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Renting & TenancyAustralia
Rental Bond Dispute Application (Australia)
Your rental bond is your money, held only as security — and at the end of a tenancy a landlord can keep part of it only for a proven loss, not for fair wear and tear. When a landlord or agent claims an amount you do not agree with, every Australian State and Territory gives you a way to dispute it and apply for the bond back. The bond is held by a different authority in each jurisdiction — Rental Bonds Online in New South Wales, the RTBA in Victoria, the RTA in Queensland, Consumer and Business Services in South Australia, the Bond Administrator in Western Australia, MyBond in Tasmania, the Office of Rental Bonds in the ACT — and the dispute is decided by NCAT, VCAT, QCAT, SACAT, the Magistrates Court, the Residential Tenancy Commissioner, ACAT or NTCAT. This template writes the application with the right authority and tribunal for your State and rebuts each deduction against the condition reports.
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Rental Bond Dispute
Tenant's Bond Claim Under The Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) · 11 June 2026
Priya S. Nair
12 Hillside Street, Bondi NSW 2026
0421 660 318
priya.nair@email.com.au
11 June 2026
Eastgate Realty (managing agent)
88 Bronte Road, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
RE: RENTAL BOND
3/55 Carrington Road · New South Wales
Dear Eastgate Realty (managing agent),
I was the tenant of 3/55 Carrington Road, Waverley NSW 2024, and the tenancy ended on 30 May 2026. I am writing about the rental bond of $2,480.00. I do not agree with the amount being withheld, and I ask that $2,180.00 be returned to me. My reasons are set out below.
I was the tenant of 3/55 Carrington Road, Waverley NSW 2024, and the tenancy ended on 30 May 2026. I am writing about the rental bond of $2,480.00. I do not agree with the amount being withheld, and I ask that $2,180.00 be returned to me. My reasons are set out below.
1.
THE BOND AND THE AMOUNT IN DISPUTE
Bond paid: $2,480.00
Amount I claim back: $2,180.00
Amount I accept may be deducted: $300.00
Tenancy ended: 30 May 2026
Deductions claimed by the landlord: The agent proposes to deduct $620 in total: $300 for carpet cleaning, $200 for repainting a bedroom wall, and $120 for garden tidying.
Amount I claim back: $2,180.00
Amount I accept may be deducted: $300.00
Tenancy ended: 30 May 2026
Deductions claimed by the landlord: The agent proposes to deduct $620 in total: $300 for carpet cleaning, $200 for repainting a bedroom wall, and $120 for garden tidying.
2.
HOW THE BOND IS DEALT WITH
The bond for this tenancy is held by NSW Fair Trading, through Rental Bonds Online. To recover it, I claim the bond through Rental Bonds Online; if the landlord disputes your claim they must apply to NCAT within 14 days and tell NSW Fair Trading, and NCAT then decides how the bond is paid out. The tribunal for any dispute is NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), which decides under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW).
3.
GROUNDS FOR DISPUTE
The carpets were professionally cleaned, the wall marks are fair wear and tear from picture hooks I was given permission to use, and the garden was left as I received it. I accept only the $300 carpet-cleaning figure is arguable.
4.
THE CONDITION REPORTS AND FAIR WEAR AND TEAR
The condition reports completed at the start and end of the tenancy are the decisive evidence — they show the state of the premises before and after, and the difference is what a deduction must be based on. A landlord cannot charge for fair wear and tear: the ordinary, reasonable deterioration that comes from living in the home.
Entry condition report: yes.
Exit condition report: yes.
How I left the premises: I vacated on 30 May 2026, removed all belongings and rubbish, had the carpets steam-cleaned (receipt held), wiped down all surfaces, mowed the lawn and returned both sets of keys to the agent the same day.
Fair wear and tear vs damage: The bedroom wall marks are small picture-hook holes I was given written permission to make in March 2024 — that is fair wear and tear, not damage. The carpet was 9 years old at the start of the tenancy, so any flattening in walkways is ordinary wear.
Entry condition report: yes.
Exit condition report: yes.
How I left the premises: I vacated on 30 May 2026, removed all belongings and rubbish, had the carpets steam-cleaned (receipt held), wiped down all surfaces, mowed the lawn and returned both sets of keys to the agent the same day.
Fair wear and tear vs damage: The bedroom wall marks are small picture-hook holes I was given written permission to make in March 2024 — that is fair wear and tear, not damage. The carpet was 9 years old at the start of the tenancy, so any flattening in walkways is ordinary wear.
5.
EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT
I rely on the following evidence, which I can produce:
1. Exit condition report — signed and dated 30 May 2026, showing the premises clean and undamaged
2. Carpet steam-clean receipt — Bondi Carpet Care, invoice 4471, $185, dated 29 May 2026
3. Dated photographs — 24 photos of every room and the garden taken on 30 May 2026
4. Email granting permission for picture hooks — agent email dated 12 March 2024
Photographs: I have dated photographs of the premises taken at the end of the tenancy.
Correspondence: On 31 May 2026 the agent emailed proposing the deductions; I replied the same day disputing them and attaching the carpet receipt. No response since.
1. Exit condition report — signed and dated 30 May 2026, showing the premises clean and undamaged
2. Carpet steam-clean receipt — Bondi Carpet Care, invoice 4471, $185, dated 29 May 2026
3. Dated photographs — 24 photos of every room and the garden taken on 30 May 2026
4. Email granting permission for picture hooks — agent email dated 12 March 2024
Photographs: I have dated photographs of the premises taken at the end of the tenancy.
Correspondence: On 31 May 2026 the agent emailed proposing the deductions; I replied the same day disputing them and attaching the carpet receipt. No response since.
6.
APPLICATION TO RECOVER THE BOND
To recover the bond I claim the bond through Rental Bonds Online; if the landlord disputes your claim they must apply to NCAT within 14 days and tell NSW Fair Trading, and NCAT then decides how the bond is paid out.
Refund request lodged: not yet — I am lodging it with this letter.
What I seek: the return of part of the bond. Specifically, I seek the return of $2,180.00. If the bond is not released, I will ask NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to decide.
Please respond by 25 June 2026.
Refund request lodged: not yet — I am lodging it with this letter.
What I seek: the return of part of the bond. Specifically, I seek the return of $2,180.00. If the bond is not released, I will ask NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to decide.
Please respond by 25 June 2026.
7.
RESPONSE TO THE CLAIMED DEDUCTIONS
I respond to each claimed deduction as follows:
Carpet cleaning ($300.00 disputed): Already done — professional steam-clean receipt held; no charge is warranted
Repainting bedroom wall ($200.00 disputed): Picture-hook holes made with written permission — fair wear and tear, not damage
Garden tidying ($120.00 disputed): Lawn mowed and beds left as received per the entry condition report
Total disputed: $620.00
I had the premises professionally cleaned, or cleaned it to the standard in which I received it, at the end of the tenancy.
My position: There is no proper basis for any of the three deductions. I accept that the entry and exit reports can be compared, and on that comparison the full $2,180 I claim should be returned.
Carpet cleaning ($300.00 disputed): Already done — professional steam-clean receipt held; no charge is warranted
Repainting bedroom wall ($200.00 disputed): Picture-hook holes made with written permission — fair wear and tear, not damage
Garden tidying ($120.00 disputed): Lawn mowed and beds left as received per the entry condition report
Total disputed: $620.00
I had the premises professionally cleaned, or cleaned it to the standard in which I received it, at the end of the tenancy.
My position: There is no proper basis for any of the three deductions. I accept that the entry and exit reports can be compared, and on that comparison the full $2,180 I claim should be returned.
8.
WHAT I ASK
I ask that $2,180.00 of the bond be returned to me without further deduction. If we cannot agree, I claim the bond through Rental Bonds Online; if the landlord disputes your claim they must apply to NCAT within 14 days and tell NSW Fair Trading, and NCAT then decides how the bond is paid out, and I reserve all my rights under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW).
YOURS SINCERELY,
Priya S. Nair
Tenant
Date: ____________________
TENANT
Priya S. Nair
Date: ____________________
Available as a print-ready PDF or an editable Microsoft Word (.docx) file.
What Is a Rental Bond Dispute?
A <strong>rental bond dispute</strong> arises when a tenant and landlord disagree about how the bond should be paid out at the end of a tenancy — typically because the landlord wants to deduct money for cleaning, repairs or rent and the tenant says those deductions are not justified. In Australia the bond is lodged with a government authority, not held by the landlord, and that authority will only release it on agreement or on a tribunal's order. This template produces the tenant's application to recover the bond, applying the correct authority and tribunal for the State and answering each claimed deduction.
The decisive evidence is almost always the pair of <strong>condition reports</strong> completed at the start and end of the tenancy. A deduction has to show that the premises ended in a worse state than the entry report recorded — and a landlord <strong>cannot charge for fair wear and tear</strong>, the ordinary deterioration of carpets, paint and fittings that comes from normal living. Faded paint, lightly worn carpet in walkways and small scuffs are wear, not damage. The template lines up the two reports, sorts each claimed item into wear or damage, and builds a numbered schedule of the photos, receipts and messages that back your case.
The process and the deadlines differ by State. In <strong>New South Wales</strong> a tenant claims through Rental Bonds Online and, if the landlord disputes it, the landlord must apply to NCAT within 14 days; in <strong>Queensland</strong> a refund goes on a Form 4 and a dispute on a Form 16 within 14 days; <strong>Victoria</strong> runs through the RTBA to VCAT; <strong>Tasmania</strong> refers a disputed MyBond claim to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner. Miss the step or the window and the bond can be paid out the other way, which is why the template records the authority, the form and the time limit for your jurisdiction.
What's Covered in This Template
The application applies the right bond authority and tribunal for your Australian State and answers each deduction the landlord claims.
All 8 Bond Authorities
Select the State or Territory and the letter names the right authority — Rental Bonds Online (NSW), the RTBA (VIC), the RTA (QLD), Consumer and Business Services (SA), the Bond Administrator (WA), MyBond (TAS), the Office of Rental Bonds (ACT) and NT Consumer Affairs.
The Right Tribunal and Forms
NCAT, VCAT, QCAT, SACAT, the Magistrates Court, the Residential Tenancy Commissioner, ACAT or NTCAT — plus the Queensland Form 4 refund and Form 16 dispute, and the 14-day windows that apply.
Condition Reports
The entry and exit reports that decide a bond dispute, and how the difference between them — not the landlord's say-so — sets what can be deducted.
Fair Wear and Tear
The rule that a landlord cannot charge for ordinary deterioration, with each claimed item sorted into fair wear and tear or genuine damage.
A Numbered Evidence Schedule
Photos, the cleaning receipt, the condition reports and the messages — set out as a numbered schedule the tribunal can act on.
Line-by-Line Rebuttal
A response to each claimed deduction — what it is, why it is not deductible, and the amount disputed — with the total in dispute worked out.
The Application and Deadline
Whether the refund request is lodged, what you seek (the full bond or part), and the tribunal and time limit for your State so the claim is made in time.
Word and PDF Output
Download the application free as a PDF, or unlock Expert for the editable Microsoft Word (.docx) version and the full condition-report, evidence, application and rebuttal sections.
How to Dispute a Rental Bond
Five steps from a deduction you disagree with to an application the bond authority can act on.
- 1
Select the State or Territory
Pick where the rented home is. The bond authority, the forms and the tribunal all follow from this choice.
- 2
Set Out the Bond and the Claim
The bond paid, the amount you want back, and what the landlord proposes to deduct and why.
- 3
Line Up the Condition Reports
The entry and exit reports, how you left the home, and which claimed items are fair wear and tear rather than damage.
- 4
Build the Evidence and Rebuttal
A numbered schedule of photos, receipts and messages, and a line-by-line answer to each claimed deduction.
- 5
Lodge and, If Needed, Apply
Lodge the refund request, and if the landlord disputes it, apply to the tribunal within the window. The template names the authority and the deadline.
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Legal Considerations
Eight jurisdictions, eight bond authorities — the State of the premises decides who holds the bond and who decides the dispute.
This template provides general information for tenants disputing a rental bond in Australia and is not legal advice. Bond processes, forms and time limits differ by State and Territory and change from time to time, and the bond can only be released on agreement or a tribunal order. Always confirm the current process and deadlines with your State or Territory bond authority or tribunal, and seek advice from a tenants' advocacy service where needed.
Reviewed for Australian residential tenancy practice (8 jurisdictions)
Who Holds the Bond — State by State
A residential bond is lodged with a government authority, not kept by the landlord. It is held by <strong>Rental Bonds Online (NSW Fair Trading)</strong> in New South Wales, the <strong>Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA)</strong> in Victoria, the <strong>Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA)</strong> in Queensland, <strong>Consumer and Business Services</strong> in South Australia, the <strong>Bond Administrator (Consumer Protection)</strong> in Western Australia, the <strong>Rental Deposit Authority (MyBond)</strong> in Tasmania, the <strong>Office of Rental Bonds</strong> in the ACT, and in trust through NT Consumer Affairs in the Northern Territory. The authority only releases the bond on agreement or a tribunal order.
Condition Reports and Fair Wear and Tear
The single most powerful evidence is the pair of <strong>condition reports</strong> from the start and end of the tenancy — the difference between them is what any deduction must be based on. Just as important is the rule that a landlord <strong>cannot deduct for fair wear and tear</strong>: the ordinary wear of carpets, paint and fittings from living in the home. The template sorts each claimed item into wear or damage, which is the analysis every Australian tribunal applies.
The Dispute Process and Deadlines
In <strong>New South Wales</strong> a tenant claims through Rental Bonds Online and, if the landlord disputes it, the landlord applies to NCAT within 14 days; in <strong>Queensland</strong> a refund is lodged on a Form 4 and a dispute on a Form 16 within 14 days; <strong>Victoria</strong> runs through the RTBA to VCAT; <strong>Tasmania</strong> refers a disputed MyBond claim to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner; South Australia uses SACAT, Western Australia the Magistrates Court, the ACT ACAT and the Northern Territory NTCAT. The template records the authority and the window for your State.
Related Australian Templates
If the dispute is about a rent rise rather than the bond, use our rent increase challenge. If repairs are outstanding, our rental repair request notice requires them with the correct urgent-repair limits. When you are leaving, our notice of intention to vacate gives the right notice for your State and sets up the bond refund. Our residential tenancy agreement starts a tenancy, and our landlord-side eviction notice shows the other side.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Right Authority, the Right Tribunal, the Right Evidence
Create your rental bond dispute application in minutes — the correct bond authority, forms and tribunal for any Australian State or Territory, with the condition-report analysis, evidence schedule and line-by-line rebuttal built in. Download the PDF free, or unlock Expert for the editable Word version and the full condition-report, evidence, application and rebuttal sections.
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