Consumer Affairs Victoria Bond Rules: What Every Landlord Needs to Know

Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) is the state regulator that enforces residential tenancy law — including every rule governing how you collect, hold, and return a rental bond. If you're a self-managing landlord in Victoria, CAV is the authority you need to stay on the right side of. Here's how the bond framework works.

The Core Rules at a Glance

Victoria's bond regime sits under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (RTA) and the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021. The rules apply to every rental provider — the legal term for a landlord — managing a standard residential tenancy.

Bond cap. If the weekly rent is $900 or less, the maximum bond is one calendar month's rent (weekly rent × 52 ÷ 12). Above $900/week, the one-month cap doesn't apply. For properties at or below the threshold, VCAT may order a higher bond in exceptional cases.

Lodgement deadline. Bond must be lodged with the RTBA within 10 business days of receipt. The penalty for breach: up to 150 penalty units ($31,365 in FY 2026–27).

No pet bonds. Victoria prohibits separate pet deposits. The standard bond covers pet-related damage claims like any other damage.

No holding deposits or application fees. You cannot charge a prospective renter anything to hold a property or process their application.

Advance rent limits. If weekly rent is $900 or less: maximum 2 weeks' advance (weekly payment) or 1 month's advance (monthly payment). You cannot accept more even if the renter offers.

Who Holds the Bond

The Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) holds every residential rental bond in trust under section 411 of the RTA. The money belongs to the renter until lawfully disbursed — it's not the landlord's money, even if the renter caused damage.

Routine bond transactions are handled through RTBA Online. Complex administrative circumstances — including legal representative sign-offs, deceased estates, or court-appointed guardianships — may require paper forms with certified supporting documents. Self-managing landlords register as Individual Landlords on RTBA Online, with identity verification through Service Victoria.

Condition Reports and Evidence Standards

Before the renter moves in, you must complete a Form 2 condition report and deliver two completed copies (or an electronic copy by mutual consent). The renter has 5 business days after moving in to add their comments, sign the report, and return one copy.

This document becomes the baseline for assessing any bond claim you might make later. If it is incomplete, you may have weaker evidence of the property's starting condition.

End-of-Tenancy Claims and the 14-Day Rule

When the tenancy ends, bond disbursement happens one of two ways:

Mutual consent. Both parties agree on the split, sign off digitally on RTBA Online, and funds transfer within 1–2 business days.

Contested or renter-initiated claim. The renter can file a claim independently. Once the RTBA sends notice, you have 14 calendar days (20 calendar days if served by post) to lodge a dispute with RDRV or VCAT and provide the tribunal reference to the RTBA. If you miss the applicable window, the full bond is released to the renter automatically.

Before filing a claim with the RTBA, you must deliver itemised evidence to the renter at least 3 business days in advance — photographs, quotes, and a breakdown of each deduction. Failing to do this can give the renter grounds to challenge your claim.

The Non-Compliance Register

CAV maintains the Victorian Rental Non-Compliance Register — a public database listing rental providers who have failed to comply with VCAT orders or been convicted of RTA offences. A listing is reputational and visible to any prospective renter or agent who checks.

Victoria doesn't require a landlord licence for private individuals. The non-compliance register functions as the public accountability mechanism instead.

Dispute Resolution Pathways

Bond disputes go through two bodies:

Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (RDRV) — free, fast conciliation. A dispute officer helps both parties reach agreement without a formal hearing.

VCAT — if conciliation fails, the matter escalates to a binding tribunal hearing. Application fees for standard-rate individuals (most self-managing landlords) run roughly $72–$110. VCAT orders are legally binding, and the RTBA disburses funds within one business day of receiving a valid order reference.

What CAV's Renting Taskforce Does

CAV's Renting Taskforce actively investigates bond compliance. CAV may issue administrative infringement notices carrying lower amounts for first-time breaches; the RTA also sets maximum court penalties for specified offences.

The practical takeaway: self-managing landlords face the same compliance obligations as licensed agents. The rules aren't optional just because you own one property.

For a single reference that walks through every obligation — from cap calculation to end-of-tenancy claims — the Victoria Rental Bond guide consolidates the full CAV framework into a step-by-step workflow with dated compliance records.

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