In Victoria, the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) holds your rental bond until someone makes a claim at the end of the rental agreement. The entry condition report records the property’s condition when you move in; comparing it with the condition at the end helps assess a proposed bond claim.
Keep your RTBA receipt and bond number. Return the condition report by the deadline, and save dated photos and messages. These records help show what was already there and what changed during the tenancy, but they do not guarantee a particular refund.
Check the bond is lodged
If you pay the bond to the rental provider or agent, they must lodge it with the RTBA within 10 business days of receiving it. You can also choose to pay the RTBA directly. Tell the provider or agent before they submit the lodgement request, then review the RTBA transaction to make sure it lists the correct names and contact details and shows the right amount.
Keep proof of payment as well as the RTBA receipt and bond number. In a share house, write down how much each renter contributed: the RTBA records the bond, but not how the renters divided it between themselves.
Complete the entry report
The rental provider or agent must give you a condition report before you move in. You have 5 business days from your move-in date to add comments, sign and return a copy. Keep your copy, including attachments, and take dated photos or videos that show the rooms and any existing marks or damage. If you did not receive a report, Tenants Victoria advises using Consumer Affairs Victoria’s template to make one.
The report gives you a record to compare against the property’s condition at the end. Add specific comments where the report is incomplete or inaccurate, and keep any messages you send about those comments. A dated photo of a mark, for example, can help show that it was there at the start of the tenancy.
Attend the final inspection
At the end of the agreement, the rental provider or agent must complete the exit section of the original condition report within 10 days. You must be present or have a reasonable opportunity to attend. If you can, attend the inspection and keep a copy of the completed report. Take dated move-out photos or videos before handing back the property.
The exit report records the property’s condition; it does not, by itself, decide who receives the bond. If you disagree with an observation, respond in writing and explain the difference you see between the exit report, the entry report and your records.
Review any bond claim
A condition report can provide evidence in a dispute about cleaning, damage, repairs or missing items. Consumer Affairs Victoria says a rental provider cannot claim bond for fair wear and tear or for repairs that were their responsibility. For rental agreements that began on or after 29 March 2021, renters must leave the property reasonably clean and in the same condition as at the start, allowing for fair wear and tear. A blanket requirement for professional cleaning does not apply in every case.
Since 13 October 2026, a rental provider intending to claim bond must give the renter at least 3 business days’ notice before lodging the claim and provide supporting evidence, such as photos, invoices, receipts or quotes. The evidence must not contradict the condition report. These requirements give renters time to review the evidence before deciding whether to agree to a claim or dispute it.
A renter named on the bond can start a claim with the RTBA after the agreement ends. The RTBA notifies the other parties, who have 14 days to contest a renter-initiated claim by applying to Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria or the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. If everyone accepts the agreed claim, the RTBA usually repays the bond within one business day. A disputed claim follows a resolution process, so the timing and final division depend on the circumstances.
Keep your records together
Keep the signed rental agreement and any changes, proof of bond payment, the RTBA receipt and bond number, and the completed entry and exit reports with all attachments. Also save dated, labelled move-in and move-out photos, relevant messages, repair reports, claim notices and supporting evidence. Keep cleaning or repair receipts if they relate to a proposed claim.
For a shared tenancy, retain the written record of each renter’s contribution and any agreement about how the bond should be divided. Keeping these records together makes it easier to respond to a claim with the relevant documents.
