Four years ago, personal trainer Frank became a novice property investor.

After talking to a financial adviser about where to invest his savings, he and his wife decided to buy an apartment. But instead of finding a mainstream real estate agency, they joined the National Rental Affordability Scheme.

The couple now own a unit in Altona and Travancore, both of which are rented to tenants on low incomes.

“We had one couple that came in that had excellent references, and the second one is a young mum,” Frank, who did not want his surname published, said.

As part of the federal government scheme, Frank receives financial incentives and the tenants receive financial support to pay rent.

“In the main it was a financial decision but at the same time, I’ve always thought about supporting homeless people in the past,” he said.

“We realise the situation the tenants are in – my parents were migrants to this country, so were my wife’s, so to help people out, it just felt right for us to do.

“That was just the cherry on top.”

In the wake of a new vacancy tax, housing advocates want owners of empty properties in inner Melbourne to consider renting to tenants on low incomes.

The Andrews government has announced the new vacancy tax will apply to 16 local government areas from January 1 next year. It is estimated there are 20,000 empty dwellings in metropolitan Melbourne.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the tax would send a strong message to land-banking property owners that they needed to sell or rent out their homes.

Urban Choices is one of several real estate and property management agencies run by community housing providers in Melbourne.

Manager Darren Pearce said agencies like his offered a simple solution that benefited investors and the wider community.

“We want to fill these empty homes with good people who need them,” Mr Pearce said.

He moved to reassure people who might be confused or hesitant about how the process worked. “Property owners need to know this is exactly our area of expertise. We know how to manage these tenancies, look after the tenant and look after the property.”

Prospective tenants are usually heavily vetted and must prove they have a steady income.

Home Ground Real Estate, a not-for-profit real estate agency run by Launch Housing, want 1000 empty homes – about 14 per cent of the vacant properties in inner Melbourne – returned to the rental market.

“It could make a huge difference to someone’s life,” said the organisation’s deputy chief, Heather Holst.

Frank, who grew up in a housing estate in Geelong, encouraged other property owners to look into alternate ways to rent out their homes.

“I honestly don’t quite know how low-income families make ends meet with the cost of rent,” he said, adding that his adult son pays $250 a week to share a two-bedroom apartment in the CBD.

“I wouldn’t like to be in the rental market.”