ACT Rental Bond Maximum Amount: The Four-Week Cap Explained

Four Weeks' Rent — No Exceptions

Section 20 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 sets a hard ceiling on rental bonds in the ACT: no more than four weeks' rent, calculated from the initial agreed rental rate at the start of the tenancy. It doesn't matter whether the property is furnished, whether the tenant has pets, or whether there are multiple co-tenants on the lease. The cap stays the same.

Section 21 adds that a lessor can only require one bond per tenancy agreement. No supplemental deposits under any label.

How to Calculate It

If your rent is quoted weekly, multiply by four.

For monthly rent, convert to weekly first:

Weekly rent = (monthly rent × 12) ÷ 52

Then multiply by four.

For example, a property leased at $2,600 per calendar month has a weekly rent of ($2,600 × 12) ÷ 52 = $600. The maximum bond is $600 × 4 = $2,400.

Fortnightly rent works the same way: divide by two to get the weekly figure, then multiply by four.

What You Cannot Charge

The RTA explicitly bans these common extras:

• Pet bonds or pet deposits — there's no legal mechanism to collect additional security for pets in the ACT.
• Cleaning deposits — any upfront amount beyond the capped bond is an illegal premium.
• Key deposits — keys and access devices are covered by the tenancy terms, not a separate charge.
• Holding deposits or reservation fees — Clause 25 of the Standard Residential Tenancy Terms prohibits them.
• Application or administrative fees — agents and landlords can't charge for processing applications, preparing leases, or running background checks.

Any payment extracted beyond lawful rent and the four-week bond constitutes an illegal premium under the RTA.

What If Rent Increases?

When rent goes up mid-tenancy (permitted once every 12 months, capped by the regional CPI formula under Section 64AAA), the bond cap doesn't follow. The four-week calculation is locked to the initial rent at the start of the tenancy. You cannot ask a tenant to top up the bond to match a higher rent — there's no legal authority for it.

What Happens If You Overcharge

Demanding a bond exceeding four weeks' rent is a contravention of Section 20. It exposes you to a tribunal claim by the tenant for the excess amount, and potentially to a compliance investigation through Access Canberra. Even if a tenant agrees to pay more, the excess is unlawful and recoverable.

One Bond, Calculated Once

The ACT system is designed to be simple: one bond per agreement, four weeks' rent, fixed at the start. No additions, no top-ups, no creative labels. Our ACT Rental Bond Guide includes a Bond Calculation Worksheet that handles weekly, fortnightly, and monthly rent conversions so the number is right from day one.

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