How long does my landlord have to give back my bond in Tasmania?
In Tasmania, your landlord does not hold your bond; it is held by the Rental Deposit Authority (RDA). Your landlord has three working days after the lease ends to claim any deductions. If they do not, you can apply directly to the RDA to receive your full bond back.
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How it works in practice
The Rental Deposit Authority
In Tasmania, landlords are legally prohibited from holding onto your bond money. When you pay a bond at the beginning of your tenancy, it must be lodged directly with the Rental Deposit Authority (RDA), a government body that securely holds the funds until you move out.
Timeframes for Bond Claims
When your tenancy officially ends and you hand back the keys, the landlord or property agent has exactly three working days to lodge a claim against your bond through the MyBond system if they believe you owe money for unpaid rent, cleaning, or damages.
How You Get Paid
If your landlord agrees that the property was left in good condition and makes no claim, the RDA will automatically notify you. Once the return is approved by all parties, the RDA processes the payment directly into your nominated bank account. This usually takes just a few business days depending on your bank's processing times.
Taking Direct Action
You do not have to wait indefinitely for your landlord to act. If the three working days pass and your landlord has not initiated the bond return process, you have the legal right to log into the MyBond portal and submit a claim for the bond yourself. The landlord will then be notified and given an opportunity to dispute your claim.
Important exceptions
If your landlord disputes your bond return and makes a claim for damages or cleaning, the process will be delayed. You will receive a notification from the RDA detailing their claim.
If you disagree with their deductions, you can dispute the claim through the MyBond system. This will pause the payout.
If you and the landlord cannot reach an agreement, the dispute will be referred to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT). TASCAT will schedule a hearing to determine how the bond should be split, which can significantly extend the time it takes to get your money back.
What you should do now
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Complete a final condition report and take detailed photos of the property when moving out.
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Return the keys to your landlord or real estate agent on the final day of your lease.
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Wait three working days for the landlord to lodge a bond return or deduction claim via the MyBond system.
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Log into the MyBond portal online to approve the agreed return or initiate your own claim if the landlord hasn't acted.
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File a formal dispute through the system if the landlord attempts to make an unjustified deduction from your bond.
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