At the end of a tenancy in QLD, one of the final steps is refunding the bond that was lodged at the start of the agreement. This guide walks you through how the bond refund process works, what’s required, and how to resolve any issues that may arise.

The bond should be paid back to the tenant in full at the end of their tenancy unless money is owed for rent, damages or other costs. In QLD, a tenant may also claim their bond in full directly through the bonds online portal.

The bond is held and is intended to cover things like:

Unpaid rent
Damage to the property beyond fair wear and tear
Cleaning or other unpaid bills the tenant is responsible for

You can use the RTA’s Bond Refund Web Service to request a bond refund, and if everyone agrees on how the bond will be paid out, the refund can be fast-tracked.

If one or more parties disagree with the bond refund, they can use the Service to dispute the bond refund and request free Residential Tenancies Authority dispute resolution.

✅ Best Practices for Landlords

Always complete thorough entry, routine and exit condition reports
Keep copies of photos, communications, and invoices for any damages or cleaning
Communicate openly with the tenant to avoid disputes

Steps to Refunding the Bond

Conduct a Final Inspection
At the end of the tenancy, you should carry out a final inspection and complete an exit condition report, comparing it to the condition report completed at the start.
- Tenants should be present if possible
- All cleaning and repairs should be completed before this inspection
Agree on the Bond Refund Amount
If both parties agree that the property has been left in good condition and there are no outstanding issues, the full bond can be refunded to the tenant.

If there are any damages, rent owing, or other deductions, the landlord should notify the tenant of the intended deductions and ideally reach a mutual agreement.
Submit a Claim through the RTA Bond Refund Service
Either the tenant or landlord can initiate the bond refund by submitting a claim in RTA Web Services.

Getting Started on the Bond Release

Log in to RTA Web Services to start the refund process

Once a bond refund has been submitted by either the property manager/owner or a bond contributor, all parties on the bond will be sent a Bond Refund Fast Track request via email.

All parties have 48 hours to respond to the bond refund fast track before it expires. If all parties agree to the bond within this time, the bond can be refunded within hours.

Tip: tenant/s and the property owner/manager should discuss and agree on how the bond will be paid out before lodging a refund request.

What happens if there's a dispute?

If one of more parties does not agree to the bond refund during the Fast Track period, the refund progresses to the Notice of claim.

A Notice of Claim is sent out if:

Someone didn’t respond to the bond refund request in the first 48 hours (the “Fast Track” period), or
Someone disagreed with the bond refund during the Fast Track.

Important: If someone disagreed with the refund earlier, they still need to respond to the Notice of Claim to keep disputing it.

Everyone has 14 days to respond.

If no one responds, the bond money is paid out as originally requested.
If a party responds and disagrees, it moves to the next stage, which is the dispute resolution stage. The bond is put on hold and you'll be contacted by the RTA to start the dispute resolution process.

Recording a Bond Refund on RentBetter

At the start of the tenancy on RentBetter, you will have entered the bond amount into the platform. If you'd like to record a refund or claim, you can do this via the Bond section of the platform.

Click on the bond to open it in the side panel and then on 'Mark as bond returned'

Then on the following screen, you can enter the details of the return whether that be in partial or full, as well as upload any other documentation relating to the release of the bond:

Bond Refund FAQs

Who can request a bond refund?

Either the managing party (Landlord) or a bond contributor (Tenant) can request a bond refund.

Can 'Wear and Tear' be claimed against the bond?

Normal wear and tear of the property caused by everyday use is not entitled to be claimed through the bond. Tenants are only liable for negligent, irresponsible or intentional actions that cause damage to the premises.

Examples of wear and tear vs damage:

Paint that has faded, cracked, or chipped is usually fair wear and tear, but unapproved painting may mean that the tenant is liable.

Markings on floorboards usually are usually general wear and tear, but badly scratched floorboards could mean that the tenants are liable.

Can a bond refund request be made prior to the tenancy ending?

A bond refund request should be completed and sent to the RTA when the tenancy agreement has ended. The RTA cannot accept a bond refund request before the expiry date of the appropriate notice. RTA Web Services will not allow you to lodge a bond refund request where the handover or vacate date is in the future.

Does my tenant need to approve any claims?

You can submit a claim without the tenant's agreement and if the tenant disagrees, a dispute can be lodged during the 14-day Notice of claim period. If disputed, the RTA holds the bond and arranges dispute resolution. If unresolved, either party may apply to QCAT.

If you intend to claim to deduct funds from the bond, you will need to ensure you have sufficient evidence to support your claim. This could include things like cleaning invoices, photos from the condition report, or any other relevant documentation relating to your claim.