Residents in central Brisbane who are trying to rent a home in the private rental market are being given a helping hand thanks to a Queensland Government initiative.
Member for Brisbane Central, Grace Grace, (pictured) has announced a new service – Rent Connect – to help people find suitable housing in the competitive private rental market in the local area was up and running.
Ms Grace said Rent Connect gave people tips and advice on how to find a property in the first place, how to prepare an application, how to secure a lease and how to start a tenancy.
Eligible clients would also be able to access interest free bond loans and two weeks worth of rent in certain circumstances, she said.
"Successful trials of Rent Connect have been held in Rockhampton and Caboolture where more than 300 people were helped into the private market," Ms Grace said.
"It worked so well there, we decided to bring it to the Central Brisbane region.”
Ms Grace said people could experience problems renting a home for any number of reasons.
"For instance, they may be able to afford the rent, but are knocked back by landlords because they’ve got a large family," she said.
"Others may not have a rental history and that makes it tricky for them to prove they can be good tenants.
"Young people in particular can find it hard to rent for the first time.
"There’s a big demand for private rental housing and there’s a lot of competition out there.”
Ms Grace said a dedicated Rent Connect officer would work one-on-one with people out of the Housing Services Office at 505 St Pauls Terrace in Fortitude Valley to help them find a home that suits their needs.
"It’s about reaching out to people who need a helping hand to get into the private rental market," she said.
People can contact the Rent Connect officer, Leanne Francis, by phoning 3872 0320.
