Tasmania Landlord Obligations When Ending a Tenancy

The Notice Is Only Half the Job

Serving a valid Notice to Vacate gets the termination process started, but it does not discharge a landlord's obligations. Between the date the notice is served and the day the tenant hands back the keys — and sometimes for months afterwards — the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 imposes specific duties on the property owner.

Failing to meet them can lead to Residential Tenancy Commissioner complaints, financial penalties, bond disputes you lose, and in some cases a Magistrates Court finding that undermines your entire termination.

Entry Restrictions During the Notice Period

Once a Notice to Vacate or Notice to Terminate has been served, a landlord's access rights to the property are strictly limited under s 56 of the Act.

Showing prospective tenants: Only permitted if a notice has been served or the fixed-term lease has fewer than 28 days remaining. The landlord must give 48 hours' written notice, and entry is capped at once per day, no more than five days per week, between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

Open homes for sale or re-letting: Require the tenant's express written consent. The landlord cannot compel an open home, and proceeding without consent is a breach of the tenant's quiet enjoyment.

Routine inspections: Standard inspection rights (quarterly, with 48 hours' notice) remain in force during the notice period, but they cannot be used as a pretext to pressure the tenant.

The Final Inspection

There is no statutory obligation for a joint exit inspection under the Act, but conducting one protects both parties. A final walk-through documents the property's condition against the ingoing condition report and provides evidence for any bond claim.

Photograph every room, note any damage beyond fair wear and tear, and keep the record filed alongside the original condition report. If a bond dispute reaches the Residential Tenancy Commissioner, contemporaneous photo evidence taken at the end of the tenancy carries significantly more weight than after-the-fact assertions.

Bond Return and the Rental Deposit Authority

All security deposits in Tasmania are lodged with the Rental Deposit Authority (RDA) via the MyBond system. At the end of a tenancy, the landlord and tenant must agree on how the bond is to be disbursed.

If both parties agree (no claim for damage or unpaid rent), the landlord signs the release through MyBond and the full bond is returned to the tenant.

If the landlord wants to claim part or all of the bond — for property damage, unpaid rent or cleaning costs — the claim must be lodged through MyBond. If the tenant disputes the claim, the matter is referred to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner for determination. If either party is dissatisfied with the Commissioner's decision, they can appeal to the Magistrates Court.

A landlord who never lodged the bond in the first place faces separate administrative penalties under Part 3, Division 3 of the Act. Non-lodgement does not void a Notice to Vacate served under s 42, but it severely damages the landlord's credibility in any court proceeding.

Abandoned Goods

When a tenant vacates and leaves personal belongings behind, s 48 of the Act and Regulation 5 of the Residential Tenancy Regulations 2025 set out a mandatory process based on the estimated market value of the items:

• No value or rubbish: The landlord may dispose of or donate the items immediately and must sign a Statutory Declaration recording what was done.
• Worth less than $300: The landlord may sell the items and must execute a Statutory Declaration listing what was sold and the proceeds.
• Worth $300 or more: The landlord cannot sell or dispose of the items directly. An application to the Magistrates Court is required before any sale.

If items are sold, the landlord deducts debts owed by the tenant and reasonable sale costs from the proceeds, then keeps the remainder in an interest-bearing account for six months. If the tenant does not claim the proceeds during that period, they become the property of the Residential Tenancy Commissioner.

Throwing out a tenant's furniture worth more than $300 without a court order exposes the landlord to a compensation claim.

A Utility Shutoff Is Not a Lawful Eviction

A landlord cannot use a utility shutoff to force a tenant out. If the tenant has not delivered possession, the landlord must obtain a Magistrates Court order unless the premises have been abandoned; regaining possession by preventing the tenant from living there is an offence.

If the tenancy ends and the property is vacated, the landlord arranges reconnection or account transfer in the normal way. The tenant's failure to redirect utilities does not authorise the landlord to cut them off.

The Process After Keys Are Returned

Once the tenant returns the keys and the property is inspected:

1. Lodge or agree to the bond disbursement through MyBond
2. Deal with any abandoned goods under the s 48 rules
3. Finalise any outstanding rent or damage claims
4. File the condition report and exit photos

If the termination was contested and the landlord obtained an Order for Vacant Possession, the Magistrates Court Bailiff executes the warrant. The landlord's obligations regarding bond and abandoned goods remain the same regardless of whether the tenant left voluntarily or was removed by bailiff.

Getting the End-of-Tenancy Obligations Right

The Ending a Tenancy in Tasmania guide covers both the notice process and the landlord's post-notice obligations — entry restrictions, bond, abandoned goods thresholds and the handover steps the law requires. It includes a proof-of-service log and an abandoned-goods record to keep everything documented.

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