Housing Aid Bond Scheme – A Guide for Tenants

Helping city residents into good quality accommodation

What is the Housing Aid Bond Scheme?
Who can get support from the Scheme?
How the Scheme works
Rent in Advance
Guarantee Bond
Rent Levels
Property Standards
Offers
Sign Ups
Housing Benefit
Ongoing Support
Bond Renewal
How to Apply
Interested?

What is the Housing Aid Bond Scheme?

The Housing Aid Bond Scheme assists Nottingham City residents who are homeless or threatened with homelessness into good quality private rented accommodation.  

If you want to move into rented accommodation but cannot afford to pay the rent in advance or to pay the deposit, this Scheme may be able to help you.

Who can get support from the Scheme?

The Housing Aid Bond Scheme supports families, single people and childless couples who are:

• Residents of Nottingham City
• Either homeless or threatened with homelessness
• Unable to pay rent in advance or the deposit for private rented accommodation.

How the Scheme works

All referrals are made through Housing Aid.  If you meet the referral criteria you will be invited to attend an interview at Housing Aid.  During the interview we will assess whether or not we feel you are suitable for the Scheme.

If you are eligible for the Scheme, you will be asked for your preferences about where you would like to live.  We will try to match these preferences as far as possible.

Rent In Advance

If you receive Housing Benefit, Housing Aid will pay four weeks’ rent in advance. This amount is then reclaimed from the first month’s Housing Benefit payment.  

If you are working, then you will be expected to pay your own rent in advance.

Guarantee Bond

Housing Aid issues a guarantee Bond to landlords instead of a cash deposit. This Bond is up to the value of four weeks’ rent and can be claimed against for rent arrears and damage to the property other than fair wear and tear. The Bond is a written agreement - we do not pay cash deposits.

Rent Levels

The amount guaranteed in the Bond can not exceed market rents. In order to assess this level you will be asked to complete a form called a ‘Pre-Tenancy Determination’. This form will be sent to the rent office who will determine a fair rent level.  This level will represent the maximum amount that the Bond will guarantee and that Housing Benefit will pay. If the rent is much higher than the fair rent determination the scheme will be unable to guarantee a bond.

If you are working and can demonstrate that you can afford a rent level above the fair rent determination, then the tenancy can go ahead, but the Bond level will not exceed the fair rent.

Property standards

An Officer from Housing Aid will visit the property to complete an inventory. This will be used to judge any claims made against the Bond. If the property is not felt to be of a suitable standard, Housing Aid will contact the landlord and ask them to complete any outstanding repairs.  If a property does not meet minimum standards, then Housing Aid will not guarantee a Bond.

Offers

You will be made two offers of accommodation from the waiting list. If you refuse both offers, you will be removed from the waiting list.

Sign Ups

Once the inventories and rent levels have been agreed, Housing Aid will arrange for you to view the property. If all parties then agree, Housing Aid will sign you up to the property as soon as possible. This is completed at Housing Aid. If the landlord is not present at the sign up, all documents will be sent to the landlord to be signed and returned. The rent in advance and Bond will be issued as soon as these documents are received at Housing Aid.

Housing Benefit

Housing Aid has a direct link with the Housing Benefit Department and will assist all applicants in applying for Housing Benefit. It is a condition of the sign up that the tenant provides all proofs required for Housing Benefit purposes. If the proofs are not provided, then the sign up does not go ahead.

If you are aged 25 or under your Housing Benefit entitlement is restricted to single room rent. You will therefore only be offered shared accommodation though the scheme.

Ongoing support

Once you have moved into the property, Housing Aid will still offer support to both you and your landlord.  

If you feel that you need any further support with your tenancy, contact Housing Aid and we will put this in place.

If you breach your tenancy agreement or cause persistent problems for the landlord, Housing Aid will withdraw support from you but will continue to support the landlord in resolving the issues.

Bond Renewal

After the initial six months Housing Aid will renew the Bond for a further six months, as long as all parties are in agreement and there have been no claims made on the Bond. After this second six month period it is for the landlord and tenant to come to an arrangement, which Housing Aid will support.

Most of our landlords are looking to rent their properties for the long term and we always enquire about this before agreeing to work with a landlord.

How to Apply

Generally, all referrals are made face to face at Housing Aid. An adviser will discuss your situation and decide if a referral is appropriate. If you are unable to come in to Housing Aid, please contact our main number for assistance.

Interested?

If you are interested in working with the Housing Aid Bond Scheme, please contact Housing Aid on 0115 915 3000.

Alternatively you can email your query to bond.scheme@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Housing Aid
135 Lower Parliament Street
Nottingham
NG1 1EE

Phone: 0115 915 3000
Fax: 0115 915 3073
Email: bond.scheme@nottinghamcity.gov.uk