QCAT Rental Bond Dispute — RTA Conciliation and Form 2 Filing

You moved out, left the property clean, and now the landlord or property manager is claiming part or all of your bond for damage you did not cause. Or you are a landlord whose tenant left the place trashed and is demanding the full bond back. Either way, the dispute needs to go through a specific process before QCAT will hear it — and that process starts with the RTA, not the tribunal.

Step 1: Claim the Bond First

Either the tenant or property manager/owner can request a bond refund through the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) after the tenancy ends. The first refund request sets out the proposed payout, but it does not decide a dispute. The other parties are notified and have 14 days to dispute the request; if a party requests RTA dispute resolution and conciliation fails, that party can apply to QCAT.

The RTA releases any undisputed amount and holds the disputed amount while the dispute is being resolved. If no party disputes the refund request within 14 days, the RTA pays the bond as requested.

Step 2: RTA Dispute Resolution

If a party disputes the proposed refund within the 14-day notice period, they must request RTA dispute resolution. This is mandatory — QCAT will not accept a tenancy bond application without evidence that you went through RTA conciliation first.

RTA dispute resolution involves:

• A conciliator contacts both parties to understand each side's position
• The conciliator attempts to facilitate an agreement on how the bond should be divided
• Both parties can present evidence (photos, condition reports, receipts, invoices)

Conciliation is a genuine negotiation. The conciliator cannot make a binding decision — they can only help the parties agree. If you reach an agreement, the RTA releases the bond according to the agreed split and the matter is closed.

Step 3: Notice of Unresolved Dispute

If RTA conciliation fails, the RTA issues a Notice of Unresolved Dispute (NUD). This document is your authorisation to file with QCAT. Without it, the registry will reject your application.

The NUD confirms that the mandatory conciliation step was completed and that the parties could not reach agreement. Hold on to it — you will need to attach it to your QCAT application.

Step 4: Filing Form 2

Residential tenancy disputes use Form 2 — not Form 1 or Form 3. Form 2 is specific to matters arising under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld).

Your application should include:

• The completed Form 2
• The RTA Notice of Unresolved Dispute
• The entry and exit condition reports
• Photographs of the property at move-in and move-out
• Receipts for any cleaning or repairs you arranged
• Communication records with the landlord or property manager
• The tenancy agreement

Filing fees follow the standard QCAT schedule based on the amount in dispute — $96.30 for claims up to $1,000, up to $405.60 for larger amounts.

The 26-Week Deadline After the NUD

For a rental-bond dispute, lodge Form 2 with QCAT within 26 weeks of the Notice of Unresolved Dispute (NUD) date. Do not sit on the NUD — file with QCAT promptly.

What QCAT Considers

At the hearing, the Adjudicator examines the evidence to determine fair wear and tear versus actual damage beyond normal use. Entry and exit condition reports are critical evidence. If the landlord did not complete a proper entry condition report at the start of the tenancy, their ability to claim the property was damaged is substantially weakened.

Photographs carry weight. Timestamped photos from the day you moved in and the day you moved out make the strongest case — particularly when compared side by side.

The Adjudicator orders how the bond should be split. That order directs the RTA to release the funds accordingly. If a party owes more than the bond amount (for example, rent arrears exceed the bond), the order can include a monetary payment obligation beyond the bond.

Tips for Tenants

• Do a thorough condition report at the start. Photograph everything — walls, carpets, appliances, gardens. Get the landlord or property manager to sign it.
• Claim the bond the same day you return the keys. Delay gives the other side the initiative.
• Keep all cleaning receipts. Professional cleaning invoices directly rebut claims that the property was left dirty.
• Respond to every RTA communication promptly. Silence during conciliation weakens your position.

Our QCAT filing guide covers all five minor civil dispute pathways — including the RTA-to-QCAT tenancy route, with filing checklists and a deadline calendar that tracks every step.

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