ACAT Bond Dispute: What ACT Landlords Need to Know

Bond Disputes Go to ACAT Automatically

For a bond lodged with ACT Rental Bonds, a disagreement about its distribution is referred to ACAT by the Rental Bonds Office. When either party objects to a unilateral bond refund claim within the 14-day Section 33 notice period, the contested portion is frozen and referred to ACAT — the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. No separate application is needed for that referral itself.

Other tenancy disputes, or a claim that exceeds the bond amount, may require a separately filed ACAT application. A termination and possession application where no bond was deposited has its own fee.

ACAT Filing Fees

The Section 33 bond dispute referral itself does not require a separate application. For separate applications that require a fee, the 2026 schedule includes:

• Claims of $3,000 or less: $93.00 for an individual ($185.00 for a corporation)
• Claims between $3,001 and $15,000: $195.00 for an individual ($392.00 for a corporation)
• Claims over $15,000 up to $25,000: $707.00 for an individual ($1,415.00 for a corporation)
• Termination and possession orders where no bond was deposited: $384.00 for an individual ($768.00 for a corporation)

If you win, ACAT can order the other party to reimburse your filing fee on top of any bond distribution.

What the Dispute Process Looks Like

After the automatic referral, ACAT schedules a conciliation conference where both parties present their positions and an ACAT Member or Registrar helps them negotiate. Many bond disputes settle here without progressing to a formal hearing.

If the conference doesn't resolve it, the matter moves to a full hearing before a tribunal member. Both parties give evidence, present documents, and make submissions. ACAT then issues a binding order specifying exactly how the bond money is distributed.

The Evidence That Matters

ACAT decides bond disputes on documented evidence, not on who argues louder. What you need:

• The entry condition report — signed, dated, with the original photographs. This is your baseline for proving damage.
• The exit condition report — completed at the final inspection, ideally with the tenant present.
• Dated photographs — side-by-side comparisons of the same areas at entry and exit. Timestamped, high resolution, showing context (not just a close-up of a stain).
• Invoices and quotes — itemised repair costs from qualified tradespeople. ACAT dismisses unsubstantiated lump sums.
• Depreciation calculations — you can't claim full replacement cost for a 6-year-old carpet. Claims must account for the item's age and useful life using ATO depreciation schedules.
• Rental ledger — if claiming unpaid rent, a complete record of all payments received and arrears notices sent.

Blanket claims like "tenant left it filthy, $500 for cleaning" without a condition report comparison and a cleaner's itemised invoice routinely fail.

The Burden of Proof Is on You

As the party claiming deductions, you carry the burden of proving that the damage goes beyond fair wear and tear. This is the single most common reason landlords lose bond disputes — they know the damage is real but can't document the difference between the property's starting condition and its ending condition.

A condition report that was never completed, or one with vague descriptions like "good condition" instead of room-by-room details, undermines your entire claim regardless of what actually happened.

Build Your Evidence File Before the Tenancy Ends

The time to prepare for a potential dispute is at the start of the tenancy, not when you're staring at a 14-day deadline. Our ACT Rental Bond Guide includes an ACAT Evidence Checklist and a Condition Report Photo Index so your evidence file is structured from day one.

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