Bond Loan Scheme
Bond Information
Rent Assistance
Bond Loan Scheme
Local students may be eligable for an Office of Housing (OoH-DHS) non interest bond loan. For more informatin on the Office of Housing, go to http://hnb.dhs.vic.gov.au/OOH/ne5ninte.nsf/childdocs/-6DF6046DC29A4D2CCA25711B001AB577-2AAC12A0DC258E774A256803000F0323.
Eligibility Criteria:
- You need to be a permanent Australian resident
- Have a current health care
- Want to rent a place that is 55% or less of your total income
- Do not own your own house or flat already
- Have repaid any previous OoH loans in full
- Single people can borrow a max $400 for an OOH bond if their GROSS income is $315 or less weekly
- Families and shared households can borrow a max $600.
How To Apply For Bond Assistance
Step 1: Once you have been accepted for a housing vacancy ask your landlord for a 'proof of tenancy' letter including (a) owners name and contact details (b) the address of the rental property(c) your share of the rent and bond (d) and date you will start the lease. Do not pay ANY of the bond yourself at this stage, as the OoH can't reimburse you.
Step 2: Download and complete a Bond Assistance Application (available on the Office of Housing web site).
Step 3: Find the address of your nearest Office of Housing.
Step 4: Lodge a completed Bond Assistance Application form (orange) at your Office of Housing with (a) Current Centrelink Statement (b) Current Bank Receipt (c) 2 forms of identification (1 needs to have a photo) (eg: drivers licence, health care card, student card, library card, birth certificate, passport) and (d) Proof of Tenancy.
Step 5: Await approval/rejection. Office of Housing will approve/reject application within 24 hours.
Step 6: If you are successful, you or your Real Estate Agent will be given a cheque that needs to be lodged with the Residential Tenancy Bond Authority (RTBA) within 5 working days of the lease being signed. The RTBA holds the bond money until the lease ends.
Step 7: You will receive a receipt within 7 working days. If you do not receive a receipt, contact the RTBA (9627 6143 or 1800 137 164).
Step 8: You and the 'landlord' need to meet (not more than 7 days before the end of the lease) to decide if any of this bond money will be used to pay for mutually agreed property damage.
Bond Information
Bond money can't be used to pay rent arrears or utility bills owing.
Do not sign the bond claim form if (1) you do not agree with the landlords repair claims and/or (2) the landlord can not provide repair quotes and a condition report.
Do not sign the bond claim form prior to the final inspection. Do not sign this bond claim form in pencil and/or leave any blanks as details could be changed later
International students can show their return airline travel ticket at level 2, 452 Flinders Street, Melbourne to have their bond monies transferred into their local or international bank account on this day
All bond money borrowed from OoH is returned automatically minus agreed deductions. You need to repay any debt to the OoH before you can apply for Bond Assistance again
Rent Assistance
Students receiving Centrelink benefits may be eligable for fortnightly Rent Assistance.
Local students may be eligable for a Housing Emergency Fund (HEF) or One-Off Utility grant. Any student experiencing rent, utility and/or telephone bill difficulties can contact Student Services.
