WA Bond Release at End of Tenancy: Landlord Process

Once your tenant has vacated and handed back the keys, the bond still needs to be formally released through the Bond Administrator. In Western Australia, landlords cannot simply keep the bond or deduct from it without following the statutory disposal process. Getting this wrong at the end of a tenancy adds weeks of delay and can result in the Commissioner for Consumer Protection deciding the amount — not you.

The Bond Disposal Process

The bond is held by the Bond Administrator (a statutory body under Consumer Protection WA), not by you. To release it at the end of a tenancy:

1. Complete the final inspection. Compare the property's condition against the ingoing property condition report (Form 1). Normal wear and tear is expected and cannot be claimed against the bond.
2. Apply for bond release. Anyone listed on the bond can lodge a Security Bond Release Application. If everyone agrees on the split, the bond is paid out as proposed; if someone disputes the application or does not respond within 14 days, it is referred to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection.
3. Submit the application. Landlords can lodge it through BondsOnline or by paper form where needed. The Bond Administrator pays out the agreed split or follows the Commissioner's decision.

If the tenant has abandoned the property after an eviction, the same release process applies: anyone listed on the bond can apply, and an unresolved dispute is decided by the Commissioner or the Magistrates Court.

When the Tenant Disputes the Claim

If a Security Bond Release Application is disputed or a party does not respond within 14 days, the application is referred to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection. The Commissioner can decide most bond release disputes, removing the need for a Magistrates Court application in many cases.

The Commissioner examines the evidence: the property condition report, photos, receipts for repairs or cleaning, and the tenant's response. Anyone who disagrees with the Commissioner's decision can appeal to the Magistrates Court within 7 days of receiving the decision.

If the claim exceeds the bond amount, the Commissioner cannot decide the excess. You can seek the remaining amount separately in the Magistrates Court, or apply to that Court to decide both the bond release and the additional claim.

Common Bond Mistakes at End of Tenancy

Deducting without a condition report. If you did not complete an ingoing property condition report at the start of the tenancy, proving that damage occurred during the tenancy becomes very difficult. The Bond Administrator and the Commissioner rely on the comparison between ingoing and outgoing condition.

Claiming for normal wear and tear. Scuffed paint after five years, worn carpet in high-traffic areas, and faded curtains are wear and tear, not damage. Attempting to claim these against the bond weakens your credibility on legitimate claims.

Delaying the disposal. Once the tenant has vacated and you have completed the inspection, submit the disposal form promptly. Delays can result in the tenant lodging their own application for full refund.

Bond and the Termination Process

Bond disposal is a separate process from ending the tenancy itself. The notice of termination, court proceedings (if needed), and the bond release run on different statutory tracks. Ending the tenancy correctly — with a valid notice, correct service, and the right court application — simplifies the bond process because you have clean documentation to support any claim.

The Ending a Tenancy in Western Australia guide covers the entire termination process from notice to court, giving you the paper trail that makes the bond disposal straightforward.

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