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How to get your bond back in NSW

✓ Checked against official NSW Government guidance on 5 November 2026

The whole process at a glance

1. Before you move inThe bond can't be more than 4 weeks' rent. It is held by NSW Fair Trading.
2. Within 7 days of moving inComplete your part of the condition report, add time-stamped photos and return one copy.
3. Moving outClean, remove your things, return all keys and sign off the condition report with the agent.
4. ClaimingClaim in Rental Bonds Online. The agent has up to 14 days to accept.
5. If they claim against youYou get a Notice of Claim with 14 days to respond, plus their evidence within 7 days of the claim.

Moving in: the condition report

In NSW, the landlord or agent must give you the condition report before or when you're given the lease to sign: two paper copies, or one electronic copy. You complete your part and return one copy within 7 days of moving in, keeping the other.

• Record everything, including minor damage. NSW Fair Trading says more detail and time-stamped photos make disputes less likely.
• Take time-stamped photos of every room and close-ups of anything marked, chipped, stained or not working.
• Check safety items like smoke alarms and safety switches, and note any loose sockets or wiring.
• Keep your copy and photos somewhere you'll still have at the end of the lease.

Moving out

Before you claim, NSW Fair Trading lists what to do:

• Pay rent up to the end of your notice period.
• Clean the property to the condition it was in at the start.
• Remove all your belongings.
• Repair any damage beyond fair wear and tear.
• Sign off the condition report with the landlord or agent. Ideally you fill in the end-of-tenancy section together.
• Return all keys and anything else you were given when you moved in.

Getting your bond back

If your bond was paid through Rental Bonds Online, log in and claim it. You don't have to wait for the agent to start. The agent has up to 14 days to accept your claim, and payment is due 2 business days after they accept, straight into your bank account.

If you don't use Rental Bonds Online, complete the Claim for Bond Refund form. If the agent won't sign it, you can still lodge it. They then have 14 days to dispute, and if they don't, Fair Trading pays you after 14 days.

NSW Fair Trading says making a bond claim without evidence breaches the Residential Tenancies Act 2010.

If the landlord claims some of it

The landlord or agent can claim for things like unpaid rent, cleaning below the starting standard, unreturned keys, damage beyond fair wear and tear, or unpaid water usage billed within 3 months.

• You'll get a Notice of Claim by email and SMS, with 14 days to respond.
• They must show you their evidence. Within 7 days of making the claim, they must give you the end-of-tenancy condition report and copies of quotes, invoices or receipts.
• Try to agree first. Compare their claim with your entry report and photos. If you reach an agreement, they should pay within 14 days.
• To stop the payout, tell Fair Trading you dispute it in Rental Bonds Online before the "due for payment" date, then apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
• Already paid out? You can still apply to NCAT within 6 months of the payout.

Fair wear and tear vs damage

Everywhere in Australia, you have to leave the property as you found it, apart from fair wear and tear. Wear and tear is the gradual deterioration from normal use and ageing. You don't pay for it. Damage caused by carelessness, accidents or neglect is different. Typical examples:

Fair wear and tear	Damage
Carpet worn in walkways	Burns or large stains in the carpet
Paint or curtains faded by sun	Holes or marks in walls from hanging things without permission
Minor scuffs where furniture sat	Benchtop burnt by a hot pan
Loose door handles from years of use	Broken window or door from an accident

The line isn't always obvious, which is why your entry report and dated photos matter so much. A mark that is recorded on day one can't be blamed on you later.

Your bond checklist

• Return the condition report with your comments within 7 days of moving in
• Take time-stamped photos of every room on move-in day
• Keep your copy of the report and photos for the whole lease
• Clean, remove everything and return every key
• Sign off the end-of-tenancy condition report
• Claim through Rental Bonds Online
• Respond to any Notice of Claim within 14 days
• Ask for the agent's evidence if they claim against you