As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve in Australia and globally, we would like to update you on announcements from the Queensland Government from last night, 1 April 2020.
Emergency Rental Assistance Payments
Last night, QLD Treasurer Jackie Trad announced in a live Q&A streamed on Facebook that the State Government had set up a grant program that offers an emergency rental assistance payment of up to $500 a week, for up to four weeks, for Queenslanders who have financial hardship due to COVID-19.
To read further information and to apply for this payment, visit this link.
You can also contact the RTA for advice and contact Centrelink for financial assistance options.
RTA Advice
The RTA has a COVID-19 information box on their home page that has now been updated with further information. This is on the RTA’s website as at 2:10pm on Thursday 2 April 2020:
Are you eligible for a Queensland COVID-19 Rental Grant? Learn more
On 29 March 2020, Australian governments met as the National Cabinet and announced that evictions will be put on hold for six months for residential and commercial tenancies affected by the financial impacts of COVID-19 with more information to come this week. The Queensland Government is working through ways to implement the Commonwealth Government’s proposed changes to rental arrangements as quickly as possible.
You can learn more about the proposed measures by:
We will update our website and eNews subscribers when more details become available.
The RTA encourages all parties in a tenancy to be understanding and reasonable in their dealings with each other, consider each situation individually, talk to each other to negotiate a suitable outcome, document any decisions made, and adhere to any government and/or health agency requirements.
If you are a public housing tenant, visit the Department of Housing and Public Works website. For the latest COVID-19 health updates, visit Queensland Health’s website. For details on the State Government’s economic relief package, please visit the Business Queensland website. For official Australian Government information and support in response to COVID-19, please visit Australia.gov.au.
Please note: Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the RTA is currently experiencing longer wait times across our customer and support services. We thank you for your patience.
Eviction Moratorium
Jackie Trad provided further information regarding Queensland legislation around the eviction moratorium. The below is an extract from the Courier Mail article reporting on Trad’s Q&A:
Ms Trad also acknowledged the state government would be writing the eviction moratorium into law “for tenants who can’t make rent because they’ve lost their job due to coronavirus or the impacts, either directly or indirectly, of coronavirus”.
“There will be an absolute moratorium, prohibition, written into law around evicting renters because they can’t pay their rent and that will be backdated to the day the Prime Minister announced that out of the national cabinet,” she said.
However, she said the eviction moratorium is for people who have been “genuinely impacted” by a coronavirus.
“For tenants that do the things that would ordinarily see them evicted – if they significantly damage the property or the owners themselves move in because of financial distress – then that will still occur, this isn’t a blanket prohibition,” Ms Trad said.
“But where you have lost your job, your hours have been cut, and where you genuinely can not make your rent, you will not be evicted and we will guarantee that by law and we will also help you make up the shortfall in terms of your rent payments until you start getting some income support, or hopefully get another job.”
JobKeeper Payments
The Prime Minister announced a wage subsidy package this week which is being called the JobKeeper payment. This is available to full-time and part-time workers, sole traders and casual workers who have been with their employer for 12 months or more. This will allow businesses to keep employees on the books to distribute this payment during this downtime.
For anyone who has lost their job due to COVID-19, please visit Treasury’s Jobkeeper Payment Information, so that you can review your eligibility with your employer/previous employer as you may be eligible even if you have been stood down due to the pandemic response. We hope this will help ease the pressure for so many people across Australia.
During this time there may be delays of payments to you if you fall under this incentive. Please continue to communicate with us so that we can discuss payment plans to help you through this time.
Pure Real Estate Office closure to the public
Just a reminder that the office is closed to the public. All staff are now working from home. We remain prepared to continue our services to you with minimal impact while we work from home.
Working as a Team
In this challenging time, Pure Real Estate is committed to working with our people, owners, tenants and contractors, and the relevant authorities to listen, take advice and importantly, take decisive action to assist in preserving the health and wellbeing of our communities.
Our highest priority is the health and wellbeing of our people, our tenants and our communities.
We will provide further information when we have further direction from the Government. We look forward to working together to support you through this time.
Kind Regards
Russell Peter | Principal