Our Personal Loans can help you pay for rental bonds, moving costs and more in Canberra and the ACT.
*Subject to lending criteria, T's and C's'
*Subject to lending criteria, T's and C's'
Rental bonds can leave a huge dent in your savings when starting a new tenancy agreement, especially if you have to pay upfront or by yourself.
A Rental Bond Personal Loan with Jacaranda Finance can allow you to pay that deposit quickly without dipping into your hard-earned savings. Instead, you can repay a loan from $3,000 over manageable instalments starting from 25 months.
We know how important it is to receive your funds in a timely manner. As a hard-working Australian, you don't have time to waste on needless paperwork.
That’s why Jacaranda Finance makes applying for a Personal Loan to cover rental bonds and moving expenses simple with our fast, 100% online application.
Check if you qualify without affecting your credit score today.
Home to the nation's capital city, the ACT is a bustling territory with plenty to do and see. While the average income in Canberra is higher than most of Australia, so too can be the cost of living and with that, the cost of renting.
According to the Domain Rental Report for the March 2024 quarter, in Canberra:
These numbers mean Canberra is the second most expensive capital city for renters in Australia, behind only Sydney at $725 per week. It's also much higher than the average weekly rent across the capital cities of $593 per week.
This makes the typical rental bond in the ACT very expensive indeed...
In the ACT, a rental bond can be any amount up to a maximum of 4 weeks of rent. This is set out by the ACT Revenue Office. The lessor may also request two weeks of rent in advance on top of the bond.
Using that average weekly rent of $628, you could therefore expect to pay around $2,512 for the typical rental bond in Canberra. With the added two weeks on top, this number jumps to $3,768.
If you need help paying for these costs, consider a Jacaranda Finance Personal Loan, which starts at $3,000.
Below is more information on rental bonds in each Australian state/territory and how to get a personal loan for these costs.
We've compiled some key pieces of information below for renters in the ACT that may answer your questions.
Refer to the resources tab at the end for official sources of information when it comes to paying a rental bond in the ACT.
To lodge a bond in the ACT, tenants must complete the Tenant Bond Lodgement form. The lessor or agent will then receive a notification of the completed form and accept the lodgement via the Rental Bonds Portal.
Bonds can only be lodged by direct deposit to the Rental Bonds account. Currently, the Rental Bonds Portal is only available for landlords and agents, but ACT Revenue is developing accounts for tenants and is trialling this with a small group.
The bond money is held with the ACT Revenue Office for the entirety of the lease. It will then be paid back after the tenancy is completed, provided no money is owed for rent, damages to the property, or other costs.
Once the tenancy ends, the bond will be refunded, provided no money is owed for rent, damages to the property, or other costs. Tenants, landlords, or agents can make refund requests through the Rental Bonds Portal.
To ensure you get your bond back, keep the premises in good condition throughout the tenancy. Using bond cleaners can help ensure the property is clean. Documenting the condition of the property with an Entry Condition Report and photos can provide evidence in case of disputes about property damage.
Refunds are processed through the Rental Bonds Portal once both parties agree​.
Landlords or agents can claim the bond for several reasons, including:
Claims must be supported by evidence such as receipts and condition reports​.
If any tenants, the landlord, or the agent do not agree with the bond refund amount, they can choose not to sign the Bond Refund Form. The parties that did not sign will be issued a notice, and they can then dispute the refund amount.
In the case of a dispute, ACT Rental Bonds will notify the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) of the situation. Both landlords and co-tenants can apply to ACAT to resolve a tenancy dispute.
The ACT Revenue Office is the governing body for renting and housing in the ACT, and upholds the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and Residential Tenancies Regulation 1998.
Some non-government services available for tenants include:
Our loans are designed to be fast, fair, and, above all, affordable, with no hidden fees. See the table below for a quick guide to our charges, or visit our fees page to learn more. For detailed information about who our products are designed for, please review our Target Market Determinations.
Need more information? Here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about Rental Bond Loans in the ACT.
A rental bond loan is simply a loan you can use to pay for your rental deposit and any other associated moving costs.
Instead of dipping into your hard-earned savings, a Jacaranda Finance Personal Loan lets you repay the money in manageable instalments starting from 25 months.
A bond is a sum of money paid by a tenant to a landlord or agent before moving into a property. It acts as security against any potential damage or unpaid rent during the lease period. The bond is typically lodged with a government authority, governed by state laws, ensuring fair handling and dispute resolution.
When the lease agreement ends, the bond is refunded to the tenant if there are no outstanding issues. Different rules may apply per state, so we recommend reviewing local legislation for accurate tenancy guidelines.
Our loan application process has been designed to be as simple and quick as possible, as we know how important it is to receive your funds in a timely manner. How quickly you can apply for a personal loan and receive your funds will depend on your situation.
Applying for a loan with Jacaranda Finance takes most people 5-12 minutes1, but it could take longer depending on a number of factors such as but not limited to how fast you are at typing or if you have all the required information on hand.
After applying, most customers get an outcome on their loan application on the same day during normal business hours once we have received all of the supporting information we require. We do not guarantee same-day outcomes for all customers.2
Once an applicant has been approved and they have signed a contract, we automatically attempt to release the money to the applicant's bank account. Most customers have a New Payments Platform (NPP) bank account and receive the money in their bank account within 60 seconds. For other customers, the money will be available overnight on weekdays and overnight the following business day if approved on a weekend or public holiday.3
Before you formally apply with Jacaranda, you can check if you qualify for a loan in a way that does not impact your credit score. We do this by performing a 'soft' credit check that is only visible to you.
If you don't meet our initial criteria, your credit score won't be affected.
Once you've checked your eligibility and we've let you know that you do qualify for a loan, you have the option to move forward with a full application.
We will perform a credit assessment during this process, which involves checking your credit report. By submitting a full application, you authorise Jacaranda Finance to obtain a copy of your full credit file, referred to as a 'hard' credit check.
Other lenders will be able to see that you applied for a loan with Jacaranda.
This might impact your credit score.
Review our Privacy Policy for more information.
You can view your repayments from either the Better Credit app or online portal and contact our friendly customer service team to request any changes that you need.
Download the app on the Google or Apple store today.
Read more: Personal Loan Repayments 101.Our fixed-rate Personal Loans can be used for a variety of reasons beyond just rental bonds and moving costs:
$3,000 - $25,000
