Rental bonds in Australia: lodgement and claims, state by state

How the bond system works

A rental bond is money you pay at the start of a tenancy as security. In the states covered below, the bond doesn't sit in the landlord's bank account. It must be lodged with a government bond authority, which holds it until the tenancy ends. At the end, the bond is paid out by agreement, through a claim the other side doesn't contest, or by a decision of the tenancy body or tribunal.

The rules on maximum amounts, lodgement deadlines and claims differ by state. Here is what each official source says.

State by state

New South Wales

• Maximum: the bond can't be more than four weeks' rent.

• Who holds it: NSW Fair Trading. Tenants can pay directly through Rental Bonds Online by Visa, Mastercard or BPAY.

• Confirmation: Fair Trading issues a receipt and notifies your agent or landlord.

• Claims: Fair Trading receives bond claims through Rental Bonds Online or on paper. If the landlord or agent disputes your claim, they must apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) within 14 days of receiving the notice and tell Fair Trading in writing. If you agree on the outcome, the claim should be paid within 14 days.

Victoria

• Maximum: in most cases, one month's rent. A higher bond is allowed only if the weekly rent is more than $900 or the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has set a higher bond.

• Who holds it: the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA). If you pay the rental provider, they must lodge it within 14 days of receiving it, excluding public holidays. You can also pay the RTBA directly if you tell the rental provider in writing beforehand.

• Claims: rental providers must start a claim with the RTBA within 14 days of the agreement ending, and renters must accept within 14 days or the claim is no longer available to complete. When a renter starts a claim, the other parties get 14 days to contest it through VCAT or Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (RDRV).

Queensland

• Maximum: four weeks' rent for general tenancies.

• Who holds it: the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA). The property manager or owner must give you a receipt and lodge the bond within 10 days. Not doing so is an offence.

• Confirmation: once payment clears, the RTA sends an Acknowledgement of rental bond to the bond contributors.

• Claims: refunds are requested from the RTA, which also runs a dispute resolution process if the parties disagree. Check the RTA's bond refund guidance for the current forms and deadlines.

Western Australia

• Maximum: up to four weeks' rent, unless rent is over $1,200 a week.

• Who holds it: Bonds Administration. Bonds must be lodged within 14 days of being paid.

• Release: the bond is released on a bond release form signed by all tenants and landlords, or on a Commissioner's decision or a court or tribunal order.

South Australia

• Maximum: four weeks' rent where rent is $800 a week or less, and six weeks' rent above that.

• Who holds it: Consumer and Business Services (CBS). The landlord must lodge within two weeks, and registered agents have up to four weeks. The landlord or agent must give you a receipt within 48 hours, and since July 1, 2024 tenants can lodge the bond themselves.

• Claims: through the Residential Bonds Online portal. If one party claims and the other doesn't agree, the other party has 14 days to dispute. The Tenancies Branch will try to conciliate, and the matter may go to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT).

Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory

Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory each have their own bond rules, amounts and claim deadlines. Check the official tenancy information for your state or territory before you pay a bond or respond to a claim.

How to check your bond was lodged

1. Keep the receipt the landlord or agent gave you, and your proof of payment.

2. Watch for the authority's own confirmation, such as a receipt, acknowledgement or bond number.

3. If nothing arrives, contact the bond authority and ask whether your bond was lodged.

4. Store your bond number with your lease and condition report.

At the end of the tenancy

• Do the exit inspection. Ask to be present when the exit condition report is completed, and take your own dated photos.

• Agree if you can. Where both sides agree, the bond is usually paid out on that basis without a hearing.

• Read any claim carefully. Compare each item with your entry condition report and photos. Fair wear and tear can't be claimed. See normal wear and tear vs damage.

• Watch the dates. Response windows are short, often 14 days. In South Australia, for example, if a claim isn't disputed within 14 days, the bond is paid to the applicant.

A sample bond claim, read closely

This sample is synthetic. A renter moves out of a Northgate-managed unit with a $2,400 bond, and the agent lodges a claim for $520:

Carpet cleaning: $220

Repair hole in hallway wall: $180

Replace lost key: $120

Before responding, the renter compares each line with the entry condition report and photos.

1. Carpet cleaning. What did the entry report say about the carpet? If it was already stained or wasn't recently cleaned, ask why the full cost is claimed.

2. Wall repair. Is there a dated photo of the hole and a quote or invoice for the repair? Was the hole recorded at move-in?

3. Lost key. How many keys does the entry report list, and how many were returned?

The renter then notes the response deadline on the claim notice and replies in writing before it passes, accepting the lines they agree with and questioning the rest.

If you disagree with a claim, our guide on how to dispute a security deposit deduction covers building your case.

Get a second pair of eyes on your bond claim

EasyToDecode is launching soon. It will read your entry and exit condition reports with the bond claim, line up each claimed item with what both reports say, quoted so you can check them, and point to where disputes go in your state. It will then prepare a reply you can edit. See how it works or join the waitlist to hear when it opens.