THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE
The Bond Board exists to provide housing and support in the private rented sector for the hundreds of homeless and vulnerable households that ask us for help each year. Despite the challenges of the rental housing market, including rapidly rising rents and landlords selling up, we were able to support 1775 homeless households to get housed or maintain their homes in 2025. We also continued to deliver support, training and incentives to over 200 landlords and letting agents who provide homes for homeless and low-income households.
‘These guys got me out of a homeless hostel (after spending 3yrs there!!!). Even now I get help with my flat and anything else they can help with, and I‘ve been here almost 4yrs now Happy and enjoying my life. Thanks to all the staff that helped and are helping me’.
What you need to know about The Bond Board’s impact in 2025
People Housed
Despite the challenging rental market and high rental prices, we rose to the challenge of getting homeless people housed.
- 154 new Bonds issued to house homeless people into affordable private rented accommodation.
- 166 homeless adults and 116 homeless children housed.
- 584 formerly homeless households currently housed and supported by The Bond Board.
- 72% of Bonds over 12 months old.
- 2005. The date we set up our longest open Bond.
‘Beautiful people. Friendly and helpful people. Made me feel like a valued human being’.
‘I’ve been provided with a Bond from The Bond Board after my previous landlord had to sell the property. Myself and my children could have been made homeless without this help, so housing advice has changed my life massively’.
‘They’re not just going to help you with housing, they’re also going to give you support, and if other people need support, then you should ring The Bond Board because they always answer with an open ear. Without The Bond Board, I’d definitely be homeless’.
‘You helped move me into a more suitable property and get my stuff moved which would have been extremely difficult for me to do myself due to my disability’.
Providing Innovative Solutions to Homelessness
We are passionate and like to get creative to find new solutions to the housing crisis.
- 193 private rented properties managed by our award winning Social Enterprise Housing Management Scheme-’Letting Out’.
- 25 empty properties brought back into use.
- 1865 attendances for advice and support at our ‘Quid’s In’ and Migrant drop-ins.
- 20,000+ support contacts with service users, landlords and partner agencies.
- 88 Free 6-month SIM cards to provide access to services and reduce social isolation.
‘The Bond Board are very dependable. If I need to contact them, they are always there. They are helpful, friendly, and most of all, they are very experienced’.
Homeless Prevention
In these difficult times, we continue to prioritise homeless prevention, providing early support, specialist housing advice and landlord/tenant mediation.
- 1775 private renting households have received support from Bond Board projects this year.
- 72% of the homeless people we housed remained in their tenancies for more than 12 months.
- 123 people supported by our Making the Link service were able to regain and maximise their independent living skills.
- 84 people engaged with community groups and non-statutory services.
- 113 people improved their social networks.
- 122 people improved their self-confidence.
‘You made sure I’m getting full entitlement to my benefits and made me aware that my landlord was breaking the law’.
‘I could have been illegally evicted if it wasn’t for the service you provided’.
‘To have nothing, it really knocks the stuffing of you. The Bond Board has been great. I feel like a man again and I’m ready to make a fresh start’.
‘To be honest, you have to have trust with the worker. I think that’s one of the reasons that I am here today, because you believed in me’.
Maximising Incomes
We put £1,151,123.00 into the pockets of our service users via support to claim rights and entitlements.
‘You advised me on PIP, Carer’s Allowance and Discretionary Housing Payments which we wouldn’t have been aware of otherwise. We feel more stable financially because of this help’.
‘He only sent the workmen round after The Bond Board got involved. I wouldn’t have been able to get through it all without L’s (Bond Board Worker) help. She even got me back pay for my PIP. I love my house. I’m so glad I’m not having to move. It’s all worked out perfectly’.
‘I wouldn’t have known what to have done without the advice and support. The service has reduced my stress a lot in comparison to what it could have been’.
Help In A Crisis
We believe everyone has the right to the basics in life, but times are tough and it can be a real struggle to make ends meet. We provide practical solutions to a crisis and provide longer term support, as needed, to make sure no one is left to cope alone.
- 116 vulnerable people safeguarded
- 414 households reduced their food poverty
- 249 households reduced their fuel poverty
- 288 households received essential household items
- 146 people received timely advice and support in relation to notice to leave their home
- 84 people engaged with community groups or non-statutory services
‘I’m dyslexic so I’m no good with all the paperwork, but they’ve helped me so much…with everything; my finances, the gas and electric, food vouchers. They’re really good. I don’t know, I think we’d be on the streets now if it wasn’t for them’.
‘Since I’ve been in touch with The Bond Board everything has been improving. You helped me set up a bank account which I’d been struggling to do for ages because I can’t read and write so having help sorting that out has helped me hugely’.
‘I didn’t know what I was doing until I spoke with the Bond Board, and they’ve given me more confidence and independence when it comes to speaking with landlords and knowing what I’m entitled to’.
Bond Board Service User
Watch one of our service users tell his story
Our Work With Private Landlords
We recognise and value the contribution private sector landlords can make in providing housing for homeless people. We work hard to engage our local landlords and offer a range of support, solutions and incentives to ensure a supply of decent, affordable housing for our service users.
- 0 the number of Landlord Bond claims refused. Yes, zero
- 35 new properties sourced and managed
- 212 different Landlords working with the Bond Board
- 92 Bonds closed, 45 claims received
- £20,579 total claim value on closed Bonds
‘The majority of my tenants are great. They look after the house and pay on time. Some don’t want to behave-and there’s only so much i can take. That’s when I ask The Bond Board to intervene as an intermediary. Between us we can get most tenants back on track, and this year we’ve saved a few from becoming homeless, which is a good result’.
‘I am writing to commend L (Bond Board Housing Adviser) on the outstanding way in which she helped to navigate a very complicated case. We are actually the landlords of the case she was assigned to. L was very empathetic to our situation, as well as that of her client, and managed to resolve the situation in a very timely manner. She is an asset to your organisation as she has managed to achieve a solution which the other people involved in the client’s care have failed to reach for the last 6 months!’
VOLUNTEERS
Our Volunteer project offers opportunities for service users and others to contribute to the running of The Bond Board. Volunteer roles are developed to match individual interests and strengths and include Peer Support Worker, Researcher, Service Administrator, Fundraiser, Kitchen Assistant and Digital Champion.
- 1306 total hours volunteered.
- 25 current number of volunteers (over the year there were 25).
- 5 volunteers have moved into paid employment (as a direct result of volunteering with TBB).
- Volunteers with lived experience of the Asylum system have been supported to set up and deliver a weekly drop in peer advice session, with 917 attendances in 2025.
‘People have helped me in the past with volunteering and doing things like that, so I’m giving a bit back to help other people now. You’re helping people in a way who’ve got difficulties, helping them to get back on their feet and maybe one day, they’ll start volunteering. I had nothing 6 year ago. I was homeless. I know what its like to be on the other end of it’.
‘Having the chance to volunteer at The Bond Board was fantastic. I worked alongside some of the most friendly and supportive staff who encouraged me to take on new roles and responsibilities. It gave me confidence in my own abilities and enabled me to pursue a job in the admin environment’.
‘It’s inspiring to see the continued impact you’re making in the lives of the people accessing your support, especially in light of increasing rents and limited housing availability. Achieving financial gains for all service users, along with the success of your volunteer program, is a testament to your dedication and effectiveness in addressing critical issues within your community’. Additionally, the significant outcomes in accommodation/housing support demonstrate the tangible difference your organisation is making in securing stable housing for those in need’.
Partnership Working
We strive to work in partnership with all relevant statutory and third sector organisations in our area and beyond. This year, we would particularly like to thank the following services, who have gone the extra mile to bring their services directly to our ‘Quid’s In’ drop in.
Your Trust (physical activity)
Rochdale Revenue and Benefits
The Hygiene Bank
Manchester Credit Union
Rochdale CAB
Rochdale Council Environmental Health
Community Safety
RBC and Housing Solutions Contact Centre Staff
‘’ A high performing service delivering meaningful impact for households experiencing financial hardship, housing instability, and complex social needs. The Bond Board continues to provide high-quality, person-centred support that promotes independence, prevents homelessness, and improves quality of life’’. Rochdale Council, Adult Care and Support.
‘They demonstrate a respectful and dignified approach to the client group’. Pennine Acute Trust
‘They always provide a flexible, client focused approach’. Rochdale Boroughwide Housing’s Homelessness Team
‘You work with us and other professional as part of multi-disciplinary teams, giving us expert advice to ensure that we are taking a pro-active and preventative approach in supporting residents before their circumstances escalate, ultimately preventing the families we are working with becoming homeless’. Social Prescribing Team
‘Your range of services and holistic approach offers a unique, one stop shop for those who often struggle to engage elsewhere. The conciliatory approach you take with landlords helps to retain and recruit new landlords to house those on low incomes, which is crucial to addressing housing need in the borough’. Rochdale Council Homeless Team Manager
2026
Recent changes in housing legislation are influencing landlord behaviour. While reforms aim to strengthen protections for tenants, we are already seeing some landlords becoming more cautious about who they are willing to let to. Many are choosing tenants with stable employment and stronger housing histories, making it even harder for people with complex needs, those who are unemployed, or those withpast housing difficulties to secure a home.
At the same time, access to affordable homes in the private rented sector continues to shrink. Demand remains high, while the continuing freeze in Local Housing Allowance rates means the gap between benefit levels and market rents continues to widen. For many people facing housing crisis, the number of realistic housing options is becoming increasingly limited.
In this challenging environment, our work supporting access to the private rented sector remains essential. Through relationships with over 450 private landlords, our knowledge of the local housing market, and the practical support we provide to tenants, we continue to help people find and sustain homes that might otherwise be out of reach.
Many of the landlords we work with return to us again and again because they value the support we provide. Their willingness to let properties at Local Housing Allowance rates, or close to those levels, helps ensure that people on low incomes still have a chance of accessing the private rented sector. At a time when public debate about landlords is often negative, we remain grateful to the many landlords who work with us because they want to make a positive contribution to their community.
Alongside this work we continue to bring empty properties back into use, creating additional housing opportunities in a market where supply remains extremely limited. We have also supported families living in temporary accommodation to move into more stable homes, helping to reduce the uncertainty many families experience when living in temporary housing.
For people with more complex needs, simply having a tenancy is not always enough to sustain a home. Our Housing First and specialist rough sleeper support services work with people who may otherwise be excluded from mainstream housing options, helping them maintain their tenancies and rebuild stability in their lives.
Volunteers also play an important role in our work. Many bring lived experience of the challenges our beneficiaries face and provide valuable peer support through our drop-in sessions and community activities. Their involvement helps ensure our services remain welcoming and accessible as demand continues to grow.
Over the coming year we will begin a strategic review of our work. Through creative engagement with tenants, people seeking homes, landlords and partners, we aim to develop a deeper understanding of how changes in the private rented sector are affecting access to housing. This will help shape the next stage of our work and ensure our services continue to respond to the realities faced by the communities we support.
Although the housing environment remains challenging, our commitment remains clear. By working alongside landlords, volunteers, partners and the communities we serve, we will continue to create opportunities for people facing housing crisis to find and keep a place they can call home.