Co-Tenant Change and Bond Transfer in the ACT

The Bond Stays Lodged — the Names Change

When a co-tenant leaves a share house and a new person moves in, you don't need to refund the bond and start a fresh lodgement. The bond remains held by the ACT Revenue Office. What changes is the official register of who's attached to that bond — and that update has a specific process.

Getting it wrong means the outgoing tenant's name stays on the bond record, which creates problems when the tenancy eventually ends and refund payments need to go to the right people.

Who Signs the Form

The Co-tenant Change Request Form requires signatures from four parties:

1. The outgoing tenant — confirming they're leaving the tenancy and relinquishing their bond interest.
2. The incoming tenant — accepting responsibility for the bond share.
3. All remaining co-tenants — acknowledging the change.
4. The principal lessor (you) — approving the substitution.

All required parties must sign. If a required signature is unavailable, the form route cannot update the record as described; contact the ACT Revenue Office about the next steps for that situation.

The Money Goes Between Tenants

The financial adjustment happens directly between the incoming and outgoing tenants. The incoming tenant reimburses the departing tenant's share of the bond. The Revenue Office doesn't facilitate this payment — it only updates the names on the bond record.

As the landlord, you have no obligation to manage or mediate this private financial arrangement. But you do need to make sure the form gets completed and submitted, because an outdated bond register means refund payments at the end of the tenancy go to people who may no longer be on the lease.

Submitting the Form

Send the completed Co-tenant Change Request Form to the ACT Revenue Office by:

• Email: [email protected]
• Post: PO Box 293, Civic Square ACT 2608

The portal record updates once the Revenue Office processes the form. You'll receive confirmation, and the new tenant's contact details replace the outgoing tenant's on the bond record.

Change of Lessor Is a Separate Form

If you sell the property or switch managing agents, that's not a co-tenant change — it's a Change of Lessor or Managing Agent Form. The outgoing and incoming lessors (or agents) both sign, and it must be lodged within 30 days of the change. The bond stays in the Revenue Office trust account throughout; no refund or re-lodgement is required.

Keep the Register Current

An outdated bond register creates headaches that compound over time — wrong names on refund applications, misdirected payments, and delays when the tenancy ends. Our ACT Rental Bond Guide includes a Tenancy Document Register that tracks every co-tenant change, ensuring your records match the Revenue Office's when it matters.

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