We are pleased that you have accepted housing with us, and we welcome you in joining our youth housing community. MFYH is committed to providing you with a safe, supportive, and affordable home and delivering a high standard of service to all tenants.
Our team of Youth Housing Managers are all experienced youth housing professionals and are here to support you throughout your tenancy.
For detailed information about how we manage privacy and confidentiality as a client and tenant of My Foundations Youth Housing send a request to youthhousing@mfyh.org.au otherwise;
read our privacy statement hereWhen starting a tenancy with MFYH, your Youth Housing Manager will take you through and explain all aspects of your program and tenancy including your lease (and By-Laws), a property condition report, consent and privacy policy, program obligations, handy tips for managing your home & property and more about MFYH. This will be the beginning of your tenancy learning journey and your first chance to ask any questions you may have at the time.
Start up costs
MFYH charges bond and rent in different ways depending on the program you’re housed with, and this will have been made clear to you in the housing offer. The start-up costs usually consist of full payment of the bond (usually four weeks of rent) and advanced rent of two weeks.
NB: We let you know at housing offer if you are able apply for Rentstart Bond Loan and at start-up regular rent payments can be set-up by us for you via Centrepay.
Centrelink – Rent Assistance
If you are receiving any payments from Centrelink, you may be entitled to receive additional Commonwealth Rental Assistance (CRA). These payments,
if you are eligible, can really help with your cost of living. We strongly recommend that you update your rent and address details with Centrelink ASAP and enquire to see if you are eligible to receive CRA. See more information here.
Property condition report
Completing a property condition report is an important task when starting a tenancy and you’ll receive an electronic condition report at start-up (this forms part of your lease).
This property condition report details the condition of the property room for room and gives you a chance to also provide assessment (you must complete your complete your part and return it within 7 days). Its important to be as detailed as you can as any damage not listed on this report (that isn’t considered wear and tear) may be claimed from your bond money (we will discuss this with you at time of exiting the property).
Connecting utilities (gas, electricity, or water)
Utilities may need to be connected in your name or you maybe be asked to contribute to these depending on the program you’re housed with – check your Housing Offer! If utilities need to be connected in your name, we recommend this is done immediately when you move in. If you receive a Centrelink benefit, you may be eligible for a rebate so check with the service company. Contact your support provider if you need help setting up utilities or speak with your Youth Housing Manager.
Engaging with your support provider
We partner with young people and their support provider/s to ensure that all tenants have the support they need to have a successful tenancy and achieve the life they want.
All housing products we offer require tenants to have and actively engage with a local support provider/s. This usually is the provider that helped you apply for your housing with us, and their primary purpose is to help you to achieve your goals, maintain your tenancy and offer support if or when you need help including transitioning into your next housing venture.
If you need further information or support around engaging a support provider, please please speak with your Youth Housing Manager.
Pets
We understand the potential personal benefits for tenants having pets and we consider the needs of many stakeholders including tenants (share house mates), neighbours, owners of properties managed by us, Strata Agents & our neighbours in strata units – all of which are transitional in nature. Having considered all of the above, our policy position is that because most of our properties and all shared housing placements are considered incompatible with pets, that equity for all tenants is best met by having a general rule that pets are not permitted in MFYH tenancies. This means that no pets are allowed in any tenancy unless we have provided express approval in writing.
Technology & Communication
MFYH offer many ways in which young people can communicate effectively with their Youth Housing Manager including in person, via mobile phone, email, SMS or online through platforms. We want to be accessible and available to you in multiple ways to ensure that you can always reach out.
We have improved the way we manage/send formal notices including lease sign ups, property condition reports, and other important information – this is all communicated now electronically by using Property Express. We can send you these documents and you get to review and sign them through email, and they can be accessed on a digital device like mobile phone or computer.
Tenant Rights & Responsibilities
All tenants have both rights and responsibilities under the NSW Residential Tenancies Act 2010. We have also developed a Tenant Rights and Tenant Responsibilities’ fact sheets with key information we believe will help you have a successful tenancy.
MFYH Tenant Rights Fact Sheet TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD
MFYH Tenant Responsibilities Fact Sheet TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Support organisations that can also help you with your rights and responsibilities:
Tenants Union Advice Line: 1800 251 101
Aboriginal Tenants Advice and Advocacy Services:
www.tenants.org.au/aboriginal-tenants
Fair Trading:
www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-property/renting
Repairs & Maintenance
MFYH do our best to maintain a high standard of housing to make sure our tenants are safe and comfortable in their homes; therefore, property maintenance is always a high priority for us.
MFYH is responsible for carrying out repairs and maintenance to all properties but in some cases it’s the landlord of a privately leased property responsibility.
This factsheet will be given to you at sign up so you have the important information contacts you need to report a repair including after hours and urgent repairs (we recommend and will guide you on immediately programming these numbers into your phone):
TAP HERE TO DOWNLOADIncome Reviews
When residing in some of our youth housing products, approximately every six months we will review your income. We will contact you in writing to provide documents such as a signed declaration of all income in your household plus most recent Centrelink income statement &/or four most recent pay slips for paid employment. Once we receive this information, we will recalculate your rent and let you know in writing what your new rent will be…
It is important that you return this information by the due date or otherwise we will assume that you no longer require subsidised rent, and your rent may be increased to market rate.
If your income changes prior to the set reviews above, you must notify your Youth Housing Manager within seven days of your income changing and provide all the necessary information requested.
Tenancy Reviews
MFYH conduct regular tenancy reviews before any further housing (leases) are offered. With the feedback of your support provider we ensure that all tenants are meeting the requirements of the program. We are reviewing things like these and asking your support provider to give us feedback about how you’re going in the program:
Important factsheets and policies to help you sustain your tenancy
All of our housing is transitional and a stepping stone towards you being able to rent independently in the private market. Your tenancy history with us starts building your ‘resume’ for all future housing success. It’s therefore important to us that you understand how to sustain a tenancy which includes preventing breaches occurring in your tenancy.
Important factsheets or policies to guide you on maintaining a successful tenancy (and prevent breaches);
Rent Arrears fact sheet TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Understanding Your Tenant Statement TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Caring for your Property TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Living in a Community TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Shared House Harmony TAP HERE TO DOWNLOAD
We understand that sometimes life happens and factors beyond your control occur and there are times when you need more support and guidance – this is when it is important to engage with your support provider or ask us a question. Or click here to Ask Izzy for a local service near you that can help (e.g. food assistance, legal matters etc).
You should also check with your support provider if they know of any services running rental courses (like Rent it Keep it or Reality Rentals) to help you on your learning journey.
Most of our housing is transitional and a stepping stone towards you being able to rent independently in the private market, so it’s important that you understand exactly what is going on with the private rental market in your area and gauge how long it could potentially take to secure your next housing venture. Talk to your support provider or Youth Housing Manager as they can provide you with all the tips and tricks you need to secure a home and assist with any references that you may require.
TAP HERE TO DOWNLOADWe are Australia’s first youth community housing provider, therefore sharing your feedback and experience as a tenant could help us improve our services for the benefit of all young tenants. During a tenancy you can contact us to provide feedback.
Upon vacating a tenancy, please ask your Youth Housing Manager for an
Exit interview for Tenants form or you can download it here
MFYH acknowledges the right of tenants to complain if they are dissatisfied and commits itself to providing tenants with appeal and complaints procedures that are accessible, responsive, prompt, and fair. We endeavour to provide quality services that respond in a timely manner to the needs of tenants. This effort includes having skilled and appropriate Youth Housing Managers and offering flexible services.
Complaints and disputes will occur from time to time and MFYH can ensure that throughout the process no person will be victimised or penalised for doing so. We will also ensure we report and monitor complaints to help us improve our services.
An appeal or complaint may be lodged verbally to a staff member, by email, by letter, by telephone, by website or by completing MFYH’s Appeal or Complaint Factsheet/Form which is available by contacting our office (refer to table below).
Client confidentiality will always be respected including any request to remain anonymous throughout the process and if required, MFYH can assist with the complaint process by arranging an appropriate service provider, translator, or interpreter.
| Post: Complaints and Appeals My Foundations Youth Housing PO Box 114 STANHOPE GARDENS NSW 2768 |
| Email: youthhousing@mfyh.org.au |
| Phone: 02 8306 7905 |
| Website: https://mfyh.org.au/contact-us/ |
| Other: Via Tenant Satisfaction Surveys or Exit Surveys at end of tenancy |
Here are some other services that can help you lodge an appeal or complaint:
Tenants can also make a complaint about a Community Housing Provider (CHP) registered under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH). If you have a complaint, in the first instance you should raise your concerns directly with MFYH (generally complaints will be addressed by MFYH without the involvement of the relevant Housing Register).
It is also important when making a complaint to keep written evidence of your concerns and any ongoing developments, in case the matter is not resolved.
For additional information on how different types of complaints might be dealt with, as well as a broad overview of the role of various regulatory and review bodies’ roles and functions, refer to the following fact sheets:
To contact your local Housing Registrar’s office, please see below:
New South Wales
Registrar of Community Housing
Locked Bag 4001
ASHFIELD BC 1800
Phone: 1800 330 940
Fax: (02) 8741 2522
Email: registrar@facs.nsw.gov.au
Housing Registrars offices may also be contacted using the on-line form located at: https://www.form.nrsch.gov.au/
MFYH are always happy to review our decision internally. This is called a ‘First Tier Decision Review’. You can contact us and request an Appeals Factsheet and Form to make this process easier. This is an internal ‘decision review’ process and will not be undertaken by the original decision maker. We will respond to your appeal within 21 business days.
If you are dissatisfied with our internal review, we can help you with information on how to appeal to the Housing Appeals Committee. This is an independent second level appeal process. The Housing Appeals Committee can be also be contacted directly on freecall 1800 629 794. Further information on appeals generally and the Housing Appeals Committee is available at www.hac.nsw.gov.au
