The bond is held by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA), not by you or your agent, and the rules for claiming against it have tightened. Good condition reports at the start and end of a tenancy are what make a fair claim possible. See the RTA’s pages on bond refunds and exit condition reports.

The bond

  • No more than four weeks’ rent for any general tenancy.
  • Lodged with the RTA within 10 days of receiving it.
  • No pet bonds or extra bonds on top.

Entry condition report

The owner or agent must prepare, sign and give the tenant an entry condition report (Form 1a) at the start of the tenancy. It’s an offence not to.

The tenant adds their comments and returns it within seven days. Detailed notes and dated photos here are the best protection against disputes later.

Exit condition report

When the tenant leaves, the property is compared with the entry report. The tenant must return it in the same condition, apart from fair wear and tear.

If the report is completed separately, the property manager sends the tenant a completed copy within three business days, and keeps the signed report for at least a year.

Agreed refunds

When everyone agrees how the bond should be paid out, including any claim, the refund can be fast-tracked through RTA Web Services. The RTA aims to process agreed refunds on the day it receives them.

Disputed claims

If the parties don’t agree, the RTA releases any undisputed amount, holds the rest and sends a Notice of claim. The other party has 14 days to dispute it, and the matter then goes to the RTA’s free dispute resolution service, and to QCAT if needed.

Evidence is now required

When making or disputing a bond claim, the owner or agent must give the tenant supporting evidence within 14 days. Not doing so is an offence. Evidence goes to the tenant, not the RTA, so quotes, invoices, photos and both condition reports need to be ready.

How we handle it

We complete detailed entry reports with photos, inspect regularly, and carry out the exit inspection against the original report. If a claim is justified, we prepare the evidence and handle the RTA process for you. Read more about routine inspections.