As a customer of Bridge Housing we need to know and confirm some of your details held by Services Australia. The eServices are designed to make paying your rent simpler and easier.

Centrelink Confirmation eServices is an electronic system that lets you choose to have your Centrelink details confirmed with Bridge Housing directly.

We have been approved by Services Australia to provide these services. Bridge Housing must comply with strict guidelines around who accesses the information and how the information is collected and stored.

Who is eligible to use these Centrelink eServices? 

Customers who are receiving Commonwealth Rent Assistance or paying rent using Centrepay can authorise us and Services Australia to exchange information.

What services are available? 

There are two main eServices offered by Centrelink to make paying your rent simpler and easier: 

 1. Electronic Verification of Rent (EVoR) 

EVoR is a secure, automated process which lets us send your rent details to Services Australia electronically. This saves you having to personally complete a Rent Certificate or tell Services Australia every time your rent changes.

How does it work? 

Each time there is a change in your rent, the new rent amount will be updated with Services Australia electronically.

What details will we send to Services Australia?

We will advise Services Australia of: 

• the address of the property you are renting 

• the date you moved in

• the amount of rent you pay, and 

• the date you started paying the rental amount. 

• the total amount of rent paid to Bridge Housing for the premises 

• Whether or not the customer resides in a premises shared with others 

How will the information be used? 

The information will be used by Services Australia to assess your eligibility for Commonwealth Rent Assistance. 

2. Centrelink Confirmation sServcies (CCes)

Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS) is a service where you can authorise Services Australia to provide or confirm your Centrelink details directly to us. This saves you having to obtain the details from Centrelink yourself to provide to us.

How does it work? 

If you wish to use Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS), Services Australia will send your income details electronically to us so we can assess your eligibility for services. Only information that we need to know will be provided by Services Australia. This may include:

• the type of pension or payment, and the amount and date paid

• amounts being deducted from your Centrelink payments (for example Child Support , Easypay or Centrepay), and

• details of any other income you have told Services Australia about.
  

What if some household members choose not to participate in Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS), or don’t receive Centrelink payments?

Household members who don’t or can’t participate in Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS) will be required to provide proof of their income. This means if they receive a Centrelink payment they will have to contact Services Australia and request an income statement to be sent to us. If they do not receive Centrelink payments, they will need to provide other details of their income, for example, wage slips.

It remains the applicant or tenant’s responsibility to make sure income details of all household members are available when required.

How will the information be used? 

The information will be used by us to assess your entitlement to services we provide such as reduced rent and ongoing eligibility for housing assistance based on our policy.

What do I do if I want to stop one or all of the services? 

You can cancel one or all of the services at any time by contacting us or Services Australia. If you stop using any of these services you will be required to submit proof of your eligibility for a rent subsidy, including household income details directly to us and Services Australia.

If you would like more information visit www.servicesaustralia.gov.au

You must clearly indicate each service you wish for this customer consent to be applied.

I authorise: 

• Bridge Housing Ltd to collect and use my current and future accommodation information and provide it to Services Australia for reassessment of my eligibility for Commonwealth Rent Assistance. 

I understand that: 

• Information collected and used by Bridge Housing Ltd and provided to Services Australia may include my Customer Reference Number, family name, given name, date of birth, address, household rent, individual rent, and relationship status. 

• every time Bridge Housing Ltd provides information to Services Australia, I will be advised in writing. 

• I must contact Services Australia myself if: 

            ▪ I change my address 

            ▪ my relationship status changes 

            ▪ I start or stop sharing my accommodation with someone else 

            ▪ I purchase or sell any real estate

• This consent, once I sign it, is effective for the services indicated and only for the period that I am a customer of Bridge Housing Ltd

• Consent for EVoR, which is ongoing, may be withdrawn by me at any time by giving notice to Bridge Housing Ltd or Services Australia.

• Bridge Housing Ltd will maintain a record of my consent for a minimum of 2 years from the date I stop being a customer of the business.

• If I withdraw part or all of this consent in relation to EVoR, I will be responsible for notifying Services Australia of all future changes to my accommodation circumstances.

• I can visit the Services Australia website for more information.

I authorise: 

• Bridge Housing Ltd to use Centrelink Confirmation eServices to perform a Centrelink enquiry of my Centrelink income, asset and payment details to enable the Business to determine if I qualify for a concession, rebate or service.

• Services Australia to provide the results of that enquiry to Bridge Housing Ltd.
  

I understand that: 

• Services Australia will use information I have provided to the Bridge Housing Ltd to confirm my eligibility for concession, rebate or service and will disclose to the Bridge Housing Ltd my personal information including my name/address/income/assets/one-off payment/deductions/shared care arrangements/partner status.

• This consent, once signed, remains valid while I am a customer of Bridge Housing Ltd unless I withdraw it by contacting Bridge Housing Ltd or Services Australia.
  

• I can obtain proof of my circumstances/details from Services Australia and provide it to Bridge Housing Ltd so that my eligibility for concession, rebate or service can be determined.

• if I withdraw my consent or do not alternatively provide proof of my circumstances/details, I may not be eligible for the concession, rebate or service provided by Bridge Housing Ltd

I understand that: 

• this consent, once signed, is effective for the service/s indicated, and only for the period that I am a customer of Bridge Housing Ltd

• consent for EVoR and Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS), which is ongoing, may be withdrawn by me, at any time, by giving notice in writing to Bridge Housing Ltd or by contacting Services Australia
  

• I will be advised every time Bridge Housing Ltd provides information to Services Australia for EVoR 

• Bridge Housing Ltd will maintain a record of my consent for a minimum of two years from the date I cease to be a Customer of the Business

• if I withdraw part or all of this consent in relation to Electronic Verification of Rent that I will be responsible for notifying Services Australia of all future changes to my accommodation circumstances

• I will be able to obtain a written copy of the income statements Services Australia provides to the Business at any time from either the department or Bridge Housing Ltd

• I must tell Services Australia if: 

            ▪ I change my address 

            ▪ my relationship status changes 

            ▪ I start or stop sharing my accommodation with anyone else

            ▪ I purchase or sell any real estate.

Bridge Housing's Privacy Policy describes how personal information about you is collected, stored, shared to external parties and discarded in accordance with the NSW Privacy Act 1998.