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    Accommodation Services

    AMES Australia provides various types of accommodation support to newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers based on need.

    Our clients coming through to AMES Australia Accommodation Services are disadvantaged in the private rental market as they have low income, no previous rental history and struggle due to language barriers.

    Accommodation support could include:

    • Meeting clients upon arrival to Victoria and ensuring that any emergency needs are addressed immediately
    • On-arrival accommodation is provided to clients in need until they have sourced and secured long-term accommodation
    • Transporting clients to their designated accommodation where they are oriented into the property and emergency services are explained to them
    • Assisting clients with sourcing and securing long term accommodation
    • All clients are provided with tenancy training and with information on the Orientation Program

    The training ensures that clients are aware of tenancy governing laws and their obligation as a tenant. Topics covered are as follows:

    • Searching for a house
    • Applying for house
    • Signing lease, bond condition report
    • Paying rent on time, in advance and methods of paying rent
    • Budgeting and paying bills
    • Tenant rights and responsibilities
    • Moving out
    • Landlord/Agent entry and Privacy
    • Rubbish system in Australia
    • Repairs, maintenance and care of the property
    • Informing of relevant parties of new address
    • Where to get information on housing advice

    A welcome home is an evaluation of AMES Australia Settlement and Asylum Seeker Programs (SASP) Accommodation Services Model by the Centre for Refugee Research, University of NSW. The report evaluates a housing model that supports refugees and asylum seekers in their settlement and integration, seeking to reduce barriers such as expensive rental accommodation that is in short supply and ensure that clients develop skills and knowledge to independently manage their housing needs in the future.

    Clients are provided with the following Tenancy Information Packs in their own language to refer to at any time. The Tenancy Information Pack assists in the delivery and reinforcement of the Tenancy training and Orientation program training:

    A series of multilingual videos have been developed by Consumer Affairs Victoria and AMES Australia to explain tenants’ rights and responsibilities. The animated clips have been dubbed into Arabic, Karen, Swahili and Dari for the benefit of Victoria’s growing Iraqi, Syrian, Myanmar and Congolese communities.

    You can view the videos here:

    Why Real Estate Agents prefer our clients?

    AMES Australia Accommodation Services ensures that clients are good tenants by the time they exit accommodation services. We ensure that clients fully understand real estate vocabulary and the system. Clients are assisted with the lodgement of all real estate documentation in timely manner.

    All clients are educated on how to be a good tenant through the Tenancy Training and Orientation Program.

    A Case Manager and Housing Worker are allocated to each client to liaise with Real Estate Agents and stakeholders in the client’s search for suitable accommodation.

    If any issues arise the client is supported by their designated Housing Worker that closely works with the real Estate Agent to address any issues. Housing Workers will work closely with Real Estate Agents to resolve any issues that arise in a timely and appropriate manner.