Lodging a bond

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Home buyer / ownerLandlord / lessorProperty industryTenant

Bond money must be lodged with the Bond Administrator, as soon as possible and no later than 14 days after receipt of the money.  How you lodge a bond is detailed below and depends on whether you are a private lessor or an agent/property manager. 

If more than one person has paid the bond (eg in a shared house), it is important the names of all the parties appear on the lodgement form, to protect everyone’s share.

The bond administrator will send a record of payment of security bond directly to the tenant. If the tenant doesn’t receive the record from the bond administrator within one month of paying the bond money to the lessor, they can check their bond has been lodged by contacting the bond administrator by calling 1300 853 829 or email.

The bond cannot be used by any party or person unless by written agreement or by a court order.

Bond administration - A guide provides useful information on lodging bonds with the Department's Bond Administrator.

Private lessors/landlords

Lodging a bond

Bonds must be lodged using the bond lodgement form to be printed, signed and submited to the Bond Administrator by post, email or in person.  Please note, this is not to be used by a licensed real estate agent. 

Bond receipts

When a tenant pays a bond, the lessor must issue a receipt immediately when the payment is received.

Residential tenancy bonds

Where a bond relates to a residential tenancy agreement the lessor must issue a receipt to the tenant which includes:

  • name of the person who paid;
  • amount paid;
  • date on which it is paid; and
  • address of the rental premises.

Residential park bonds

Where a bond relates to a residential parks long-stay tenancy agreement the park operator must issue a receipt to the tenant which includes:

  • name of the tenant;
  • amount paid;
  • date on which it is paid;
  • particulars of the agreed premises; and
  • amount of the pet bond if a pet bond is paid.

Real estate agents and property managers

Lodging a bond

From 1 September 2016, licensed real estate agents will be required to lodge a security bond as an eTransaction via the BondsOnline system.

A written record of the bond paid must be readily accessible and be kept for at least six years.

Failure to issue a bond receipt (even if the bond was paid electronically) could attract a $2,000 infringement notice.

Residential tenancy bond paid by electronic transfer receipts and records

Receipt:

When a tenant pays a bond by electronic transfer, the agent must issue a receipt to the tenant immediately upon receiving payment. The receipt must include the:

  • date on which the bond was received;
  • name of the person paying the bond;
  • amount paid; and
  • address of the rental premises.

Record:

Must include the information contained in the receipt. As there are additional requirements for record-keeping under the Real Estate and Business Agents Act (1979), the record of a bond payment made by electronic transfer must include:

  • a number or letter, or a combination of both, in consecutive order that allows the record to be uniquely identified;
  • the date on which the bond was received;
  • the name of the person paying the bond;
  • the amount paid;
  • the address of the rental premises; and
  • a brief description of the purpose of the payment.

Residential tenancy bond paid by other method receipts and records

Receipt:

The agent must issue a receipt to the tenant immediately upon receiving payment. The receipt must include:

  • the heading ‘Trust Account Receipt’;
  • the business name of the agency and the name of the agent in charge of the agency as recorded in the real estate agent’s register;
  • a number or letter, or a combination of both, in consecutive order that allows the receipt to be uniquely identified;
  • the date on which the bond was received;
  • the name of the person paying the bond;
  • the amount paid;
  • the address of the rental premises;
  • a brief description of the purpose of the payment; and
  • if the receipt is hand-written, the name of the person receiving the money evidenced by the signature of that person.

Record:

Can be a duplicate copy of the receipt as it must also include all the information contained in the receipt.

Residential Parks bond paid by electronic transfer receipts and records

Receipt: 

A real estate agent that receives a bond from a long-stay tenant by electronic transfer does not have to issue a receipt.

Record:

If the real estate agent does not issue a receipt as the money was received by electronic transfer, the record must include:

  • a number or letter, or a combination of both, in consecutive order that allows the record to be uniquely identified;
  • the date on which the money is received;
  • the name of the person paying the money;
  • the amount of money received; and
  • a brief description of the purpose of the payment.

Residential Parks bond paid by other method receipts and records

Receipt: 

The real estate agent must immediately issue a receipt that contains the following information:

  • the heading ‘Trust Account Receipt’;
  • the business name of the agency and the name of the agent in charge of the agency as recorded in the real estate agent’s register;
  • a number or letter, or a combination of both, in consecutive order that allows the receipt to be uniquely identified;
  • the date on which the money is received;
  • the name of the person paying the money;
  • the amount of money received;
  • a brief description of the purpose of the payment; and
  • if the receipt is hand-written, the name of the person receiving the money evidenced by the signature of that person.

Record

The record for a bond paid by a method other than electronic transfer can be a duplicate copy of the receipt as it must also include all the information contained in the receipt.

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