Moving out of a rental
How to get your bond back, and how long it takes
Quick answer: Prepare the property for handover, keep evidence of its condition, then use your state or territory’s bond refund process. There is no single Australian refund deadline: the time depends on who starts the claim, whether anyone disputes it, processing and the bank transfer.
Still packing? Start with the handover checklist. Already moved out? Go straight to the refund table and claim follow-up steps.
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Start with where you are in the move
Before handover, focus on the property and your records. After handover, focus on the claim status and any response deadline.
If the keys are still with you, use the bond handover checklist below alongside our moving-out checklist.
If you have already left, use the state and territory refund table. Have your bond number, claim reference and current contact details ready. A cleaner can help with an agreed cleaning task; they cannot approve a bond refund or resolve a tenancy dispute.
The steps to getting your bond back
Treat the property handover and the refund application as two connected tasks. Completing the clean does not itself submit a bond claim.
Check the starting condition
Put the entry condition report and move-in photos beside the current condition. Note any pre-existing marks, reported maintenance issues and changes during the tenancy.
Finish the handover
Remove belongings and rubbish, complete the required clean, and arrange the inspection and key return. Keep a written record of the handover date and any remaining issue.
Check any proposed deduction
Ask what each amount covers and for the supporting evidence. Compare it with your records before agreeing to the split. Keep disputed items separate from amounts you accept.
Use the correct refund process
Follow the official route for your state or territory below. Check names, bank details and the requested split before submitting or accepting anything. Save the confirmation.
Track the next action
Read notices promptly and note their deadlines. Check whether the claim is awaiting a response, processing, a dispute decision or payment; each needs a different follow-up.
Your bond handover and evidence checklist
Keep these records together so you can answer a specific question about the home, the handover or the refund. Tick items here, or use the print option to save a copy.
Every step in this view is ticked. Untick ‘Hide steps I’ve ticked’ to see them again.
Before the final inspection
At handover
For the refund
This checklist helps organise evidence. It does not guarantee a full bond refund.
How long does it take to get your bond back?
Count from the event in your local process, not automatically from moving day. An agreed refund may move quickly; a response period or dispute can add substantially more time.
For the full handover rules, see our NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA and ACT guides. For Tasmania and the NT, use the official sources below. WA’s live processing estimates distinguish online, paper and disputed applications.
| State or territory | Where to start | What the timing means |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Rental Bonds Online, or the official paper claim form. | RBO: two business days after the landlord or agent accepts, if details are correct. They have up to 14 days to accept your claim; a disputed claim follows a separate process. |
| Victoria | Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA). A renter can initiate after the agreement ends. | If all parties accept, repayment is typically within one business day. Otherwise, the renter-initiated response period is 14 days, extended to 20 if a party must be notified by post. |
| Queensland | RTA Bond Refund Web Service or Form 4; the relevant notice period must have expired. | A disputed refund can involve a 14-day Notice of claim response period. Allow up to three business days for bank processing once the refund is paid. |
| Western Australia | Tenants can initiate with the paper release form; agents use BondsOnline. | Paper processing and disputes take longer. Current queues are on WA’s official timeframe page. Non-response or disagreement can lead to Commissioner determination, rather than automatic payment. |
| South Australia | Residential Bonds Online (RBO), or the official form. | The agreed route requires agreement on the split. If you cannot agree, use the separate dispute process. The official refund page does not promise one total turnaround for every claim. |
| ACT | Submit the ACT Revenue Office Bond Refund form. | The office says completed forms are processed within 14 days. Non-signatories receive a notice with a 14-day response period; after processing, allow up to 48 hours for banking. |
| Tasmania | MyBond, following the handover and claim steps on the official CBOS page. | A tenant receiving a claim has 10 days to approve or dispute it. Once payment is issued, the official guide allows three to five days for it to reach the account. |
| Northern Territory | Request return of the security deposit from the landlord or agent. | The landlord must return the deposit, less any amount lawfully retained, within seven business days of the tenant vacating. Seek NT Consumer Affairs advice about disputed retention. |
These stages can overlap or change with the claim route. Do not add the figures together as a guaranteed total. Official sources for every row are linked below; special tenancy arrangements can have different rules. Sources are listed at the end of this guide. Checked 8 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Do you have to wait for the agent to claim?
Not everywhere. Several jurisdictions let renters start a refund request themselves, but the form, starting point and response process differ.
NSW guidance explains how to initiate a claim after the tenancy and handover requirements are met. Victoria allows a renter to initiate once the rental agreement ends, without first obtaining everyone’s agreement. WA now also allows anyone named on the bond to start; tenants use the paper form.
Starting a claim does not settle a disagreement or remove another party’s response rights. Use your own jurisdiction’s instructions, including any existing claim already in progress, rather than applying another state’s deadline.
What if the agent wants to deduct cleaning or repair costs?
Ask for an itemised explanation and supporting evidence, then compare the claim with the entry and exit records.
For each item, write down the room, what is alleged, the amount, what your records show and whether you agree. This gives the discussion a specific starting point. A close-up photo is more useful when paired with a wider photo showing its location.
Separate cleaning from deterioration. Queensland’s fair wear and tear guidance distinguishes ordinary ageing and use from dirt, grease or damage. The exact obligation and dispute process depend on your jurisdiction; see your state guide before accepting a deduction.
If the issue is a cleaning task you agree needs attention, ask in writing whether access can be arranged and what needs to be rectified. If you hired a cleaner, contact them with the itemised feedback and photographs, and check your booking terms. Do not assume you can re-enter after handing over the keys.
If you disagree, keep the correspondence and follow the official notice or dispute instructions promptly. Contact the local tenancy advice service or bond authority linked through the sources below if you need help with your situation. An email discussion with the agent is not a substitute for responding to a formal notice.
Already moved out and still waiting for the refund?
Find out which stage is holding it up before chasing a payment date.
Check whether a refund request was actually submitted. Save its reference and submission date. Then check whether another person needs to respond, details are missing, or a dispute is underway.
If the claim is approved, check the payment date and the nominated account before comparing the delay with the banking time above. If payment has not arrived after the authority’s stated allowance, contact that authority with the claim reference. In the NT, start with the landlord or agent and seek Consumer Affairs advice if needed.
Keep your message factual: “The claim reference is [reference], submitted on [date]. The current status is [status]. Please confirm the next action, who needs to take it and whether you need any further information.” Do not email full banking or identity documents unless the official process requires a secure submission.
Bond refund questions
Does professional cleaning guarantee that I get all my bond back?
No. A cleaning booking addresses the agreed cleaning scope. The bond can also involve rent, damage, missing items and other tenancy issues. Keep the scope and invoice, but use the condition reports and official refund process too.
Is a bond clean compulsory?
A professional cleaner is not automatically required just because a clean is called a bond clean. Your jurisdiction, lease and circumstances matter. Our guide to professional end-of-lease cleaning requirements explains the state differences.
Can I claim before moving out?
Do not assume you can. The normal starting point and any early-release exceptions depend on your jurisdiction. Check the official instructions before lodging; giving notice is not the same as completing the tenancy.
Do I need to wait 14 days in every state?
No. Fourteen days is a response or processing period in some processes, not a national refund guarantee. The trigger, postal arrangements, dispute route and banking time all matter.
Can a landlord keep the whole bond for one cleaning issue?
Ask for the specific claim, amount and evidence rather than accepting an unexplained total. Whether a deduction is justified depends on the facts and local rules. Follow the official dispute process if you disagree.
Still need to organise the handover clean?
Check what needs doing against your entry report before choosing the cleaning scope.
Use our end-of-lease cleaning checklist, check whether professional cleaning is required, and leave room between the clean and the final inspection to address any agreed follow-up.
For the rest of your move, return to the moving house checklist.
Need help with the clean before handover?
See your price for an end-of-lease clean and confirm the tasks you need before booking.
Official bond refund sources
Checked on 8 October 2026. Follow the current authority instructions and the deadline on any notice you receive.
- Getting your bond back at the end of a tenancy, NSW Government. Read 8 October 2026. NSW claim routes, response period and payment after acceptance.
- Starting or contesting a bond claim initiated by a renter, Consumer Affairs Victoria. Read 8 October 2026. RTBA claims, 14-day response period, postal extension and agreed repayment.
- Online Bond Refund, Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 8 October 2026. Refund requests, notice expiry and Queensland dispute response process.
- Quick guide: bond refunds for tenants, Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 8 October 2026. Bank processing is separate from the dispute response period.
- Releasing a bond, WA Consumer Protection. Read 8 October 2026. Tenants can initiate a release by paper application; disputes or non-response go to Commissioner determination.
- Bond release timeframes and results, WA Consumer Protection. Read 8 October 2026. Current processing estimates depend on application route and dispute status; check this live page for queues.
- Bond refunds, Government of South Australia. Read 8 October 2026. Agreed RBO refunds and the separate dispute route.
- How to request a bond refund: tenants, ACT Revenue Office. Read 8 October 2026. Form processing, notice to non-signatories and bank processing.
- Claiming a bond, Consumer, Building and Occupational Services Tasmania. Read 8 October 2026. MyBond claim process, response period and banking time.
- A guide to renting in the NT, Northern Territory Consumer Affairs. Read 8 October 2026. Return of the security deposit, lawful retention and seven-business-day deadline.
- Fair wear and tear, Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 8 October 2026. Distinguishing normal deterioration from dirt or damage; entry and exit evidence.
General information, not legal advice. Tenancy law differs by state and changes; check the official source for your state before you act.