Bond guarantee scheme - tenants

How the scheme works

• The bond is a legally binding agreement given to the landlord in place of a cash deposit.
• The bond is equivalent to a maximum of one month's rent and no more than the Local Housing Allowance entitlement for the size of the property.

Benefits of the scheme

• It provides an additional option to social housing. You may have to wait a long time to find social housing and private rented accommodation is often a quicker option.
• There is more choice of area/type of property. Private rented accommodation is not restricted to what's available on the Councils Choice Based Lettings system.
• Properties are inspected to ensure that they meet the current housing standards and that all the relevant safety certificates are in place and up to date. We check gas/electric/EPC (Energy Performance) certificates.
• We will review the tenancy at 1 monthly, 3 monthly, 5 monthly and 10 monthly intervals to address any issues/problems that have arisen.
• We provide advice and support throughout the life of the tenancy.
• We will help you save up your own bond. We will ask you to pay into a bond savings scheme, but this is always set at a level you can afford. If your landlord does not claim against the bond any money you have saved will be returned to you. If a landlord does make a claim we would offset any monies saved by you against the claim. Once the savings reach the value of the bond, this can be released to you in order for you to take ownership of your own tenancy.

Eligibility for the scheme

To be eligible for a bond guarantee you are likely to be:

• homeless, about to become homeless, or living in insecure accommodation.
• on low income or benefits, and have little or no savings.
• able to maintain a tenancy.
• able to show a local connection with Kirklees.
• and have a priority need under homelessness legislation.

After your tenancy ends

• If the landlord does not make a claim against the bond guarantee the money that you have paid in to the scheme is returned to you.
• If they do make a claim, it is deducted from the bond guarantee.

Contact us

You can call into one of our customer services centres, telephone or email us.