Bond Disputes in Brisbane: The RTA's Role vs QCAT's Role, Explained

Bond disputes are the single most common source of confusion about who actually decides a Brisbane tenancy dispute. The short version: the RTA holds the bond and helps parties negotiate — it cannot decide who's right. Only QCAT can make a binding decision. This guide walks through the whole process, from refund request to tribunal, based only on what the RTA publishes, and is a companion to our guide to ending a tenancy in Brisbane.

Who holds the bond, and what the RTA's role actually is

The RTA administers the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act and holds rental bonds for the length of a tenancy. When it comes to a refund or dispute, the RTA:

• processes the refund request once the tenancy has ended
• holds the bond while a dispute is in progress
• facilitates free, confidential dispute resolution (conciliation) to help both parties reach their own agreement
• cannot decide who is entitled to what — that decision-making power sits with QCAT alone.

A bond refund request cannot be accepted before the expiry date of the relevant notice (for example a Notice to Leave, Notice of Intention to Leave, or Abandonment Termination Notice).

Step 1: The bond refund request

• A refund is requested via a Refund of Rental Bond (Form 4), submitted through RTA Web Services or by post.
• If everyone — the tenant(s) and the property manager/owner — agrees on how the bond should be split and signs the form, the RTA processes the refund.
• If someone hasn't signed, the RTA sends a Notice of Claim to whoever didn't agree. They have 14 days to dispute the claim.
• If no one disputes it within that 14-day window, the bond is paid out exactly as originally requested.

Step 2: If there's a claim or dispute — the 14-day evidence rule

If a property manager/owner makes a claim on the bond, or disputes a refund request, they must give the tenant/resident supporting evidence within 14 days of that claim or dispute — for example a repair quote, an invoice, or records of unpaid rent.

• This evidence must go to the tenant/resident directly, not to the RTA.
• This rule now applies to all bond claims and disputes — a 12-month transitional period that started 30 September 2024 for older bonds expired on 30 September 2025.
• Not providing this evidence is an offence, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units.
• If no evidence is provided within the 14-day window, the tenant/resident can request an RTA investigation.
• Importantly, the RTA can only investigate whether evidence was provided in time — it cannot assess whether the evidence is good enough or suitable. If the dispute is really about the quality of the evidence, that goes to self-resolution, then RTA dispute resolution, and ultimately QCAT if still unresolved.

Step 3: RTA dispute resolution (conciliation)

If the parties can't agree, either can lodge a dispute with the RTA's free dispute resolution service. The RTA conciliator facilitates the conversation but does not decide the outcome. Two results are possible:

1. Agreement is reached — the parties sign an agreement covering both the bond and any amount claimed beyond it. The RTA pays out the bond as agreed; anything above the bond amount is paid directly between the parties.
2. No agreement is reached — the RTA issues a Notice of Unresolved Dispute (NURD).

Our guide to RTA dispute resolution and QCAT covers this conciliation process in more depth, including what to expect on the teleconference itself.

"Claim greater than bond" disputes

If a property manager/owner's total claim exceeds the amount actually held in bond, the excess is a separate category: a "claim greater than bond" dispute. If the bond portion itself isn't in dispute, the bond is refunded through the normal process — but the claim for the extra amount is considered unsuitable for conciliation, and a Notice of Unresolved Dispute is issued straight away so it can go to QCAT.

Step 4: Applying to QCAT

Once a NURD is issued for a bond matter:

• You have 7 days from receiving the NURD to apply to QCAT.
• You must also notify the RTA in writing that you've lodged the QCAT application, within that same window.
• If you miss this deadline, the RTA pays out the bond according to the original refund request — regardless of the merits of your dispute.
• Once a matter is with QCAT, the RTA is no longer involved and has no visibility into what's submitted.
• Only QCAT can make a binding decision — including ruling on whether evidence was suitable, how the bond should be split, and any amount owed above the bond.

If the tenancy is ending because you're breaking a lease early, the same bond process applies once the lease has actually ended — any reletting costs or compensation are settled separately from, but can still affect, the bond refund.

References

• RTA — Refund of rental bond
• RTA — Online bond refund
• RTA — Refund of rental bond (Form 4)
• RTA — RTA dispute resolution service
• RTA — Rental bonds factsheet
• RTA — Evidence for bond claims is initial focus of new compliance and enforcement plan

This guide summarises rules published by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) at the time of writing. Live in Brisbane is an independent project and is not affiliated with the RTA, the Queensland Government, or the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. For advice on your specific situation, contact the RTA directly on 1300 366 311 or visit rta.qld.gov.au.