I received what I needed at the time. The
fact that they fixed my problem which was
to raise enough money for the rent in
advance [Client interview].
which ones are less likely to
discriminate – the ones that are best to
go to and the ones that will accept DSP
– those who will give people a chance
of success in their applications [Client
interview].
They responded very quickly to my
situation – I didn’t have to wait long for the
finance it was sorted very quickly [Client
interview].
The service provided a quick response
but they can’t always provide quick
housing. I am currently on a waiting list
for an Office of Housing property and
they said that I will need to wait a year.
They helped with my application
[Client interview].
The staff manner was reported to be very
professional and respectful. Clients felt they were
treated with respect and not judged for their
situation. Generally, clients felt that the staff were
knowledgeable about the services in the local area.
However, staff who had been employed at the
services for longer periods of time were generally
considered to be more knowledgeable of what is
available. There was a view that staff assumed that
the clients already knew how to negotiate their
way around and undertake day to day activities
within the community and this was not always the
case, particularly for recent arrivals to Australia.
They are as quick as they can be but
they are limited by what is available in
the market [Client interview].
5.4
The support staff are so understanding
and you do not feel judged they treat
you with respect and they are polite
and they never look down on you –
they try to make you smile – delightful
[Client interview].
Lessons learned for private rental
support programs
The key findings on the lessons learned as the
pilot project has been implemented include:
Clients felt staff had very good knowledge of the
housing issues faced in the area and had
developed positive relationships with real estate
agents in order to help them. There was a view
that staff could be more active in locating
affordable private rental properties in the area.
Clients were also mindful of the constraints of the
program in being able to help them to secure
suitable properties. While staff were able to
provide finance quickly some clients reported
experiencing significant delays in being able to
locate suitable housing and also have their
application for the property approved,
experiencing several rejections before they were
given a place to rent.
Because it is private rental they don’t
fully know what is available but they
have a good knowledge of the
problems faced [Client interview].
5.4.1
Building relationships with real estate
agents is critical to access private rental
properties.
Effective relationships between
agencies and real estate agents require
ongoing commitment on both sides.
Housing brokerage can foster a sense of
self-sufficiency and giving back to help
others.
Not everyone is suitable for a brokerage
loan and the way it is administered
needs to be managed carefully with
clear policy and procedures in place.
Effective partnerships with real
estate agents require two-way
commitment
A key focus of the WCC program has been to
establish working relationships with real estate
agents through representatives on the program
Advisory Group, developing a select group of
[Support worker] knows how hard it is
to find rental housing in the area – she
knows a few real estate agents and
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