RTBA system help

The RTBA uses Service Victoria authentication to confirm renters have the right to access bond information.

When you try to access your bond details on the RTBA website, you’ll first be redirected to Service Victoria to confirm your identity, by logging into your Service Victoria account.

Your Service Victoria account must have the same email address you used when you lodged your bond. Make sure your account is set up before you try and log on to the RTBA website.

You will need to create a new Service Victoria account if you:

• don’t already have one, or
• have an account, but with a different email address.

You’ll need a mobile phone and number to set up your account, using either a one-time password (OTP) or authentication app.

Once you successfully log in to your Service Victoria account, you’ll be returned to the RTBA website.

What if I don’t have a mobile phone?

You must have a mobile phone and number to set up a Service Victoria account. This is so you can receive a one-time password (OTP) or use an authentication app to confirm your identity.

If you don’t have a mobile phone, borrow one from someone you trust. We only use the number to verify your identity and don't store it.

What if I don’t have an Australian mobile number?

If you don’t have an Australian mobile number, you can use an authenticator app to receive a passcode. Download trusted apps such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator from your app store.

Can I access my bond without a Service Victoria account?

If you try to access your bond and don’t have a Service Victoria account with the same email address your bond was lodged with, the system will detect this and guide you to the Service Victoria website to create one. Once your Service Victoria account is set up, you’ll be redirected back to the RTBA website and should be able to access your bond.

When you create your Service Victoria account, make sure you use the the same email address your bond was lodged with.

If you no longer have access to the email address lodged against your bond, please call the RTBA on 1300 137 164.

If you have any issues creating an account, contact Service Victoria or visit the FAQ page - Service Victoria website.

When do I need to provide identity documents to access my bond?

You will be asked to verify your identity if you:

• try to access your bond using a different email address to the one recorded on your bond
• try to access your bond without an email address, or
• need to update your contact details with the RTBA.

You will have to provide two documents to confirm your identity. These can be:

• Australian driver licence (or learner permit)
• Medicare card
• Australian passport (current or expired less than 3 years)
• Full Australian birth certificate
• Australian citizenship certificate
• Current foreign passport which is linked to a valid Australian visa
• ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs

Once Service Victoria has verified your identity, you’ll be redirected to the RTBA website.

Does identity documentation I provide to Service Victoria need to match the name on my bond?

Yes, the name on your bond and identity documentation should match exactly.

During the bond lodgement process, check the name your rental provider has entered. If it does not match your identity documentation, ask them to change it before you accept the lodgement.

If the bond is already lodged and still active, ask your rental provider to amend your name.

Will my identity documents be shared with my rental provider?

No. Any identity documents you provide through Service Victoria are secure and used only for verification purposes. Your documents, including photos, are not shared with your rental provider at any stage.

The verification process is fully automated. Service Victoria staff cannot access your identity documents at any point. To protect your privacy, Service Victoria does not retain copies of your documents once verification is complete.

For more details, visit the Privacy and security policy - Service Victoria website.

To use the new system, your rental provider first needs to lodge the bond. You’ll then receive an email with a link to review and accept the bond lodgement. There’s a similar process for claiming a bond and transferring a renter on or off a bond. Your rental provider will prepare and send you an email with the link to review and accept.

Find more detailed information about the RTBA bond management system.

You can check the current details of your bond using the Look up your bond function on the RTBA website. You will see the bond summary, which will tell you all the current details of your bond.

To view your bond summary, you must first authenticate your identity with Service Victoria.

In most cases, a bond can't be more than one month's rent.

When can you charge a higher bond?

A rental provider can ask for more than one month's rent when:

• Weekly rent is more than $900, or
• VCAT has approved a higher bond because of the property's character or quality of fittings and furniture.

There's no maximum bond in these cases.

If your bond is more than the weekly rent amount, you'll see a warning when you complete your lodgement. This includes when you've rounded a number. You can continue with your bond lodgement if you're sure your bond number is correct.

Find more detailed information about bond amounts and paying a bond.

An RTBA renter transfer only changes the renters on the bond. No money is paid out from the RTBA as part of this process.

When the renters on a rental agreement change, the rental provider must also update the renters on the bond. This is done by completing a renter transfer using the RTBA website.

Rental providers are required to start a renter transfer transaction with the RTBA within 5 days of the transfer occurring.

This is important because when a rental agreement ends, only the people listed on the bond will complete the bond claim.

Do incoming renters have to pay a share of the bond?

The bond amount does not change during a renter transfer. Incoming renters are sometimes expected to pay a share of the bond to staying or outgoing renters, but this is not mandatory and is done by private agreement. The RTBA does not make partial repayments and does not manage any exchange of money as part of the transfer.

If you are an outgoing renter and incoming or staying renters have agreed to pay you a share of the bond, you should consider completing this exchange before accepting the renter transfer with the RTBA. This is because you no longer have any right to the bond once you have been removed.

Find more information about transferring renters on a bond.

To register your account with the RTBA:

1. Visit the RTBA website and select ‘Register’. This is located in the top navigation bar.
2. Select your type of account:
   a. Landlord - I am a private landlord but do not have a RTBA number (select this option if you are also a pair of landlords)
   b. Licensed estate agent - My organisation is licensed by the Business Licensing Authority but does not have a RTBA number associated with the trading name
3. Authenticate your identity with Service Victoria, read advice below on how to do this.
4. Follow the prompts to complete your account details.
5. Set up your password and finalise the completion of your account.

The first (or only) user on an account will automatically be given Administrator (Level 4) access, meaning they can access all functions available on an RTBA account.

If you are a ‘pair’ of landlords, you should select the ‘Landlord - Individual’ registration type.

Find more detailed information about registering with the RTBA.

When choosing the bond payer, select carefully. Choosing the wrong payer delays bond processing.

During the process, you’ll be asked to select bond payer from 2 options:

1. Renter – The renter will make bond payment directly to the RTBA, or
2. Rental provider – the bond payment will be transferred to the RTBA via direct debit from the rental provider’s (or their estate agent’s) nominated bank account.

Make sure you chose the right option. You can only change your selection if the renter has not agreed to the transaction.

1. Sign back into your RTBA account.
2. Choose manage transactions.
3. Find the bond.
4. Cancel transaction.
5. Resubmit a new lodgement with the correct option.

This is only available if your renter hasn’t agreed.

What do I do if everyone has accepted the lodgement?

You can tell everyone has accepted the lodgement if the lodgement’s transaction status is 'Payment pending'.

If everyone has already accepted the lodgement, you have 2 options:

1. Reach out to your renters and ask them not to submit a payment. The payment screen will time out, cancelling the lodgement, and you will be able to resubmit. OR
2. Refund the payment you received to your renters. They can then pay the bond directly to the RTBA. You will receive a receipt once the payment has been made.

Has your renter already paid you (the rental provider) the bond money?

Select 'Rental provider' as the payer, so the RTBA knows to deduct money from the banking details listed on your registered account.

Do you want your renter to pay the RTBA directly?

Select 'Renter' as the payer

Find more information about how to lodge a bond.

Responding to a renter initiated claim

We've made some changes to make claims easier.

What's changed:

New name

'Tenant Initiated Claims' are now called 'Renter Initiated Claims'.

New identity verification

We no longer use PINs. Service Victoria now verifies your identity instead.

How to respond to a claim:

1. Find your bond. Enter your bond number, name and the email address on your bond
2. Verify your identity. Service Victoria will ask you to confirm who you are.
3. Respond to the claim. You'll see the claim on your Bond Summary screen.

Find more detailed information about starting or contesting a bond claim initiated by a renter.

We've made some changes to make claims easier.

What's changed:

New name

 'Tenant Initiated Claims' are now called 'Renter Initiated Claims'.

New identity verification

We no longer use PINs. Service Victoria now verifies your identity instead.

How to respond to a claim:

1. Find your bond. Enter your bond number, name and the email address on your bond
2. Verify your identity. Service Victoria will ask you to confirm who you are.
3. Respond to the claim. You'll see the claim on your Bond Summary screen.

Find more detailed information about starting or contesting a bond claim initiated by a renter.

Your RTBA account can have multiple users with different access levels.

This means you can give staff the right permissions to do their job without giving everyone full access to sensitive information.

New online users can only be created by Level 3 or Level 4 users.

Find more detailed information about rental provider administration.

If a party has received a decision from VCAT regarding the bond, they should provide their VCAT order number when submitting their bond claim.

If the claim requires review, it will be reviewed by the RTBA instead of other parties on the bond.

Find more detailed information about bond claims and refunds.