Bond Grant

You may be able to get a Bond Grant if you need to pay bond because you're entering a tenancy that the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) applies to, for example a tenancy agreement. You can also apply if your existing bond is being increased because of a rent increase. 

You can apply for a bond grant for a General Bond or a Pet Bond.

We'll also take into account other factors, such as:

• your situation
• if you can afford to stay in the accommodation long-term.
• how long you’ll be living in your accommodation (generally this needs to be at least 28 days)
• if this is the best payment for you
• what other help is available to you.

There are also residency and income criteria you need to meet.

If you're not entering a tenancy under the RTA, we may still be able to help. You may be able to get an Accommodation Security Cover Grant to help with outstanding costs when you leave your accommodation.

 Accommodation Security Cover Grant

Residency criteria

You must be either:

• getting a main benefit, NZ Super or Veteran's Pension, or
• ordinarily resident in New Zealand and either:
  • a New Zealand citizen
  • have a residence class visa under the Immigration Act 2009
  • recognised as a refugee or protected person under the Immigration Act 2009, or
  • getting a Special Needs Grant because you came to New Zealand on a temporary visa to be with your New Zealand partner and your relationship ended due to domestic violence.

Main benefit

Ordinarily resident 

Income criteria

Getting a Bond Grant also depends on:

• how much you and your partner earn
• any money or assets you and your partner have.

Income limits

Asset limits

Assets include money in the bank, or things like a caravan or second property. Assets don't include the things you need for day-to-day living, like the home where you live or your car.

The Bond Grant is to help pay the cost of your bond, including an increase to an existing bond due to a rent increase, even if you have more than one bond. For example you may have to pay for a General Bond and a Pet Bond.

We pay for whichever is the lowest of:

• 4 weeks rent, or
• the amount your landlord asks for, or
• your share of the bond.

The most you can get is 4 weeks rent. If your bond is being increased, the grant can cover the increase up to these same limits. You need to pay the Bond Grant back.

The Bond Grant and Accommodation Security Cover Grant are paid for similar reasons. This means you can only get these payments a total of twice in 52 weeks (i.e. 1 year). So within 52 weeks, you could get either:

• 2 Bond Grants
• 2 Accommodation Security Cover Grants, or
• 1 Bond Grant and 1 Accommodation Security Cover Grant.

You may be able to get another grant if there's an exceptional situation outside your control, for example:

• you need to move unexpectedly through no fault of your own, or
• you're in a family violence situation.

Call us on 0800 559 009

If you get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension, call Senior Services on 0800 552 002

We may need to book you an appointment either to come in and see us, or a phone appointment. We'll let you know if this is the case.

You'll need to provide proof of the amount of bond, for example a:

• tenancy agreement, or
• bond form which is signed by the landlord, or
• written notice from your landlord showing the bond increase due to a rent increase.

If you have a shared tenancy

If you share your tenancy with:

• your partner, you can apply for your portion and your partner's portion of the bond. Or your partner can apply separately for their portion.
• someone else, you can only apply for your portion of the bond. The other person will need to apply separately for their portion of the bond.

If your bond is being increased due to a rent increase, you can only apply for your portion of the increase. Anyone else who needs to pay (e.g. your partner or flatmates) must apply separately for their own portions.

If your application's approved, we'll pay the bond directly to the landlord.

We'll check if your landlord's already a supplier with us. If they're not, we'll ask them to register as a supplier by completing a 'Supplier Registration Form'. This is so we can make the payment to them.

Register as a supplier