About Rentwell

YWCA Canberra is a trusted registered community housing provider, supporting Canberrans for more than 60 years with transitional housing, affordable housing and supportive tenancy services.

Rentwell is our property management service that provides affordable rental properties owned by private investors to people who are struggling to secure and maintain tenancies in the mainstream market.

Having an affordable, appropriate and secure place to call home is a fundamental human right and we believe that all Canberrans should have quality, affordable and secure housing options.

For people on low incomes, the ACT is an incredibly expensive place to rent. Increasingly, people are being locked out of the mainstream rental market, but yet they earn too much money to be eligible for other forms of housing support.

Our priority is to assist older women who are at risk of homelessness and women with children, but we will house men in need as well.

Through Rentwell, we are contributing to the pool of affordable housing options in the ACT, building stronger communities and making Canberra a more inclusive and liveable city for everyone.

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ACT’s first charitable property management service opens for business

How it works

Step 1

Property Suitability Check
Our friendly team of experienced property managers will start by assessing if your property is a good fit for the Rentwell program.

Step 2

Professional Inspection
Opteon, global leaders in property management, will conduct an independent market rent valuation report. This report will determine the 74.9% affordable rent, providing assurance to the ACT Revenue Office and the Australian Tax Office of a genuine rental discount from market rent.

Step 3

Existing Tenants
If your property currently has a tenant, we will require their permission for Rentwell staff and Opteon to access the property.

Step 4

Timeframe
The pre-rental process described in steps 1-3 typically takes approximately two to four weeks before your property is listed on Allhomes under Rentwell. Once listed, it generally takes an additional one to two weeks to find a suitable tenant.

Step 5

Charitable Tax Deduction and Land Tax Exemption
At the end of the financial year, you will receive a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) receipt from YWCA Canberra for the rent foregone. We notify the ACT Revenue Office of your participation in Rentwell upon the signing of your lease with YWCA Canberra. The ACT Revenue Office will grant your land tax exemption at the start of the following quarter, as they do not apply partial quarterly land tax exemptions.

Our housing expertise

YWCA Canberra has provided housing support to women and the broader Canberra community for more than 60 years, commencing with the opening of Leave House in Mort St by Lady Gowrie in 1942.

Today we provide supported accommodation services on behalf of the ACT Government and are a registered housing provider (Tier 3) under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing. We have established policies and procedures to effectively manage a multifaceted housing service, delivering on all reporting obligations and funding requirements.

As a leading and trusted community services organisation in the ACT we are regularly contacted by our sector colleagues and the ACT Government to provide information, advice or direct services to Canberrans in need.

Our specialised Housing Unit provides the following services:

  • Next Door – Housing and support services for older women experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness
  • Community housing – YWCA and privately owned accommodation for people in need
  • Transitional housing – supported accommodation for women and their families who are at risk of homelessness
  • Outreach – preventing homelessness through outreach services
  • Supportive Tenancy Service – providing advocacy and support for people whose tenancy is at risk, or who need support to secure a tenancy

Our governance