At the end of a tenancy in SA, 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.
Residential bonds are held by Consumer and Business Services (CBS) during the tenancy. The full amount is given back to the tenant or resident at the end of the tenancy, if there are no claims for outstanding rent, cleaning or other costs.
SA Housing Trust will contact you every 12 months or at the end of the lease, if they have provided the bond. You will need to respond to ensure the bond remains lodged or it could be released.
The bond is held and is intended to cover things like:
Unpaid rent
Damage to the property beyond fair wear and tear
Cleaning or unpaid bills that the tenant is responsible for
✅ 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 Returning 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 (also called an Inspection Sheet in SA), 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
All tenants who have contributed to the bond and the managing party - eg the landlord, agent or organisation managing the rental property - must agree on the refund amount before any money can be released.
Submit a Claim through the RBO Portal
Once an agreement has been reached, either party can lodge a refund request through their Residential Bonds Online (RBO) account. Funds are released through either a direct bank transfer or cheque in the post (if no bank account details are listed).
Getting Started on the Bond Return - Via RBO
Before submitting a refund/claim, you should discuss any deductions first with your tenant.
Log in to Rental Bonds Online (RBO)
On the RBO portal, click on the bond you wish to have refunded.
Choose the Refund request option and follow the steps to fill out the form and submit.
Once submitted, all parties to the bond will be notified of the refund request details.
If all parties agree with the refund request, the bond will be returned as per the submission.
If the parties cannot come to an agreement on how to refund the bond, see the section below for information on how to proceed when there is a dispute.
What happens if there is a dispute?
If an agreement can't be reached about the amount each party should receive from the bond, it is in dispute. If you do not agree, the party that first submits a claim on the bond to CBS is said to be submitting a non-consented claim.
Tenant claims:
If a bond is claimed by the tenant without the consent of their landlord/agent, the managing party is notified of the claim and given an opportunity to dispute it.
If the managing party does not respond within 14 days, the tenant will be paid the amount claimed.
Tenants do not need to provide proof of a claim on the bond. The managing party can choose to either:
Accept the claim,
Make a counteroffer of a different amount, or
Escalate the matter to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a ruling.
Ignore the claim.
If the claim is disputed, the managing party will be required to lodge an online application with SACAT.
Landlord claims:
If a bond is claimed by the managing party without the tenant's consent, the tenant is notified and given an opportunity to dispute it.
When making a non-consented claim, a managing party must provide CBS with evidence of why they are claiming the amount requested.
If the matter is escalated to SACAT, CBS is no longer involved in the dispute process.
Once SACAT makes an order on who should be paid what amount, CBS will release the bond as instructed.
Recording a Bond Return 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:
Once submitted, the bond will be marked as either returned in full or returned in part in your RentBetter account:
Bond Return FAQs
Can 'Wear and Tear' be claimed from 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.
Who can start the bond claim?
Bond claims can be started by either the rental provider (landlord) or the tenant. Usually, the rental provider starts the claim after everyone has agreed on how the bond will be paid out.
What happens if my tenant starts a claim?
If a claim is initiated by a tenant instead of a rental provider, the RBO is required to give notice, and the rental provider then has 14 days to contest the claim and show evidence of any claims or the RBO will pay the claim to