RTA Form 1a Entry Condition Report: Queensland Landlord Guide

Why Form 1a Is the Most Important Document You Will Fill Out

The RTA's Entry Condition Report — Form 1a, currently version 20 dated 2 October 2026 — is the legal baseline for your property's condition at the start of a tenancy. When a bond dispute reaches QCAT, the tribunal compares the entry report against the exit report. If your Form 1a is incomplete, vague, or missing photographs, you will struggle to claim for damage the tenant caused.

Form 1a is not optional. Under the RTRA Act, a completed copy must be given to the tenant on or before handover day. The tenant then has 7 days to return a marked copy noting any disagreements. The landlord must retain the signed report for at least 1 year after the tenancy ends — though 7 years is the practical recommendation for tax and dispute purposes.

How to Complete Form 1a Properly

Room-by-Room Detail

The form is structured room by room: living areas, bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, exterior. For each area, you record the condition of walls, ceiling, floor, windows, fixtures, and fittings.

The single biggest mistake landlords make is being too brief. Writing "good condition" or "clean" beside every item gives you nothing to work with at the end of the tenancy. Instead, be specific:

• "Kitchen benchtop: light scratching near stove, approx. 15cm mark on left side"
• "Main bedroom carpet: small stain (5cm) near built-in wardrobe, left side"
• "Bathroom exhaust fan: operational, slight dust build-up on grille"

Photographs Are Everything

Form 1a alone is not enough. Pair every written entry with dated, high-resolution photographs taken on the same day. Photograph each room from multiple angles, and take close-ups of any existing marks, scratches, stains, or wear.

Practical tips that hold up at QCAT:

• Use your phone's timestamp feature or embed date metadata
• Include a ruler or coin for scale next to specific marks
• Photograph every window latch, lock, and door handle to record their working state
• Capture the condition of supplied appliances (cooktop burners, oven interior, rangehood filter)
• Photograph smoke alarms to confirm presence and location

Cross-Reference to Minimum Housing Standards

Since 1 September 2024, your Form 1a inspection overlaps directly with the minimum housing standards in Schedule 6 of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Regulation 2025. While the form does not explicitly cross-reference Schedule 6, the inspection should confirm:

• Structural soundness and weatherproofing (no active leaks, stable decks and stairs)
• Functioning locks on all external doors and ground-accessible windows
• Privacy coverings in bedrooms and bathrooms
• Working plumbing with hot and cold water
• Functional cooktop and laundry fixtures where supplied
• No vermin, damp, or mould

Documenting these items on Form 1a establishes that the property met minimum standards at handover — critical if a tenant later claims the property was non-compliant from the start.

What Happens When the Tenant Disagrees

If the tenant's returned copy notes disagreements, do not ignore them. Compare their notes against your photographs. If the tenant is correct about a pre-existing mark or defect you missed, acknowledge it — the amended record protects both parties.

If the tenant fails to return the marked copy within 7 days, the landlord's original report stands as the agreed baseline. This is one reason thoroughness at the start matters so much.

Common Mistakes That Cost Landlords at QCAT

Relying on the previous agent's report. If you are taking over management from a property agent, do not assume their Form 1a was completed properly. QCAT routinely dismisses bond claims where the baseline report was compiled by a previous manager with minimal detail and no supporting photographs.

Skipping the exterior. Fences, gutters, driveway surfaces, garden beds, and letterboxes all need to be recorded. Exterior damage claims are common at bond dispute time.

Not photographing existing wear. Carpet wear tracks, minor wall scuffs, and tired paintwork in older properties are normal. If you do not photograph them at entry, the tenant can argue they were already present.

Filing without digital backup. Keep a digital copy of the completed Form 1a and all photographs. Physical copies degrade, and hard drives fail. Cloud storage or a second backup is basic risk management.

Using Form 1a as an Ongoing Compliance Tool

Form 1a is designed for the start of a tenancy, but smart landlords also complete a condition comparison at lease renewal and at the end of every routine inspection. This creates a rolling evidence trail that tracks gradual deterioration versus sudden damage.

The Queensland Rental Minimum Standards Compliance Guide includes a photographic evidence indexing system designed to pair directly with Form 1a line items, giving you QCAT-ready documentation from day one.

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