Guide to bond loans and rental grants
Check your eligibility for bond loans and rental grants
Eligibility for a Bond Loan or Bridging Bond Loan
To be eligible for a Bond Loan or Bridging Bond Loan, you must meet these conditions:
- You’re not currently living in the property you need the bond for.
- You’re an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have a temporary protection or bridging visa.
- You don’t own or part-own a:
- residential property
- caravan or mobile home, or a live-aboard boat permanently connected to household utilities.
- You have less than $5,500 in cash or savings among all the bond loan applicants (not including dependents).
- You don’t have outstanding debts with the housing department. (If you have a debt with us, you’ll need to sign a debt repayment agreement.)
- The rent for the home won’t be more than 60% of the total gross weekly income of all applicants.
- You meet the income limits for your household (see below for details).
Bond Loans or Bridging Bond Loans are automatically approved for people who are experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence, and have provided information about their circumstances.
Eligibility for Bond Loan Plus
To be eligible for Bond Loan Plus, you must meet all conditions for a Bond Loan/Bridging Bond Loan, except that the rent for the home can't be more than 50% of the total gross weekly income of all applicants.
We don’t recommend Bond Loan Plus for people who are experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence. Instead, you should apply for a Bond Loan and Rental Grant.
Eligibility for a Rental Grant
To be eligible for a Rental Grant, you must meet all the conditions for a Bond Loan/Bridging Bond Loan and not have received a Rental Grant before.
You must also meet at least 1of these conditions:
- You stayed in accommodation arranged by a homelessness service for more than 28 continuous days (e.g. emergency housing or a women's shelter) and are applying for a rental grant within 3 months of leaving.
- You left a correctional facility after being incarcerated for at least 28 days and are applying for a rental grant within 3 months of leaving.
- You left a hospital, health or mental health facility within the last 3 months where you stayed for at least 28 days and are applying for a rental grant within 3 months of leaving.
- You left a child protection service within the last 3 months where you lived for at least 28 days or you’re still in care and want to live independently.
- You or someone in your household is experiencing domestic and family violence or sexual violence (outside of domestic and family violence).
- You’re leaving a community-based rent scheme in Queensland to move into a rental home and applying for a rental grant within 14 days of leaving.
- You’re currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
If you’re an applicant under the age of 18, call Housing Services on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) for more information.
Income limits for bond loans and rental grants
To be eligible, the combined gross (before-tax) income of all applicants can’t be more than the limits shown below.
Combined gross income includes:
- all forms of income received by each applicant, including wages, income support payments from Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Family Tax Benefit payments, Youth Allowance, other Centrelink special-purpose payments and income from investments.
We don’t assess the:
- Veterans' Affairs Total and Permanent Impairment Disability Pensions or Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Special (Special Rate) Payments (from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs)
- income of dependent children under 18 years or any benefits paid to children living with parents).
Bond Loans and Bridging Bond Loans are automatically approved for people who are experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, and have provided information about their circumstances.
However, we don’t recommend Bond Loan Plus for people in these circumstances. Instead, you should apply for a Bond Loan and Rental Grant.
If you’re an applicant under the age of 18, call Housing Services on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) for more information.
See the table below for income limits. Note that ‘Weekly income (before tax)’ refers to how much you can earn in a week and still be eligible for a Bond Loan, Bridging Bond Loan, Bond Loan Plus or Rental Grant.
Household type | Private rental limits March 2024 |
|---|---|
1 adult | $1,325 |
2 adults | $1,987 |
3 adults | $2,649 |
4 adults | $3,312 |
1 adult with 1 dependant | $1,722 |
1 adult with 2 dependants | $2,119 |
1 adult with 3 dependants | $2,517 |
1 adult with 4 dependants | $2,914 |
2 adults with 1 dependant | $2,384 |
2 adults with 2 dependants | $2,782 |
2 adults with 3 dependants | $3,179 |
2 adults with 4 dependants | $3,576 |
Use the information below to calculate income eligibility for household types not identified in the table:
- first adult: $1324.61
- each additional adult: $662.31
- each dependant: $397.38.
The total household income limit is then rounded to the nearest dollar.
Income eligibility limits are assessed on the total income for all applicants, not an individual applicant’s income. An applicant is a person who will sign the tenancy agreement.
If you don’t meet criteria
If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria, contact us to discuss your circumstances:
- phone Housing Services on 13 QGOV (13 74 68)
- email HousingEnquiry@smartservice.qld.gov.au
- contact your nearest Housing Service Centre.
In this guide:
- Check your eligibility for bond loans and rental grants
- How to apply
- After you have applied
- Repaying your bond loan
- Existing bond loans