Rental bonds lodged on or after 30 September 2024 will require supporting evidence to be provided to a tenant/resident when a property manager/owner claims or disputes a bond refund request. This must be done within 14 days of the bond claim or dispute. Not providing supporting evidence to a tenant/resident when a claim or dispute is made against a bond is an offence.

For rental bonds refund requests lodged with the RTA before 30 September 2024, a 12 month transitional period from 30 September 2024 to 30 September 2025 will apply, allowing the sector time to prepare for this change. This means that evidence does not need to be provided for bond claims until after this period expires for bonds lodged with the RTA before 30 September 2024. 

A bond refund request should be completed and sent to the RTA when the tenancy has ended. 

Tenants or property managers/owners can submit a bond refund form online using RTA Web Services or the paper-based Refund of rental bond (Form 4) on or after the tenancy end date or handover date has occurred. You cannot apply before this date and penalties may apply for providing false and misleading information. 

The quickest and easiest way to get a bond refund is for all tenants listed as bond contributors and the property manager/owner to reach an agreement about how the bond is to be paid out. 

It is essential that you update your details with the RTA, including your forwarding address, contact details and bank account when you leave the rental property. Bonds are refunded into Australian bank accounts. 

If you have provided the RTA with an email address, we will send you updates on the progress of your bond refund.

Claim on bond by property manager/owner

Rental bonds lodged on or after 30 September 2024 require supporting evidence to be provided to a tenant/resident when a property manager/owner claims or disputes a bond refund request. This must be done within 14 days of the bond claim or dispute. Not providing supporting evidence to a tenant/resident when a claim or dispute is made against a bond is an offence.

For rental bonds lodged with the RTA before 30 September 2024, a 12 month transitional period from 30 September 2024 to 30 September 2025 applies. Evidence does not need to be provided for bond claims until after this period expires for bonds lodged with the RTA before 30 September 2024.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units.

Note: evidence must be provided to the tenant/resident, not to the RTA. 

Agreed refunds

• There must be an agreement on how the bond should be paid
• Tenants or property managers/owners can request and agree to a bond refund online using RTA Web Services
• Alternatively, everyone listed on the bond must sign the paper Refund of rental bond (Form 4) request and submit it to the RTA.

The RTA is committed to processing your bond refund request on the same day it is received. However, please allow up to five business days for the funds to reach your bank account.

Refunds are only paid into a bank account (no cheques).

Disputed refunds

A disputed refund is when:

• not everyone signs the same bond refund form, and/or
• there is no agreement about how the bond should be paid.

When this occurs the RTA:

• releases any undisputed amounts
• holds any disputed amount/s, and
• sends a Notice of claim to the people whose signature/agreement is missing from the request. They will have 14 days to disagree with the request or submit a Dispute resolutions request (Form 16) to the RTA.

Understanding the disputed bond refund process in detail 

The RTA encourages all parties to try to resolve any issues in the first instance. 

The RTA will process the first bond refund request made (Party A). If the other person (Party B), whose signature/agreement is missing, disagrees with Party A’s refund request, they can dispute the claim within the timeframe stated to prevent payment. 

The RTA will send Party B a Notice of claim and Party B can disagree digitally via Web Services or submit a Dispute resolution request (Form 16) to the RTA by the due date.  

If the RTA does not receive a digital response via Web Services or a completed Form 16 from Party B within the 14-day period as stated on the notice, the bond will be paid out, as directed on Party A’s bond refund form. 

If Party B disagrees on the bond refund through the above process, it will commence the dispute process with the RTA’s dispute resolution service where a conciliator will try to help resolve the disagreement. If agreement is reached, both parties will need to sign a bond refund form and the bond is paid out as what is agreed in this process. 

If agreement is not reached, Party B (the person who disputed the refund form) can apply to QCAT for a decision. They must do so within seven days and notify the RTA in writing of the QCAT application within the correct timeframe. 

If no QCAT application is lodged by Party B within the seven day timeframe, the RTA will pay the bond as directed on Party A’s bond refund form.  

What happens if an application to QCAT for a hearing about a bond dispute is withdrawn or dismissed?

The RTA will release a bond according to the original request if QCAT dismisses a bond dispute hearing or the application is withdrawn.

Is a 14-day Notice of Claim (NOC) the same process as the 14-day period to provide supporting evidence to a tenant/resident? 

No, these are two distinct processes. The 14-day Notice of Claim (NOC) for a bond claim is different to the 14-day period for a property manager/owner to provide supporting evidence to a tenant/resident. For further information review the Notice of Claim process online.  

Although property managers/owners are obligated to provide supporting evidence to tenants/residents within 14 days, a tenant/resident may dispute a bond claim by lodging a dispute resolution request with the RTA within the timeframe specified in the Notice of Claim process.  

If a tenant/resident fails to do so it will result in the disputed bond amount being paid to a property manager/owner even if evidence has not been provided to a tenant/resident. However, failing to provide evidence is an offence under the Act and the RTA will investigate incidents of non-compliance.

Bond loans

The RTA is required to refund bonds directly to the Department for any outstanding bond loan amount owed, with any remaining amount refunded to the contributor.

In cases where a tenant has a commercial bond loan, the bond will be refunded to the tenant. Any outstanding debt owed by the tenant to the commercial bond provider is a matter for the parties.

If you have a bond loan, please visit our bond loans webpage for more information.

Requesting a refund

• Web Services
• post: RTA, GPO Box 390, Brisbane Q 4001

Emailed or photocopied forms will not be accepted.

Important: If you are unable to use RTA Web Services or post and you need urgent help to submit a bond refund form, please contact the RTA and we'll help you.

It is an offence under Queensland tenancy law to knowingly give false or misleading information to the RTA.