Income-Related Rent Is Based on the Amount of the Money You Have

When you live in social housing the amount of rent you pay will be based on how much money you have.

You will be paying either income-related rent or market rent.

Income-related rent is based on the amount of the money you have.

The Ministry of Social Development works out how much rent they think you can afford to pay.

The housing provider then charges you the amount of rent you need to pay.

The Government then pays the rest of the rent to the housing provider.

A housing provider is an organisation that rents out houses, like Housing New Zealand.

Market rent is how much money other people are paying to rent houses that are:

· almost the same kind

· almost the same size

· in the same part of town.

Income-related rent is for people on low incomes.

It means that:

· you pay some of the rent

· the Government pays some of the rent.

How much rent you pay depends on how much money you have.

If your income is less than a certain amount, your rent will be a quarter of the money you get each week, or less.

If you earn more than a certain amount, your rent will be no more than the market rent for the house.

This makes the rent cheaper for you.

We will need to look at all of your details to decide if you have a low income.

Your income is low if it is:

· less than $357.42 a week after tax and you are single with no children

· less than $549.88 a week after tax and you have a partner and/ or children.

This amount is looked at by the Government each year on 1 April to see if it is still right.

You can see the amount on this website:

www.housing.msd.govt.nz

The amount of rent you pay will be based on the amount of money you and your partner (if you have one) got in the last year.

This includes:

· money from any jobs you have

· any money from businesses you own

· any payments from ACC

· money you and your partner have been given together

· family tax credit payments

· Superannuation

· National Provident Fund payments

· savings

· money you get often, like money from boarders, flatmates or adult children.

We will check with you every year to make sure you are paying the right amount of rent.

This may change how much rent you need to pay.

It is very important you let us know as soon as you have a change in circumstances.

You have a partner if you are living in the same house with a person who you are:

· married to

· in a civil union with

· in a de facto relationship with.

If you are in a relationship with someone that lives in your house who has not signed the tenancy agreement, they are seen to be your partner.

If they have signed the tenancy agreement, they are also a tenant.

The Ministry of Social Development will test your need for social housing and income-related rent.

People moving in or out of your house may change how much money all the people living in your house get.

This will change how much rent each of you need to pay.

If you do not understand a decision we have made, please talk to us.

If you do not agree with a decision we have made, you can ask for a review using the forms on our website or write to us by letter, email or fax.

A review will mean the decision will be looked at again.

You can ask for a review within 3 months of the decision.

If you cannot do this within 3 months, please talk to us.

If you have a good reason for the delay, your review may still be able to happen.

A change in circumstances could be:

· people moving in or out of your house

· starting or ending a relationship

· starting or ending a job

· changing how many hours you work

· leaving New Zealand for any length of time

· children coming into or leaving your care

· getting more or less money.

If you are on our waiting list for housing or are already a social housing tenant, you need to let us know when anything changes in you or your partner’s lives.

If you do not let us know when there is a change:

· you may not get the housing that is right for you

· you may not be able to get social housing at all

· you might be paying the wrong amount of income-related rent

· you might end up having to pay back money.

You also need to let us know if you change:

· phone numbers

· addresses

· names – this includes the names of your partner or children in your care.

If you have a client number and:

· you are under 65 call 0800 559 009

· you are 65 or over call Senior Services on

0800 552 002

· you are a student call Study Link on 0800 88 99 00

· you are with Youth Service call your Youth Service provider.

Have your client number ready.

You can find your client number on:

· letters from us

· your Community Services or SuperGold card if you have one of these.

If you are Deaf you can contact us on:

· Deaf Link free-fax

0800 621 621

· telephone typewriter (TTY)

0800 111 113

· text

029 286 7170

· email: MSD_Deaf_Services@msd.

govt.nz

This information has been translated into Easy Read

by People First New Zealand Inc.