You’ve moved out, you cleaned the place, and now the agent wants to keep your bond. Carpet cleaning. “Damage” that was there when you moved in. A repaint because of a few scuff marks. You’re searching “rental bond claim” or “how to get bond back” because that’s your money, it’s often several thousand dollars, and you’ve done nothing wrong.
Here’s the news landlords and agents don’t advertise: the bond is yours by default. They have to prove they’re entitled to deduct from it, and the law limits what they can claim.
What a landlord can and cannot claim
Under every state’s residential tenancy legislation (Residential Tenancies Act 2010 New South Wales, Residential Tenancies Act 1997 Victoria, Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 Queensland, Residential Tenancies Act 1987 Western Australia, Residential Tenancies Act 1995 South Australia), the landlord can only claim for:
- Unpaid rent
- Damage beyond fair wear and tear, caused by you or your guests
- Cleaning, only to the standard the property was in at the start (the entry condition report is the benchmark)
- Specific costs allowed by the lease and the Act (for example, breaking the lease early)
They cannot claim for fair wear and tear (faded paint, worn carpet, minor marks from normal living), for pre-existing damage, for “professional carpet cleaning” unless the Act or lease lawfully requires it and the carpet was professionally cleaned at the start, or for improvements that leave the property in better condition than they got it.
The bond process in your state
Bonds are held by a government authority, not the landlord: New South Wales Rental Bonds Online, the Victorian RTBA, the Queensland RTA, the Western Australia Bond Administrator, and Consumer and Business Services in South Australia. Either party can lodge a claim. If the landlord claims without your agreement, you are notified. What you do next depends on your state:
- New South Wales: apply to NCAT within 14 days of the Notice of Claim, then freeze the bond in Rental Bonds Online before the due-for-payment date.
- Queensland: lodge a Dispute resolution request (Form 16) with the RTA within 14 days. If no one responds within 14 days, the bond is paid as the first refund request directed.
- Victoria: if you do not consent to the claim, the landlord applies to VCAT.
- Western Australia: the Commissioner for Consumer Protection decides bond release disputes.
- South Australia: disputes go to SACAT.
Ready to put it in writing?
Answer 3 quick questions to check you have the details your document needs, and see your next step.
1. Who are you dealing with?
2. How much is at stake?
3. Do you have it in writing?
Your result is ready. Want a copy by email? (optional)
Step by step
- Gather your evidence: entry and exit condition reports, dated photos and videos from move-in and move-out, cleaning receipts, all correspondence.
- Send a formal bond dispute letter to the landlord or agent. Reject each deduction individually, citing the relevant section of your state’s Act and the condition report, demand release of the full bond within 7 days, and state that you will dispute any claim lodged with the bond authority and defend it at the tribunal, where you will seek costs.
- Lodge or dispute with the bond authority within the deadline.
- Tribunal hearing if the landlord persists. Bring your evidence in date order.
Why the letter changes the outcome
Agents claim bonds because tenants often give up. A tenant who sends a letter that cites the Act, references the condition report and makes clear they will turn up at the tribunal is a tenant who is not worth the agent’s afternoon.
DIY vs Claim Done
| Option | Cost | Cites your state’s tenancy Act and the condition report? | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email the agent | $0 | No | Immediate; often ignored |
| Claim Done | $49 flat | Yes: rebuts each deduction under your state’s law | About 5 minutes |
It’s your money. Get your bond dispute letter drafted for $49. Done in about 5 minutes. You approve it before it is sent.
What happens when you put your landlord on formal notice
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a End-of-Lease Bond Dispute Letter drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a End-of-Lease Bond Dispute Letter from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $49 AUD. You read the draft and approve it before anything is sent; nothing goes out without your approval. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=bond-dispute. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
How much does a End-of-Lease Bond Dispute Letter cost, and how long does it take?
$49 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. Email delivery is free; registered post is $29 extra. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Do I need a lawyer to send a End-of-Lease Bond Dispute Letter in Australia?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor to write or send a End-of-Lease Bond Dispute Letter; many people send their own. Claim Done drafts it for you and you approve it before it is sent.
What does Claim Done do that a free End-of-Lease Bond Dispute Letter template doesn't?
It drafts the End-of-Lease Bond Dispute Letter from your own facts under your state's law, naming the right Act and, where it applies, the tribunal, regulator or court that comes next if they do not respond. Nothing is sent until you approve it. Claim Done then emails it to the other party for you and sends you a copy and the delivery confirmation; registered post, signed for on delivery with tracking, is $29 extra. The key dates in the letter are listed on your dashboard.