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How to get your bond back in Queensland

✓ Checked against RTA guidance on 5 November 2026

The whole process at a glance

1. Before you move inBond is paid and lodged with the RTA. Since 30 September 2024 it can't be more than 4 weeks' rent.
2. First 7 daysCheck the entry condition report Form 1a, add your comments and photos, sign it and give it back.
3. During the leaseKeep your copy of the report and photos somewhere safe. Report repairs in writing.
4. Moving outRemove your things, clean thoroughly, complete the exit condition report Form 14a and return the keys.
5. After the tenancy endsYou or the agent lodge Form 4 with the RTA. Agree, and the bond is paid as signed.
6. If there's a claimYou have 14 days from the Notice of claim to dispute it with Form 16.

Moving in: the entry condition report

The entry condition report is the single most important document for getting your bond back. At the end of the lease, the property is compared against it. Anything not recorded at the start can look like damage you caused.

In Queensland, the property manager or owner fills in the report Form 1a, signs it and gives you a copy at the start of the tenancy. You then have 7 days to return it, signed and completed, counted from whichever is later: the day you moved in or the day you received the report. The agent must then give you back a copy of the completed report.

How to do it properly

• Don't just sign it. Walk every room with the report in hand. Where you disagree, write your own comment next to the agent's, such as "chip in benchtop near sink" or "carpet stain in bedroom 2".
• Take photos and video. The RTA says photos and video can support what's written on the form. Photograph anything marked, chipped, stained, cracked or not working, and take a wide shot of every room.
• Make sure your photos are dated. A photo is much stronger evidence when it clearly shows the date it was taken.
• Add pages if you run out of room. The RTA says to attach extra pages if the form isn't big enough.
• Note the meter readings. The RTA strongly advises recording them in both the entry and exit reports.
• Keep your own copy. Save the signed report and your photos where you can find them in a year's time, not just in your email.

Moving out: cleaning and the exit report

You need to leave the property in the same condition it was in when you moved in, apart from fair wear and tear. The exit condition report Form 14a records the condition when you leave, and it is compared with your entry report.

The RTA says it's best if you and the agent complete the exit report together, so problems can be sorted out on the spot and the bond released sooner. If you do it separately:

1. Remove all your belongings and give the property a thorough clean.
2. Fill in the exit condition report and hand it to the agent when you return the keys.
3. The agent inspects the property, adds their comments and signs.
4. The agent sends a completed copy to your new address within 3 business days.
5. Either of you lodges the bond refund request.

Claiming your bond with Form 4

Your bond is refunded by the RTA when it receives a Form 4 Refund of rental bond. The RTA can't accept it until the notice period on the notice to leave or notice of intention to leave has finished.

If you and the agent agree

Everyone named on the bond signs the Form 4, and the RTA pays the bond the way the form says.

If you don't agree

Either side can lodge a Form 4 on their own, without the other's signature. The RTA pays out any amount that isn't in dispute, then sends a Notice of claim to the other party. Whoever receives it has 14 days to:

• dispute it by lodging a Dispute resolution request Form 16,
• agree by signing the back of the notice and returning it, or
• do nothing. After 14 days, the RTA pays the bond as requested on the first form it received.

What the agent can and can't claim

The owner or agent can claim some or all of the bond if you:

• damaged the property beyond fair wear and tear,
• breached the tenancy agreement, or
• owe rent.

They must back it up. Under Queensland rules, the property manager or owner must give you supporting evidence within 14 days of making a claim or dispute, and the RTA says failing to do so is an offence. This started for bonds lodged from 30 September 2024. Older bonds had a transition period that ended on 30 September 2025, so it now applies to every bond.

If an agent claims for damage, ask to see their evidence and compare it with your entry report and photos.

Fair wear and tear vs damage

Fair wear and tear is the deterioration that happens through normal use and ageing, and through exposure to the environment over time. You're not responsible for it. Damage caused by carelessness or negligence is a different matter. These examples come from the RTA:

Fair wear and tear owner's cost	Damage tenant's cost
Cracked window pane because of old, warped frames	Cracked window pane from slamming the window shut
Garden mulch breaking down over time	Tenant's dog digging up the mulch
Paint or curtains faded by sunlight	Paint discoloured by candle smoke
Plaster cracks as the building settles	Plaster chipped by hammering in nails
Carpet worn from day-to-day use	Benchtop scratched by cutting food directly on it
Carpet pile flattened by furniture or foot traffic	Carpet stains from approved pets

The line isn't always obvious, which is why your entry report matters. If a mark was already there on day one and it's in your report, it can't be blamed on you.

If you disagree with a claim

1. Talk to the agent first. Many claims are settled once both sides look at the entry report and photos together.
2. Lodge Form 16 within 14 days of the Notice of claim. This starts the RTA's free dispute resolution service.
3. Conciliation. An RTA conciliator helps you and the agent try to reach an agreement.
4. If it isn't resolved, the RTA issues a Notice of unresolved dispute. You then have 7 days to apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) for a decision.

If a QCAT application is withdrawn or dismissed, the RTA refunds the bond according to the original refund request. Bring your entry report, exit report and dated photos to every step. They are your strongest evidence.

Your bond checklist

• Check, comment on, sign and return the entry condition report within 7 days
• Photograph every room on move-in day, with close-ups of existing damage
• Record the meter readings at the start and end
• Keep your signed report and photos somewhere you'll still have in a year
• Report repairs to the agent in writing during the lease
• Remove everything and clean thoroughly before the final inspection
• Photograph every room again after cleaning, from the same angles
• Complete the exit condition report and return it with the keys
• Give the RTA your forwarding address
• Respond to any Notice of claim within 14 days