RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES BOND AUTHORITY
IMPORTANT BOND INFORMATION
Receipts issued by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) show the current bond and party
details registered with the RTBA as at the date shown on the receipt.
You should retain the receipt and store it in a safe place until the bond is repaid
ABOUT THE RTBA
The RTBA is an independent agency of the Victorian
Government responsible for receiving, registering and repaying
bonds on all residential tenancies within Victoria. The RTBA
holds bonds in trust for all the parties to the bond (tenants and
landlord/agent).
TELLING THE RTBA ABOUT CHANGES
The RTBA must be told about any changes to the parties to the
bond, otherwise the RTBA may not be able to repay the bond. The
RTBA is only permitted to repay bond money to landlords/agents
and tenants who are registered with the RTBA as the parties to the
bond.
Change of tenant
Whenever a tenant enters or leaves the tenancy, a Tenant
Transfer must be completed and sent to the RTBA within 5 days of
the change. The transfer requires the signature of all of the
outgoing, continuing and incoming tenants, and the landlord/agent.
Tenants or landlord/agents who do not complete and send a
Tenant Transfer to the RTBA may be fined.
Change of landlord or agent
If a new landlord/agent takes over the property, the old and new
landlord/agent must complete and sign an Agent/Landlord
Transfer, and send it to the RTBA within 5 days of the transfer.
The new landlord/agent must give the tenant a copy of the
completed and signed form.
If a landlord/agent does not send an Agent/Landlord Transfer to
the RTBA or fails to give the tenant a copy of the advice, the
landlord/agent may be fined.
If a landlord/agent changes their contact details, they must advise
the RTBA. Please contact the RTBA for further information.
RTBA ONLINE
RTBA Online is an internet facility where any party to a bond can
review the status and history of the bond, and initiate lodgments,
transfers, and claims, and find an outstanding bond repayment.
Log onto rentalbonds.vic.gov.au or follow the link from
rtba.vic.gov.au.
PRIVACY
The RTBA is bound by laws that protect your privacy concerning
the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. Where
required or allowed by law, we may disclose the information to
other State and Commonwealth governments or agencies. You
can request access to your personal information by contacting the
RTBA.
CONTACT THE RTBA
MAIL
Residential Tenancies Bond Authority
Locked Bag 007
WENDOUREE VIC 3355
EMAIL
rtba@justice.vic.gov.au
RTBA15 Bond Receipts 2 December 2015 email.docx
CLAIMING THE BOND
By Agreement
When a tenancy ends, the landlord/agent and tenant should
attempt to agree about how the bond will be divided among them.
After agreement is reached, all parties are to complete a Bond
Claim and send it to the RTBA.
All tenants and the landlord/agent registered with the RTBA for
that bond must sign the claim form or approve the equivalent
electronic transaction. The claim cannot be processed if any
signatures are missing or different to the signatures on the Bond
Lodgment or subsequent transfer forms.
The whole bond must be claimed. The RTBA does not make part
repayments of a bond except when directed by Victorian Civil and
Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
By VCAT Order
If the landlord/agent and the tenant cannot agree as to how the
bond should be divided, either the landlord/agent or tenant can
apply to VCAT to settle the dispute. After hearing the application,
VCAT may make an Order directing the RTBA to repay the bond
and who should receive what amount of money. To claim a bond
that is the subject of a VCAT Order, send the RTBA a completed
Bond Claim form with a copy of the entire VCAT Order attached.
Loans from the Director of Housing
If this bond was provided as a loan from the Director of Housing
(DoH), the DoH Loan number should form part of the bond
record. Please contact the RTBA if the DoH loan number is not
printed on the front of this acknowledgement.
At the end of the tenancy, the RTBA must repay all of the loan to
the DoH unless there is a VCAT Order directing repayment of all
or part of the bond to the landlord/agent.
Method of Repayment
If the RTBA approves a Bond Claim, individual repayments will be
made to each payee according to the following hierarchy:
 Directly into a bank account, if valid bank account details
are available, signatures can be matched, and there are
no amendments on the form to this information; or
 By cheque to the payee’s forwarding address; or
 Retained by the RTBA pending receipt of appropriate
repayment details.
If you do not receive the repayment you were expecting, please
contact the RTBA.
TENANCY AND BOND ADVICE
For issues involving bonds, contact the RTBA.
For general tenancy advice and information on dispute resolution,
visit the Consumer Affairs Victoria website at
consumer.vic.gov.au and follow the links to renting
TELEPHONE
1300 137 164
9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays)
INTERNET
rentalbonds.vic.gov.au