How to Get your Full Bond Back

Spend a day browsing Reddit, and you’ll come across countless posts from Sydney renters missing out on their full bond refunds. If you find yourself in a similar position, the worst-case scenario could result in losing up to four weeks’ rent — the maximum deposit paid when a tenant first moves in.

Lodged directly with NSW Fair Trading through the Rental Bonds Online (RBO) service, the bond acts as security for the landlord in case tenants don’t uphold their end of the tenancy agreement. This might include issues like unpaid rent, personal items left behind, or damage that exceeds “fair wear and tear”. However, there have been instances where real estate agents or landlords make claims that are unwarranted or unfair, hoping to take advantage of tenants who are new to renting or unaware of their rights. 

We’re here to help tenants avoid these situations altogether by offering a comprehensive guide on how to secure a full bond refund.

Be Thorough with Your Initial Condition Report

Being thorough in your initial condition report is essential, as it serves as one of the most crucial pieces of evidence for securing your rental bond refund. This first step creates a solid foundation for safeguarding your bond at the end of your tenancy agreement.

Document every last detail

The NSW government provides this sample Residential Tenancy Condition Report to help tenants become more familiar with the process. Although it may feel overwhelming initially, if you systematically go through it line by line, you’ll be able to navigate the property inspection successfully. Take your time to inspect each room, fixture, and appliance in the property, and accurately note any pre-existing damage or wear.

Take photos or video recordings

While your real estate agent may provide photographs or video recordings for the report, it’s important to supplement these with your own versions. In cases of disputes, strong photographic evidence offers visual insight that is difficult to dispute between parties. Ensuring that your photos are dated, clear, and cover all aspects of the property – particularly any areas of concern – will strengthen your claim.

Maintain the Property Throughout Your Tenancy

Keep the property “reasonably” clean

Part of your responsibilities as a tenant is to keep the property “reasonably” clean. This is something a property manager will typically check during routine inspections, which can occur up to four times within a 12-month period.

Along with this, tenants are also responsible for minor maintenance such as:

• replacing light bulbs
• cleaning windows
• dusting
• removing cobwebs
• garden maintenance

Inform the landlord of any damage immediately

Even if you make every effort to maintain the property in a “reasonably” clean condition, damage can still occur. When this happens, be sure to inform the landlord of any damage immediately. By flagging the issue through written communication, you create an official record of your effort to prevent any further damage.

Examples of “damage” include:

• Curtains Missing or torn curtains.
• Carpet Stains or burn marks on carpets.
• Floors Deep scratches or gouges in floors.
• Paint Unapproved or poorly done DIY paint jobs.

This should not be confused with “fair wear and tear”, which describes the natural deterioration of a property over time. Landlords cannot claim bond money for these cases as damage. Damage surpasses normal wear and is usually the result of neglect or misuse.

Examples of “fair wear and tear” include:

• Curtains Faded curtains or frayed cords.
• Carpet Furniture indentations and general traffic marks.
• Floors Light scratches on wooden floors.
• Paint Faded or minor chipped paint near high-use areas like light switches.

Perform a thorough end of lease clean

Another condition of the tenancy agreement is to leave the property in a condition as close as possible to its state at the beginning of the tenancy. One way to achieve this is by performing what is known as an “end of lease clean”. It involves following a detailed list that outlines all the areas that need to be cleaned throughout the property. An example of this can be found in Ray White Inner West’s vacating guide, which includes a checklist in their article “How To Get Your Bond Back“.

Clean thoroughly, focusing particularly on high-traffic areas such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and floors. If you’re short on time and unable to carry out a thorough clean yourself, This is Neat Cleaning offers professional end of lease cleaning services for suburbs throughout Sydney.