Is CentreLink being unreasonable ?

Lpunk000 on 03/07/2015 - 10:07
Last edited 03/07/2015 - 18:25 by 1 other user

So here is the situation.

I am claiming some rent assistance from CentreLink. Now there is this landlord who has a house with four rooms and just rent it out on the per room basis. I got one room and pay $170 per fortnight (electric bills not included). So I go to CentreLink with signed form from landlord stating how much I pay per fortnight, but CentreLink wants names and signatures and dates of moving in etc of all other tenants.

My gripe is that:
(1) Why does it matter who else lives there ? Shouldn't a signed form by the landlord stating how much I pay per fortnight is enough.
(2) Is it not invasion of other tenant's privacy (if they are not asking for any assistance from CentreLink) ?
(3) Lets say my relationship with other tenants is NOT great (or non-existence as I don't even know their names) and they refuse to give name /signature - what does that mean for me ?

My main question:
If I'm not happy with CentreLink's procedure, is there a court that I could bring them to and challenge them ? Is there a thing as "Could I speak to your manager" first at CentreLink ? I asked the lady who looked at my paperwork why does it matter who else live there, she mumbled something about "sharing rate.." which I'm not convinced.

On a side note the house I am staying at has a granny flat as well, and two or three other dudes are living there, so there are really 7 dudes staying at the place. Since my first staying there, two or three people have left and replaced by new ones.

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Comments

  • Adz81 on 03/07/2015 - 10:16
    +5

    I've known CentreLink to ask people to jump through hoops to get money, and that's their call- they're supplying the assistance and have every right to know the conditions of the rental arrangement.

  • QW3RTY on 03/07/2015 - 10:29
    +4

    Well it sounds like your Landlord is getting a killer rent! $2,380 per calendar month for a 7 person share house. Where do I sign up?

    But seriously, I've had a look at their website for the requirements surrounding rent assistance when living in a lodging scenario. Their site states that "special rules apply if you are a single sharer, pay board and lodging, or live in a retirement village". I would call and ask for an information packet regarding these special rules so you can fully understand what needs to be considered in order for you to claim rent assistance. I was unable to find information on their website.

    But I would take a stab in the dark and say that they will have some sort of process to identify whether they're paying for 7 people to live in one man's house for $170 per fortnight each. It is for this reason that I do not believe they are acting unreasonably, as in your scenario — it could well be that the Department of Human Services is contributing towards a $30,000 per annum rental for this one Landlord in a 4 bedder with a granny flat.

    Best of luck anyway mate.

    • ozhunter on 03/07/2015 - 11:14

      Well it sounds like your Landlord is getting a killer rent! $2,380 per calendar month for a 7 person share house. Where do I sign up?

      Renting out each room separately pretty much always means higher rental income, though it does have its downsides.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2015 - 13:33
      +23

      sounds like your Landlord is getting a killer rent! … Where do I sign up?

      1. Become a politician
      2. Buy a house in Canberra in your wife's name
      3. Have taxpayers pay $270 for every night you stay there
      4. Profit!
      5. Rent out rooms to other politicians for a taxpayer-funded $270 per night
      6. More profit!
  • toniyellow on 03/07/2015 - 10:30
    +2

    Their complaints process is on their website, including how to escalate to ombudsman etc after complaining internally. But there is no such thing as talking to the manager first. Actually try and complete the form first, and it proves unworkable, then you have a reason to escalate the situation.

    Surely it is a good idea to learn their names anyway? Both for your own safety, and to make the living situation more pleasant.

    The reason for their request that you complete the form would be to reduce fraud - people living with family and not declaring it, or living with a partner and not declaring it. To keep the welfare system going it is in your best interest that they do reduce fraud so there is enough resources for genuine cases

  • johndowy on 03/07/2015 - 10:42
    +12

    You want to take them to court when they are giving you money?

    Haven't you ever heard the saying "Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds You".

    • Adz81 on 03/07/2015 - 14:26

      +1

  • DarkOz on 03/07/2015 - 10:42
    -1

    I think it's fair for CenterLink to ask. It's unfair for CenterLink to insist on it after you have asked the other tenants and was unable to provide what is needed.

    What you can do is to collect the list of tenant names and ask them individually. Note down the one that had refused to supply you the information and then get back to CenterLink. You can only take it from there.

    • Diji1 on 04/07/2015 - 19:36

      it's fair for CenterLink to ask. It's unfair for CenterLink to insist

      You seem to be under the impression they just ask for information that you aren't obligated to give to them.

      They don't actually waste everyone's time by asking you information that you get a choice about answering according to the customer's own definition of "fair".

      • DarkOz on 05/07/2015 - 11:43

        "I think it's fair for CenterLink to ask. It's unfair for CenterLink to insist on it after you have asked the other tenants and was unable to provide what is needed." That's what I said.

        Don't conviently leave out half my sentence to suit your own argument. What do you suggest if other tenants refused to give out their details even when the guy threatens them? Is that fair?

  • ykwon10 on 03/07/2015 - 10:55

    Considering the amount of tax payer's money lost due to frauds, I think it is absolutely fair for CentreLink to ask for such information. All you have to do is ask. Be nice and friendly towards your housemates, I am sure they won't mind doing you a favour. Also, by doing this, ATO is able to determine if your landlord has been cheating the tax department by declaring less income.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2015 - 12:45
      -3

      Lol tax payer money lost to fraud? Like joe hockey, or locking up asylum seekers

  • pointless martyr on 03/07/2015 - 11:03
    -1

    Sounds like you are paying too much for that zoo, move out to a place with less people, iits too hard to get the details for 7 people that will satisfy centrelink - especially if if the place is a blow in centre - its likely that some of the tenants are already defrauding centrelink and wont be freely givign their details to you!

    • punk000 on 03/07/2015 - 11:51
      +1

      Well I'm staying in ACT 2602, and rents is not very reasonable here

  • shaiguy on 03/07/2015 - 11:52

    I would suggest that you do so on a best endeavours basis, and if you cannot get their details then you cannot get it. Then just lodge the form in with Centrelink.

    Worst comes to worst, just say you are unaware of anyone else renting a room at present.

  • shaybisc on 03/07/2015 - 12:43

    It's all here.

    http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/information/reviews…

    I guess it matters who lives there because they need to know who's who and who's claiming what in any particular domestic arrangement to work out the right rate. It doesn't seem a big ask. Play nice until you don't get what you think you are entitled to, then ask for an explanation.

  • Scorpiogirl on 03/07/2015 - 14:31

    What if these people refuse to give you the details you need? Then what? Curious myself.

    • Baysew on 03/07/2015 - 18:28
      +2

      No soup Centrelink for you.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2015 - 12:48

      Tell them that you don't interact with the other tenets. It sounds like a boarding house situation. They have the land lords details. If they need to get extra information, then they can ring him and ask.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2015 - 12:57

      Also, Centrelink is an incredibly frustrating place to deal with. It's deliberately frustrating, so that you only get what you need if you put in alot of effort. (Cause if you don't/can't put in the effort, you probably don't need it right) There's usually a fix for your problem, but it can depend on the person you talk to. Try calling on the phone(this can be time consuming tho, as they usually keep you on hold for an hour then cut you off). You're problem isn't unreasonable, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was some innocuous box you should tick on the application form which would fix it.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2015 - 12:59

        Also,I think the main reason they ask is to make sure you're not supporting/being supported by a partner you live with

  • SlickMick on 04/07/2015 - 10:25

    I don't think you need to know anything about other tenants… you need your landlord to provide the contracts for all tenants

  • So Was Red on 04/07/2015 - 13:32
    +6

    I think you may have filled out your forms wrong. I rent a room from a landlord in a share-house and there were questions related to renting your own space vs sharing accommodation. I took this to mean my room was my own private accommodation. I do not share it. But you may have inadvertently suggested to Centrelink that you pool your money in with these 6 other guys and pay it all to the landlord each week. This unbelievable $2.4k per month amount probably raises red flags for them that you're all trying to claim greater rent assistance than you deserve. Maybe. That's just my consideration on the matter. Good luck.

    • nikey2k27 on 08/07/2015 - 08:30

      Live like kings

  • AlanJ on 04/07/2015 - 19:39
    -2

    There is certainly an appeals court to which you can take Centrelink, but I doubt if you would find this a rewarding enterprise. Some years ago, Centrelink denied my application for the aged pension, on the grounds that my income from employment excluded me. I knew that was wrong, and asked them for their calculations. They wouldn't supply those, so I appealed to the next level up, who did supply the figures (and said that the original decision was correct). When I examined their figures, I saw to my amazement that they had made an error in transferring a figure from one column to the other… $1800 dollars had been written as $8100. As simple as that. Yet they wouldn't revise their decision .. Wouldn't even listen to my requests to look again; so I appealed to the next (and highest) level, which involved a court and a "judge". I went in confidently, came out crushed. He wouldn't even look at the paper with the mistaken calculation! All he said was, in effect, "Centrelink says you're not eligible, so you're not eligible." When I continued to protest, he simply got up from the bench and walked out! And from there, there is no appeal, except to go to A Current Affair. So my advice… Just collect as much information, as irrelevant as it might be in the "real" world, and go back there. When they throw you out again, get a bit more and go back again. Sooner or later you might just strike an officer who wants to help instead of just make your life harder ( I eventually discovered one of these, and since that day Centrelink and I have been on amicable terms). Just don't give up! Good luck!

    • shaybisc on 05/07/2015 - 11:08
      +2

      I worked at Centrelink many moons ago and your story sounds utterly incredible to me. It's all about the calculations and there is no way even a base grade clerk can hide the calculations from a claimant. A mistake like yours would be corrected long before it got to external appeal, because incompetence is embarrassing and nobody likes to be embarrassed by the higher ups. If by some miracle it got past a regional office full of dimwits it would be corrected immediately by the AAT who have zero interest in covering up mistakes.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 04/07/2015 - 21:38

    I think your situation would be extremely common in a lot of areas of Sydney where continuing to rent a private apartment with "rental assistance" would be practically impossible (http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/the-sydney-suburbs-where-minimum-w…). Unless you ticked the wrong box on the form (and implied the rent is divided among mates) it shouldn't really matter to Centrelink unless they can see in their system there are 5 or more people on the dole at a single 4-bedroom house (excluding the granny flat) and/or they think the landlord may be lying. The only thing I can think of potentially affecting payment is non-separation of expenses from rent? Otherwise why would a person who rents a one bed-room unit all to themselves for $170 in Llandilo be paid more rental assistance than a person who pays the same amount to sleep in a bunkbed in Haymarket?

    If you surveyed all the share houses in the more expensive (esp. eastern suburbs) you'd find a lot of them are filled over-capacity with overseas students and holiday-makers and there's a reason why gyprock sells so well. It's a shame you can't request to be personally inspected when you have nothing to hide.

  • froggym on 10/07/2015 - 20:41

    I had to put all that junk in too and I wasn't even asking for rent assistance. I'm living rent free (as I declared in the application) with friends. I put in their names but then just made up how much they pay and when they moved in. It is their house, how am I supposed to know that junk. I thought it was ridiculous too.

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