Rates remission Public housing rent assistance Private rental support scheme Streets Ahead incentive program First home buyer duty

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Rates remission*

A 30 per cent reduction (up to a maximum of $366 in 2008–09) on local government rates and charges is available to a person who on July 1 holds a:

• Centrelink or Department of Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card
• Centrelink Health Care Card
• Repatriation Health War Widow or TPI Gold Card

The card holder must occupy the property as their principle place of residence and be legally responsible for the rates on that property.

Pensioners in institutional care and their spouses may also be eligible under certain circumstances.

Applications must be made before March 31 in the relevant year.

For more information:

Phone: 6233 6641

*As announced in the 2008–09 Budget, eligibility for this concession will be extended to Centrelink Health Care Card holders during 2008–09. The necessary regulatory changes will be made so that the extension will take effect from 1 July 2008. Ring the number provided above for more information.

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Public housing rent assistance

Assistance is available to public housing tenants on a low income and who have less than $35,000 of financial assets.

• based on eligibility for a Centrelink Health Care Card.

Tenants pay a contribution towards the market rent calculated on their income.

 

For more information:

 

Phone:
6233 3736 (Hobart Service Centre)
6268 4200 (Bridgewater Service Centre)
6233 8431 (Clarence Service Centre)
6233 8904 (Glenorchy Service Centre)
6336 2370 (Launceston Service Centre)
6421 7832 (Devonport Service Centre)
6434 6353 (Burnie Service Centre)
Web: www.abouthousing.tas.gov.au

 

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Private Rental Support Scheme

Assistance is available to eligible people who are having difficulty accessing or staying in the private rental market. Assistance is available to:

• low-income earners based on eligibility for a Centrelink

Health Care Card

• some single people whose income exceeds the Health Care Card threshold by up to 20 per cent
• some couples whose income exceeds the Health Care Card threshold by up to 10 per cent.

For more information

Phone:
South: 6231 2182 (CA$H – Colony Assistance Service for Housing
North: 6334 6060 (Anglicare Private Rental Assistance)
North-West: 6424 8581 (Devonport) or 6431 8804 (Burnie) (Anglicare Private Rental Assistance)
Email: cash@colony47.com.au (South)
Web: www.abouthousing.tas.gov.au

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Streets Ahead Incentive Program

The program provides assistance to Tasmanians on low incomes to buy a property from Housing Tasmania. To be eligible for some or all of the Streets Ahead incentives an applicant’s household:

• income must be at, or below eligible threshold levels, which vary with circumstances
• assets must be worth less than $40,000.

For more information:

Phone: 1800 060 901
Web: www.abouthousing.tas.gov.au

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Aboriginal housing service

Assistance to Aboriginal people on low-incomes to access housing is available to those who:

• are low-income earners based on eligibility for a Centrelink Health Care Card
• have financial assets less than $35,000.

Aboriginality is confirmed within the guidelines of the Office of Aboriginal Affairs.

 

For more information:

Phone: 1800 725 292
Email: ahst@dhhs.tas.gov.au
Web: www.abouthousing.tas.gov.au

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First home buyer duty

Concessions of up to $4,000 on transfer duty are available to eligible first home buyers. Refund arrangements up to $2,400 are also available for duty on transfer of land on which first home is subsequently built.

House and land

• up to $4,000 concession on duty is available to first home buyers eligible for the First Home Owner Grant and who buy a home for $350,000 or less
• the property must have been bought on or after 20 May 2004.

Vacant land

Up to a $2,400 refund on duty is available for purchases of vacant land upon which a first home is built, subject to the following conditions:

• the owner is eligible for the First Home Owner Grant
• the land is worth $175,000 or less
• the property was bought on or after 20 May 2004
• duty has been paid
• occupancy certificate is obtained within two years of the date of the agreement to purchase the land
• the application for a refund is made within three months of the occupancy certificate being issued.

For more information:

Phone: 6233 3722 or 1800 001 388
Email: dutyhelp@treasury.tas.gov.au
Web: www.sro.tas.gov.au

 

 

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