For Applicants
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of housing are available?
Metro Housing manages approximately 450 properties primarily in the Marrickville and neighbouring Local Government areas of Canterbury, Ashfield, Leichhardt and City of Sydney.
We offer tenants a variety of housing types suitable to their needs – these include 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units and houses with up to 4 bedrooms.
The most common type of property we own or rent however, are 2 bedroom units.
Some of these properties are owned by the Department of Housing (DOH) and leased to us on a long term basis – these are called Capital properties, but the majority are leased by Metro from private owners – these are called leasehold properties.
When tenants sign their lease with us they are told whether they will be living in a capital or leasehold property.
All tenants made a permanent housing offer, whether capital or leasehold offers, are considered suitably housed and will be closed on the Housing Pathways register.
How much does it cost?
Every property has a “market rent”.
This is determined by the rent that would be received for the property on the private rental market. This figure is stated on the tenancy agreement and is reviewed annually.
However, Metro Housing offers a rental subsidy to all tenants who are eligible.
The subsidy is calculated as a percentage of each tenant’s income (between 11-25% of gross income).
Tenants are asked to provide Metro Housing with written proof of the gross income, (that is income received before tax), for every household member over 16 years old.
If this information is not provided, market rent is charged for the property.
A rental bond is also required. Metro Housing charges a bond equivalent to four weeks rebated rent, paid preferably beforehand, or at the time of signing the tenancy agreement.
Who is eligible for housing?
All applicants on the NSW Housing Pathways register are eligible for housing with Metro Community Housing.
Some of our housing is allocated for specific groups in the community who may experience greater disadvantage in obtaining secure, affordable accommodation in the private rental market.
This includes:
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People with a psychiatric or intellectual disability
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Young people
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Women and their children escaping domestic violence
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People exiting the criminal justice system or rehabilitation programs
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People who have been homeless or living in insecure accommodation
How do I apply?
You can apply for social housing assistance from any participating social housing provider by using the Application for Housing Assistance and Social Housing Supplement along with various supplement forms depending on your circumstances. All of these can be downloaded from the Housing Pathways website: www.housingpathways.nsw.gov.au/Additional+Information/Forms.htm
The Application for Housing Assistance form asks important questions about you and other people in your household. The answers you give will help a social housing provider to understand what kind of help you might need and how urgent and/or complex your situation is. Your application will be assessed on the information you give us on this form.
Applications for housing assistance can be lodged in person, by mail or over the phone (After Hours Temporary Accommodation and Rentstart only).You can submit this application form and all the required support documentation to any social housing provider.
Lists of offices can be viewed at:
Housing NSW Offices – www.housing.nsw.gov.au/Contact+Us/List+of+Offices.htm
If you are approved to go on the Housing Register, your application details will be available to all social housing providers, and you may be made an offer by any organisation that has a suitable property in the allocation zone that you have chosen
Click here to download the Allocation Zone factsheet pdf
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us or telephone our office on: 9565 4599
