Support for Tenants

• If you urgently need accommodation, call Link2Home on 1800 152 152 (available 24/7, every day of the year)
• For domestic violence and family support, call the Domestic & Family Violence line on 1800 656 463
• Child Protection Helpline – 13 21 11
• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• 13 Yarn – 13 92 76
• NSW Health Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511
• National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline – 1800 250 015

Managing your money can feel challenging, especially with rising living costs. The good news is there are plenty of free, trustworthy resources to help you budget, save, and make the most of your income.

Financial Relief

• Salvos Assessment Line
  Financial assistance | The Salvation Army Australia
• Vinnies
  Vinnies – Good Works | Vinnies
• National Help Debtline
  Welcome Page – National Debt Helpline

Useful Resources:

• Cost of Living Hub – Tips, tools, calculators, and rebates to help with everyday expenses.
  Cost of Living hub | NSW Government

• Savings Finder – Find government rebates and vouchers you might be eligible for.
  Savings Finder | Service NSW

• Moneysmart Budget Planner – Create a personalised budget to track and manage spending.
  Budget planner – Moneysmart.gov.au

• Energy Made Easy – Compare electricity and gas plans to find the best deal for your household (free, independent government service).
  Energy Made Easy

• NSW Seniors Card & Discounts (for eligible older residents) – Save on travel, shopping, and more.
  Seniors Card and Senior Savers Card Discounts and Deals | NSW Government

If you’re renting in NSW, there are several programs to help with rent, bond, and moving costs, as well as support during times of hardship.

Financial Support for Renters:

• Rent Assistance – Extra income support for eligible Centrelink recipients.
  Rent Assistance – Services Australia

• RentStart Bond Loan – Interest-free loan to cover your rental bond.
  Apply for a Rentstart Bond Loan | Service NSW

• Rentstart Move – Help with upfront costs when moving into a rental.
  Rentstart Move | NSW Government

• Rent Choice Subsidy – Ongoing rental assistance for up to three years.
  Rent Choice subsidy | Service NSW

• Tenancy Assistance – One off support for rent or water arrears (up to 4 weeks’ rent, no repayment required).
  Check your eligibility for Rentstart assistance | Service NSW

• Private Rental Assistance – Support to help you start or sustain a tenancy in the private rental market.
  Applying for private rental assistance from Homes NSW | NSW Government

• New Renters Kit – Helping people new to renting in NSW
  new-renters-kit.pdf

• Experiencing hardship during a tenancy – Information and support options.
  Experiencing hardship during a tenancy | NSW Government

• Pet Resume Template – Improve your chances of securing a rental with pets.
  Help a prospective landlord get to know your furry friend – Rent with Pets

• Search for a rental property
  • com.au | Real Estate & Properties For Sale & Rent
  • Rental Properties, Homes & Apartments for rent – realestate.com.au
• Rent Tracker Tool – Compare median rents by postcode.
  Rent Tracker Postcode Tool | Tenants’ Union

• Fair Trading Bond Online – Lodge and maintain your bond online.
  Rental Bonds Online for tenants | NSW Government

• Tenants Union Bond Factsheets – Understand your rights and obligations.
  Bond | Tenants’ Union

Are you looking to rent a home but unsure how to start? We have produced a couple of short, easy to follow videos which guide you through the rental application process and help you to understand the ins and outs of a lease agreement.

How to Apply for a Private Rental: Step by Step guide to applying for a rental.

• Learn how to find a rental property.
• What information you’ll need to apply.
• And helpful tips to make your application stand out above the rest.

Establishing a Lease: Find out what happens when your application is approved.

Learn what a lease agreement is.

Check what you need to know before you sign your lease.

Understand your rights and responsibilities as a new tenant.

• Planning can help you stay safer and more resilient when emergencies arise. Here are a few steps you can take now to ensure your safety should disaster hit:
  • Keep an emergency contact list – include local SES, your Tenancy Manager (or landlord), community support services, or close neighbours and family members.
  • Pack a Go-bag – include essentials such as water, non-perishable food, torch, first aid kit, a power bank (make sure it is pre-charged) and important documents (or copies) of ID and insurance.
  • Know your Evacuation Plan – Check and bookmark your local council’s emergency or disaster dashboard for live updates and advice.
  • Stay informed – Follow only official and trusted local sources like the NSW SES Emergency Alert app for news and updates.
  • Talk to your neighbours – A community network can help to check in on neighbours, especially those who are living alone, older, or vulnerable – in the event of evacuation or other crisis.

When disaster strikes, getting the right help quickly can make all the difference. We have collated the below list of trusted resources for anyone affected by floods or emergencies in the Northern Rivers.

• Recovery Support Services | NSW Government – provides personalised assistance through a recovery support worker – covering emotional, financial, housing, legal, and insurance needs. No referral required.
• Disaster Recovery Information & Support | NSW Reconstruction Authority – Information and referral advice for mental health, financial assistance, small businesses, tenant/landlord rights, and how to apply for replacement documents (ID, licenses, certificates, permits etc).
• Financial support after a natural disaster | Service NSW – Easy access to financial aid and grants through the Disaster Assistance Finder. Includes support for repairs, home retrofitting, and basic needs after a disaster.
• Resilient Homes Program | NSW Government – offers homeowners financial help to retrofit, raise or relocate homes to improve flood resilience in the region.

The Family Centre – The Family Centre: Supporting Children, Young People & Families

Kids Helpline – Call 1800 55 1800 or Chat Online 24/7: Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800

ReachOut – A Safe Place to Chat Anonymously, Get Support & Feel Better | ReachOut Australia

Headspace: Call 1800 650 890 or Chat Online (available every day 3pm-10pm): headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation

Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN): Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia (MYAN) | Championing the voices of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds

1800 Respect – Call 1800 737 732 (24/7): Home | 1800RESPECT

NSW Domestic Violence Line – Call 1800 656 463 (24/7): NSW Domestic Violence Line | Communities and Justice

Women’s and Girls Emergency Centre – Women’s & Girls’ Emergency Centre | WAGEC

NSW Legal Aid Domestic Violence Unit – Domestic Violence Unit

Northern Rivers Women & Children Services (NORWACS) – NORWACS | Northern Rivers Women and Childrens Services

Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre – Domestic & Family Violence – The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre

Women Up North – Home

NDIS local area coordination (LAC) through Social Futures NDIS Local Area Coordinator in NSW – Social Futures

Disability Gateway – Welcome to the Disability Gateway | Disability Gateway

National Relay Service – About the National Relay Service (NRS) | Access Hub

Services & Support for people with disability – Services and support for people with disability | NSW Government

Carer Gateway – Call 1800 422 737  Homepage | Carer Gateway

Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre – The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre

Legal Aid NSW – Legal Aid NSW

Welfare Rights Centre – Home – Welfare Rights Centre

NSW Fair Trading – NSW Fair Trading | NSW Government

Northern Rivers Tenants Advice & Advocacy Service (NORTAAS): Northern Rivers Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service | Tenants’ Union

NSW Aboriginal Housing Office – Aboriginal Housing Office

Northern NSW Aboriginal Tenants Advice & Advocacy Service (NATAAS): Northern NSW Aboriginal Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service | Tenants’ Union

Helping Hands Community Gateway – Helping Hands – Community Gateway

Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre – Aboriginal Services – Aboriginal Services – The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre

Parent Line NSW – Call 1300 1300 52 (9am-9pm, Mon-Fri & 4pm-9pm weekends): Parent Line (NSW) | The Family Co.

Raising Children Network – Raising Children Network

ReachOut for Parents/Carers – Home – ReachOut Parents

Carers NSW – Homepage | Carers NSW

Carers Australia – Home – Carers Australia

Carefinder Footprints – Care finder – Footprints Community

Elder Abuse Hotline –  Elder abuse phone line | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

MyAged Care: Access Australian aged care information and services | My Aged Care

MyAged Care: Find a Provider – Compare Home Care Providers Near You

Seniors Rights Service – Call 1800 242 079: Protecting the rights of older people – Seniors Rights Service

Older Persons Advocacy Network: Home – OPAN

Link2Home Homelessness – Call 1800 152 152 (24/7): Homelessness support if you’re homeless or at risk of losing your home | NSW Government

Find a homelessness shelter or service – Find a specialist homelessness service | NSW Government

Help provided by charities and other organisations – Accommodation help provided by charities, other organisations | NSW Government

Ask Izzy is a free search tool to help you or someone you know find shelter, food, health, and other essential support: Ask Izzy.

Tweed Shire Housing & Homelessness – Support & Food Distribution Services – Support and food distribution services

Alcoholics Anonymous – Alcoholics Anonymous – Alcoholics Anonymous

Family Drug Support – Family Drug Support – Family Drug Support Australia

Narcotics Anonymous – Home – Narcotics Anonymous Australia

SMART Recovery – SMART Recovery Australia | Evidence-Based Addiction Recovery

National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

The Buttery The Buttery Rehab NSW | Alcohol Rehab | Drug Rehab

Alcohol and Other Drugs Services NSW Health Contact information, support and treatment services

ACON – Regional offices in Northern Rivers.

The Gender Centre – Services & Support for the Transgender & Gender Diverse Community | The Gender Centre INC

QLife – QLife – Support and Referrals

Healthdirect – Free, trusted health information and advice: Trusted Health Advice | healthdirect

Sexual Health InfoLink – 1800 451 624

NORTEC | business.gov.au

Northern Rivers Local Business Community – Local Business Community | Live Northern Rivers

Connect Northern Rivers – About us – Connect

Established in 2014, the NRH Scholarship Program helps tenants reduce the financial strain of education for themselves or their children and supports ambitions in sports and the arts. This program fosters community growth by enabling tenants to pursue opportunities that enhance social and economic engagement. Since its inception, NRH has awarded $84,400 in scholarships, witnessing the inspiring progress of many recipients.

The Scholarship Program’s goals are to:

• Encourage NRH tenants and their children to pursue education and achieve their dreams.
• Support tenants with costs related to education, sports, or the arts.
• Help tenants improve their personal circumstances
• Assist in securing or sustaining employment.

In the 2023-2024 financial year, NRH awarded ten scholarships totalling $8,400 across these categories.