Landlord Kept Your Entire Bond? Get It Back

You moved out. The exit inspection happened. Then the landlord or agent claimed your entire bond — sometimes thousands of dollars — citing damage, cleaning, “wear and tear” charges, or unpaid amounts. You think they’re wrong.

Bond disputes are one of the most common — and winnable — tenancy claims in Australia. Each state has a Residential Tenancies Act that sets out exactly what a landlord can and can’t deduct from a bond. The process to get it back is straightforward.

What landlords CAN’T deduct from your bond

• Fair wear and tear. Worn carpet from normal walking, paint scuffs from furniture, faded curtains from sun exposure — these are landlord costs, not tenant costs.
• Pre-existing damage. Anything that was already there at the entry inspection (and noted in the entry condition report) can’t be charged to you at exit.
• Reasonable cleaning. The property must be returned in roughly the same condition it was in at entry. “Professional clean” demands are usually unenforceable unless the property was professionally cleaned at entry.
• Excessive charges. A $200 charge to replace a $30 lightbulb, or a $500 cleaning bill for a 1-bedroom unit, is unreasonable and won’t survive a tribunal challenge.

What they CAN deduct (legitimately)

• Damage you caused beyond fair wear and tear
• Unpaid rent or utilities
• Cleaning to restore the property to entry condition (if you didn’t)
• Costs of removing rubbish or possessions you left behind

The Bond Dispute Letter

The first step is a formal bond-dispute letter to the landlord or agent. It:

• References the tenancy (address, dates, bond amount paid)
• Itemises each claimed deduction
• Disputes each one with reference to the entry/exit condition reports, your photos, and the Residential Tenancies Act for your state
• Demands return of the disputed amount within a specific timeframe (typically 7 days)
• Names the next step — your state’s bond authority dispute process or tribunal

State-by-state escalation

• New South Wales — Rental Bonds Online dispute, then NCAT
• Victoria — RTBA bond dispute, then VCAT
• Queensland — RTA dispute resolution, then QCAT
• Western Australia — Bond Administrator, then Magistrates Court (small claims)
• South Australia — Consumer and Business Services, then SACAT
• Australian Capital Territory — Bond authority then ACAT
• Tasmania — Rental Deposit Authority, then Magistrates Court
• Northern Territory — Commissioner of Tenancies, then NTCAT

Why a formal letter helps

If it goes to the bond authority or tribunal, the landlord or agent will need to produce evidence — receipts, quotes, photos, condition reports — for each charge. A formal letter sets out what you dispute and a deadline to respond.

Flat fee

The wizard handles state-specific scenarios — it asks for the address, the bond, the deductions claimed, what you dispute, and your evidence. Our Programmatic Algorithms draft the letter citing the right Residential Tenancies Act and send it to the landlord/agent.