Homeless
or about to
lose your
home?
If you live in the Logan area and are homeless or about to become homeless, we can help.
Talk to our YFS Connect team if you’re in Logan and are worried about your housing.
They can link you with people who can help.
Our specialist housing workers may be able to support you to find somewhere secure to live, and to develop the skills and supports you need to maintain a tenancy.
The workers in our Housing 1st team are specialists in locating private and social housing.
They go out of their way to help people find and maintain places to live with manageable rents.
If you are homeless, they can also link you with supports to overcome the reasons why you became homeless, whatever your circumstances.
YFS manages a small number of crisis accommodation properties that could provide short-term accommodation while we help you find a long-term housing solution.
Who is eligible?
You need to be aged 16 years or more from Logan or surrounds and be homeless or at risk of losing your home.
Our YFS Connect team swings into action should you need urgent assistance.
If you are homeless, YFS Connect will help you find crisis accommodation if suitable short-term housing or shelters are available.
They can also support you to apply for private rentals, social housing or bond loans.
If you’re worried about your tenancy, the team can give you advice to reduce the risk of losing your existing tenancy, or refer you to another service for help.
If you are about to be evicted due to rent arrears, the team may be able to help you access emergency relief to establish a payment plan to save your tenancy.
Who is eligible?
Anyone who lives in Logan and surrounds who is homeless or at risk of losing their home.
The Queensland Statewide Tenant Advice and Referral Service (QStars) provides free independent advice to renters.
They can help you with:
- understanding your rights and responsibilities in the residential rental market, as defined in the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008
- negotiating your tenancy with landlords
- help to write letters or fill in tenancy forms
- Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) appearances.
Call the QStars team on 1300 744 263.
Who is eligible?
Anyone who rents a residential property.
In most parts of south east Queensland, there are very few rental properties available, which means finding a new tenancy is competitive.
Our team have put together some tips for tenants to navigate the current rental market.
At YFS we see many people who didn’t realise how hard it was going to be to get a new home and end up homeless as a result. Our team have put together some tips for tenants to navigate the current rental market.
Ask yourself this:
Avoidable moves
Do you really need to move?
Waiting out the current housing shortage (if you can) is probably the best advice. Even if your rent is increasing slightly, it can be cheaper than the associated costs of moving.
Are you moving to upgrade?
If you are considering moving for ‘property improvements’ e.g. to have air conditioning or better quality fixtures, discuss this with your Agent / Landlord first. They may consider upgrading the fixtures or installing AC and you may be able to negotiate to continue in your current property.
Do you have rent arrears?
You can work with your Agent / Landlord to resolve these issues. A payment plan to address the rent arrears or support to complete repairs and pay them off can often be negotiated.
Are there repairs needed at the property that aren’t being addressed?
Remember, as a tenant you have rights. If your real estate agent or landlord isn’t keeping up with their responsibilities, you can take action. Contact the Residential Tenancies Association or the QSTARS service for further information.
Unavoidable moves
What can you afford?
Affordability is the biggest barrier to housing. Make sure you aren’t looking at properties that are outside of your budget. A good rule of thumb is 40% of your household income as rent; for example, $1000.00 per week income means $400.00 per week rent. Agents assess affordability too, so save time and wasted applications by sticking to your budget.
Have you budgeted for the cost of the move?
It’s important that you make sure you have the funds before you start looking at properties to move in.
Consider the costs involved in moving house such as bond, advanced rent, removalists, storage, and cleaning. It is easy to accrue debts during the moving process – avoid getting into debt you can’t afford as this is a huge risk to sustaining your tenancy.
Do you have strict limits to the area you want to live in?
Are you open to living in different types of dwellings? Limiting your options will reduce your chances of finding a home and increase the length of the house seeking process.
Are you being pro-active in your house search?
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback – was there something missing? Did a reference come back that wasn’t 100%? If so, make the changes required to improve your chances next time.
Ask the real estate agents whether there are other properties they would recommend you looking at in their vacancy list – it is more time effective to apply with the same agent rather than completing new applications each and every time.
Have you timed your move?
Securing a new property before giving in your notice at your current property is the best way to ensure stable housing and avoid emotional and financial stress down the track.
Keep an eye on your lease end date – avoid costly lease breaking by looking for properties that align with your current lease end date. If a property is available months before your lease expires, then it may not be the right property for you!
Allow for an overlap between signing the new lease and handing back the old property. You will need time to move, clean, etc. – don’t make the mistake of thinking you can do it all on the one day.