected before, you have to pay a higher cost to the telephone company for that new telephone service connection.

Note: For tenants who move into a property after 1 July 1999, the department will pay the difference between the new service connection fee and the fee that normally applies for an existing connection.

For more information, see the fact sheet New telephone service connection fees (22Kb).

Departmental properties are upgraded according to the general condition of the property. General upgrades would include, for example, new kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, internal and external repainting.

General upgrades may be identified through:

• tenant requests
• inspections by departmental representatives
• assessment of client needs by occupational therapists
• Tenant Participation workers, or
• other Government departments and agencies.

For more information on general upgrades or to discuss your individual circumstances contact your nearest Housing Services office.

If you wish to make any alterations, additions or install an above-ground swimming pool to the property you are currently renting, you must make a written request to your nearest Housing Services office.

If approval is provided by the department, as a tenant, you will be responsible for complying with all building code and local authority requirements and regulations.

You should contact your local authority or council for advice on the local requirements. For more information, contact your nearest Housing Services office.

You may be able to buy the property you are renting if the property is for sale and you meet the following conditions. You, and any other person making the application with you, must:

• not own any other house in Queensland or elsewhere (except in the circumstance approved by the Director-General of the Department of Communities (Housing and Homelessness Services)
• intend to use the house as your home and for no other purpose
• be the legal lessee of the property
• pay an administration fee when lodging the Application to Purchase
• be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency
• have lived in your rental property for at least three months, and
• have a good rent payment record with no outstanding arrears.

Note: Some rental properties are not for sale. For more information on the Sales to Tenants program, see the Sales to Tenants brochure (157Kb).

The department offers a range of targeted loan schemes, including:

• the Pathways Shared Equity Loan to assist eligible public housing tenants to purchase a share in the property they are currently renting
• the Queensland Housing Finance Loan to assist people earning low to moderate incomes to buy or build a house
• the Queensland State Housing Loan to assist eligible public housing tenants and other people to buy a Department of Communities rental property
• the Queensland Home Adapt Loan to assist home owners with a disability, or those who have a household member with a disability, to modify their home.

For more information on the department’s lending programs, call the Information Hotline on 1300 654 322.