Help with bond assistance for private rental

To be eligible to apply, you must meet the following conditions.

Exemptions may be made in priority circumstances. This can include people escaping family violence or sponsored refugees.

Residency

You must be:

• an Australian citizen
• a permanent resident of Australia
• hold a Special Category Visa or Temporary Protection Visa
• be a resident in the Northern Territory for the 3 months prior to putting in your application.

Age limit

You must be at least 18 years old to apply.

Income and asset limits

The income and assets limits apply to all people who are applying for private rental bond assistance.

Income

You must declare all sources of income including income you may get from overseas.

The rent you will pay must not be more than 53% of your income.

If you're eligible for Commonwealth Rent Assistance, this amount will be included in the income assessment, even if you haven't applied for or received it.

Assets

Assets you will need to declare include:

• savings and cash holdings
• recreational vehicles, quad bikes and trail bikes
• boats
• caravans, camping trailers and mobile homes
• stock market bonds and investments
• superannuation and rollover funds that can be accessed
• compensation payments
• land or property.

Find a full list of what assets are assessed when you apply for bond assistance.

Assets not included are:

• personal affects
• general household furniture
• personal vehicles and other forms of transport, including:
  • cars
  • motorbikes
  • mobility scooters.

*Income and asset limits were last changed on 9 October 2023.

Outstanding housing debt

If you have an outstanding debt with housing, you can apply if you:

• have a current agreement to pay (ATP) and the agreed payments are up to date or
• you complete and sign a new ATP for it.

But if your ATPs for your debt and bond assistance is more than 30% of your gross weekly income, you will not be eligible.

To apply, you must be able to provide:

• proof of income
• details of all assets
• proof you have been a Northern Territory resident for 3 months or more
• photo identification.

Your application will be assessed by housing, and you will receive a letter regarding the outcome.

If you have been approved

You will be sent an approval letter which:

• is valid for 6 weeks
• will include the maximum amount you are eligible for
• you must use with your rental applications.

If you’re unable to find a rental property within those 6 weeks, you can request a 3-week extension.

After that, you must submit a new application with up-to-date documentation.

If you have not been approved

You can talk with the staff at your local housing office. They may be able to suggest other options available.

You must take a copy of the rental agreement to your local housing office.

They will then set up an agreement to pay (ATP), where you pay back the loan over time.

The loan money is then paid directly to your landlord or real estate agent.

You may use bond assistance more than once but only if the previous money:

• has been repaid in full or
• is being paid over time via an ATP.

Your minimum repayments will be based on the amount you borrow and the number of weekly payments.

These repayments are listed in your agreement with housing.

If your tenancy agreement ends, you can repay the outstanding loan using the bond amount returned to you by your landlord.

You can also ask your landlord or real-estate agent to return this amount directly to housing.

If you experience financial stress

For up to 6 weeks, you can request the minimum repayment of $10 per week during your loan period.

To make this request, you must attend your local housing office to sign a new agreement to pay (ATP).

This ATP will include a new repayment schedule with:

• your reduced payments (for up to 6 weeks) and
• the increased repayments after to ensure the loan period does not exceed 18 months.

You can only request reduced payments twice during your loan period.

If you receive a Centrelink payment, you may also be eligible for help with rental payments.

You can read more about rental assistance on the Australian Government's Department of Social Services website.