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What is a bond?
A bond acts as security for the landlord/estate agent or owner against the tenant or resident meeting the terms of their rental agreement.
All rental bonds for properties in Victoria must be lodged with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA).
To lodge a bond:
- Visit the RTBA Online website.
- Tenants: click on ‘Tenant’ on the left side of the home page. This opens the log-in page.
Landlords/estate agents: click 'Landlord' on the left side of the home page. This opens the log-in page.
- Click 'Bond Lodgement'. This opens the 'Bond Lodgement' details page.
- Enter the details in the form, then click ‘Generate Form’.
- Once generated, the Bond Lodgement form must be printed then signed by the tenant and landlord/estate agent.
- Mail the completed form to:
RTBA
Locked Bag 007
Wendouree VIC 3355
Note: you can request pre-printed forms to be mailed to you by contacting the RTBA on 1300 137 164 or rtba@justice.vic.gov.au.
Checking the details and status of a transaction
RTBA Online allows tenants, residents, landlords, estate agents and owners to view the details and status of a bond transaction.
Estate agents can be approved as registered users, so they can view and undertake transactions on bonds registered to them.
To check the details and status of a bond transaction:
- Visit the RTBA Online website.
- Tenants: click on 'Tenant' on the left side of the home page.
Landlords/estate agents: click 'Landlord' on the left side of the home page.
- Enter the Bond ID / Transaction ID and family name of one of the tenants or residents. This will open the Bond Summary page, which displays the current bond information.
Bond amount
For tenants
Tenants renting a house, unit or apartment will usually be required to pay a bond.
If the rent is $350 a week or less, the bond cannot be more than the equivalent of one month’s rent.
A landlord or estate agent may charge a bond that is more than one month's rent if the:
- tenancy agreement states that the premises are the landlord's principal residence and the landlord intends to resume living there at the end of the tenancy, or
- rent is more than $350 a week, or
- landlord or estate agent gets an order from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal setting out the amount of the bond.
For rooming house residents
If you are a rooming house resident and the owner asks you to pay a bond, the amount cannot be more than the equivalent of 14 days’ rent.
For caravan park residents
If you have hired the caravan separately to the site, you may have to pay two bonds: one for the owner of the caravan and one for the caravan park owner.
The bond for the site, or the caravan, cannot be more than the equivalent of 28 days’ rent or hire charge.
For site tenants
If you are a site tenant and the site owner asks you to pay a bond, the bond cannot be more than the equivalent of one month’s rent if the rent is $350 a week or less.
Tenant and resident responsibilities
The bond and rent are separate payments. You cannot use any part of the bond as rent.
You must meet the conditions of your rental agreement in order to get back the full bond amount once you leave your rental property, rooming house, caravan or site under a site agreement.
The landlord/estate agent or owner may claim part or all of the bond money if, for example, you have damaged the property or owe rent.
If a bond payment is dishonoured, the landlord/estate agent or owner can organise to collect the money and re-lodge the bond, or give you a:
If you get permission from your landlord or estate agent to sub-let the rental property, you must take on landlord responsibilities for the sub-tenant. This includes lodging the sub-tenant’s bond with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority. For more information, view our Sharing a rental property or room page.
Landlord/estate agent and owner responsibilities
If you are a landlord/estate agent or owner and take a bond from a tenant or resident, you must give them a:
- completed and signed official Bond Lodgement form for them to sign
- copy of the Condition Report.
Bond Lodgement forms can be generated at the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) Online website - view our How to lodge a bond section above.
Note: you can request pre-printed forms to be mailed to you by contacting the RTBA on 1300 137 164 or rtba@justice.vic.gov.au.
The RTBA needs the details and signatures on this form so it can pay out the bond at the end of the tenancy or residency.
It is your responsibility to send the bond form to the RTBA within 10 business days of receiving the bond.
Bond receipt
When the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) receives the Bond Lodgement form, it must send a receipt to the tenant or resident, as well as to the landlord/estate agent or owner. Anyone who has not received the RTBA’s receipt 15 business days after paying a bond should contact the RTBA on 1300 137 164.
Last updated: 15/05/2012