How to pay your rent and other charges.
All tenants must be two weeks in advance to comply with their Residential Tenancy Agreement.
SGCH charges rent weekly.
SGCH offers a range of options for making rent and non-rent payments.
You can pay via:
 | Centrepay is an easy way of paying your tenancy charges by having them deducted directly from your Centrelink payments and paid to SGCH. You can start or change a deduction at any time directly with Centrelink or by giving SGCH permission to do it on your behalf. |
 | BPAY lets you pay your accounts by telephone or by internet banking 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To use BPAY, you need to register for Internet or phone banking with your financial institution. You can find your biller code and reference number on your rent statement. |
 | Direct Deposit/ Internet banking, you can set up a direct deposit from your bank account. To set up a Direct Deposit through your bank you will need our BSB and account details which are on the front page of your lease agreement. Please note, when filling out the ‘Reference’ field, you will need to quote your Allocation Number, which can be found on your rent statement. If you don’t know your Allocation number, please contact us on 1800 573 370 and we can check for you. |
 | BPOINT, you can make an instant payment using a MasterCard or VISA debit card via a secure site. Visit our Bpoint payment site. Please note, when filling out the ‘Reference’ field, you will need to quote your Allocation Number, which can be found on your rent statement. If you don’t know your Allocation number, please contact us on 1800 573 370 and we can check for you. |
 | Over the phone on 1800 573 370 or in person at one of our office locations. Please note, we do not accept credit card payments or cash. |
If you are having trouble paying your rent, please get in contact with us straight away. If you would like advice, our Support Coordination Team is available to speak with you and refer you to support services. It is never too late, and we can help you to get back on track.
How is my rent calculated?
The rent you are charged and how it is calculated depends on whether your tenancy is managed under a social or an affordable housing program.
Social housing rents
For Social Housing properties, eligible households can apply for a rental subsidy. A rental subsidy means that you only pay a percentage of your household’s income in rent. SGCH charges rent in accordance with the NSW Community Housing Rent Policy.
The amount of rent you are charged depends on your individual and household circumstances. Tenants are charged between 25% and 30% of the household’s income plus 100% of their Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) entitlement.
Here is an example of how we calculate rent for a single person receiving Age Pension.
| Income type | % Rate | Assessable income, per week | Charge Per Week |
| Age Pension | 25% | $501.25 | $125.31 |
Clean Energy Supplement | 25% | $7.05 | $1.76 |
Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) | 100% | $92.40 | $92.40 |
| Total rent charge per week | $219.47 | ||
Affordable housing rents
Affordable Housing is a product available to low to moderate income earners, who are working but may find it difficult to afford housing in the private rental market
For Affordable Housing properties, rent is set as a discount of the market rent price. In general, housing is usually considered affordable if it costs less than 30% of a household’s gross income.
If you live in an affordable housing property, an income eligibility review will be conducted annually to ensure you remain eligible for the program prior to resigning a lease agreement.
SGCH assesses each applicant’s individual circumstances according to the NSW Affordable Housing Ministerial Guidelines.
Read our Affordable Housing Policy.
How your water charges are calculated
As well as rent, you may need to pay for the water you use.
SGCH calculates tenants’ water charges differently, depending on whether you have an individual or shared water meter.
Your water charge is calculated as follows:
- If your home has its own water meter, you simply pay for the water you use.
- If your home shares a water meter with other properties, your water charge is calculated in the following ways:
- We will charge you 4.5% of your total household rent (including CRA), we have capped this at $8.50 a week for each household
- Tenant’s living in the Northern Region will be charged 5.2% of the household rent (excluding CRA), we have capped this at $9.40 a week for each household
If you are unsure what your water rate is, please contact your Tenancy Manager.
Income Changes
All tenants must notify SGCH of any change in household circumstances within 21 days of the change. SGCH will then reassess your rent subsidy based on this change.
Once your rent has been calculated, SGCH will write to you and confirm your new rent charge and you will need to change your rent payments.
If you receive Centrelink payments, you will also need to advise Centrelink of your change in income and/or family circumstances so your payments and Commonwealth Rent Assistance payments are reviewed.
Refunds
For enquiries in relation to refunds of overpaid rent or charges, please speak to your Tenancy Manager or contact us at office@sgch.com.au or contact our office on 1800 573 370.
Rent Statements
To request a rent statement, please speak to your Tenancy Manager or contact us at office@sgch.com.au or contact our office on 1800 573 370.
Rent Review
SGCH conducts rent reviews twice a year.
Rent reviews ensure that you are paying the right amount of rent based on your income and personal circumstances.
For further information, contact the Rent Review Team on:
1800 573 370 or rent.review@sgch.com.au