Partnership between B.Miles Women's Housing and The Women's Housing Company
B. Miles has expanded its reach into the inner west of Sydney. In conjunction with theWomen’s Housing Company we have 2 units in Dulwich Hill. Unlike our properties in the Eastern Suburbs, we are not the landlord of the Dulwich Hill units. The Women’s Housing Company is the landlord.
B. Miles Role
Our role is strictly limited to the selection and support of the two tenants. The tenants are provided with the same support as all our other tenants and are required to meet the same eligibility requirements. Length of stay within the Dulwich Hill units is between 3 and 18 months, which is consistent with our properties in the Eastern Suburbs. B. Miles can withdraw support if necessary. For example, if the tenant does not want to maintain regular contact with her B. Miles support worker, we have the option to withdraw support. It is our responsibility to inform the Women’s Housing Company of any such action.
Women’s Housing Company Role
As the landlord, the Women’s Housing Company collects rent and manages repairs and maintenance. Rent arrears, evictions etc are their responsibility. As with other B. Miles tenants, the leases are for a 3-month period. If the tenancy progresses well, the tenant is given the option to renew the lease every 3 months, until her time within the Scheme expires. If B. Miles were to withdraw support, the Women’s Housing Company may not elect to renew the lease. Each situation would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
How else does Dulwich Hill differ?
As B. Miles is not the landlord of the Dulwich Hill units, we do not receive any rent. The rent goes to the Women’s Housing Company. The Dulwich Hill tenants pay for their own utilities (gas, electricity and phone) and their rent is 25% of their income. B. Miles received a one-off grant from the NSW Department of Community Services in 2002 to provide furnishings in the 2 units. We do not receive any recurrent funding to replace furnishings. As B. Miles receives NO income from the tenants, nor any recurrent funding to replace furnishings, we cannot guarantee that the flats will be furnished.