The Residential Rent Relief Programme (RRRP) aims to help tenants in social housing who were financially affected because of the COVID-19 pandemic (these tenants or housing beneficiaries are defined in the Social Housing Act and Regulations). Tenants who were lost their jobs or had their income cut can apply for rent relief during the period of April 2020 to September 2020 only.
The RRRP is now in Phase 2 of implementations. The following changes have been effected for Phase 2 of the programme:
- The revisions provide for an extension of the period to provide for 1 April 2020 up to 31 March 2021. It also considers the impact of the pandemic on the financial position of the landlords and proposes measures to address that.
- Rent Relief could not be implemented from 1 April 2022 and final payments were made in March 2022 since the funds needed to be accounted for in the Annual Financial Statements of the SHRA. Further implementation was dependent on approval to retain the cash surplus from National Treasury, which has been received.
- The rent relief funding is a temporary grant that will apply up to 31 March 2023 and it is a separate grant to assist and support, given the impact of the pandemic period (1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021).
- It is anticipated that the revised framework and policy will assist the landlords with the historic debt that created major challenges for their day-to-day operations and still has a major impact on these landlords where it ultimately also affects security of tenure for tenants within the social housing projects.