Discussion with NRAS Providers Ltd

Discussion withNRAS Providers Ltd

Bryan Palmer

26 September 2014

Canberra

Overview of the discussion

Ask Approved Participants to check their current documents (especially MRVs) and lodge corrected documents – give APs time to get these uploaded on the NRAS portal [Now]
Amend the regulations (subject to GG), including to
index MRVs, allow for late lodgement and to allow for some more administrative flexibility [Mid/late Oct]
Assess the updated claims for payment under new regulations, and where eligible, make the payment [Start after Regulations; may take some time]

Not seeking to make ineligible for payment any approved participant who would have been eligible for payment under the current Regulations
As far as possible, align the regulations with current administrative practice, in part guided by the administrative guidelines issued in July 2008

3 month transition period to lodge changes to proposed location or style (last day: Monday 22/12/2014)
All change requests need a statement of any associated commercial arrangements
After transition period only one more delivery date change; and only up to 3 months
We will be writing to all due by 23/12/2014 and asking for a change request or voluntary relinquishment. We will consider the withdrawal of any remaining overdue reservations around that time.

Cannot agree delivery after 30/6/2016 – or 31/7/2015 for reservations from the Shovel Ready funding round
From Tuesday 23/12/2014, once a reservation reaches its due date, or the above final dates, it will be provisionally allocated and the 10 year incentive period will commence.
But incentive payment only made from date completed and tenanted
State support varies depending on their budgets and you should talk to your state government representative about their timeframes.

Charities are able to elect once a year whether to receive incentives in cash or as an RTO (noting that only charities can be paid in cash).
Election must be made by 31 December
Charity must be a charity for entire NRAS year to receive a cash payment

Final lodgement date for compliance statement moved from 13 May to 30 June each year
Part-year payments allowed in more cases
Dwellings cannot be vacant for more than 26 weeks
Application integrity – possible withdrawal or revocation for false or misleading applications
Current method for calculating the incentive value has been clarified (no value change)

New application form under Regulation 20 for the transfer of an allocation to another rental dwelling (previously called substitutions)
New application form under Regulation 21 for the transfer of an allocation to another Approved Participant, person or entity.
New application form under Regulation 23A for variations to the conditions of reservation

We have a major FOFMs NRAS portal update scheduled for December 2014.
Implementing the changes to provide for provisional allocations and restriction of change requests
More business rules around the MRV dates, and statement of compliance dates, supporting APs to be compliant including reminders for 4th & 7th year MRV
Ongoing system changes into the future to support other regulation changes.

We have moved from a phone based service to an email based service ()
It allows us to better monitor and quality control the advice we give NRAS applicants and approved participants
It also allows us to maximise the consistency of advice we give
We will aim to turn around a response within two working days. But note: we don’t give legal advice
We will review this approach once we have completed the NRAS 2013-14 payments.

Review Scheme to see whether further regulatory changes are needed
Determine whether and what corrective action is needed in respect of past year payments

Bryan Palmer

Group Manager

Housing, Homelessness and Gambling