We understand the financial difficulty that many tenants will be experiencing – through no fault of their own. We also understand that most property owners will be going through similar hardships, and they need the rent money to make their mortgage payments. If a tenant’s situation has not changed and they are not affected by COVID-19, they are expected to keep making their rent payments. We are obligated in these cases to issue breach notices and follow the eviction process for non-payment of rent. If tenants are unable to make their full rental payments as a result of COVID-19, they need to contact us immediately (preferably by email).   We will then discuss with them if they have registered with Centrelink for assistance.  They will then be asked to complete the Rental Assistance Survey, providing evidence of financial difficulty as a result of COVID-19 and we will also require a copy of their Separation Certificate from their employer, if the tenant has lost their job. We will then present this to the owner for their consideration. The government is of course providing emergency assistance to those who have lost their jobs due to this crisis, so we are urging all tenants to take advantage of these grants and use this money to prioritise their rent payments.