Getting Your Bond Back in the ACT (2026): The Complete Renter Guide
The ACT rules for bond return changed in 2025. Here is the updated 2026 guide — what the landlord can deduct, what they cannot, and the three documents you need before the inspection.
The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT) governs bond return in Canberra. Amendments in 2025 tightened the rules on what a lessor can deduct for cleaning, and shifted the burden of proof more firmly onto the landlord. This guide walks through the 2026 state of play, written for the renter.
1. The bond is held by the ACT Rental Bonds Office, not the agent
Your bond sits with the ACT Rental Bonds Office (RBO), which is a government body. The agent cannot release it unilaterally — either both parties agree, or it goes to ACAT (ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal).
2. What the lessor CAN deduct for
- Unpaid rent up to the bond end date
- Cleaning to restore "fair wear and tear" standard — not "better than when you moved in"
- Damage beyond fair wear and tear (holes in walls larger than a picture-hook, broken glass, stained timber)
- Missing items from the inventory (remote controls, keys, manuals)
- Reconnection fees if you left services live past vacate
3. What the lessor CANNOT deduct for (but often tries)
- Carpet replacement due to normal flattening or colour fade (that is fair wear and tear)
- Repainting because the walls are "dirty" — walls are a cleanable surface
- "Professional cleaning receipt required" clauses — in the ACT these are unenforceable unless the carpet was visibly stained beyond cleaning
- Garden reinstatement if you were not contractually required to maintain it
- Administration fees or inspection fees on top of actual cleaning
4. The three documents you need before the exit inspection
a. The condition report (from move-in)
This is your single most important document. It lists the state of every room on the day you moved in. If the oven was already stained and you noted it then, it cannot be held against you now.
b. A bond clean receipt
Even though it is not strictly required, having a professional invoice makes the conversation two minutes shorter. The receipt should specify the scope (bond clean, carpet steam, oven, wet-area treatment) and the inclusion of a re-clean guarantee.
c. Time-stamped exit photos
Take 30–50 photos the moment the cleaners leave and before you hand back the keys. Phone timestamps are admissible evidence at ACAT.
5. If the agent disputes the bond release
Do not sign any agreement to deduct under pressure. Request the quote or receipt the agent is relying on in writing. If the amount is unreasonable, file an application with the RBO — there is no fee, and the process favours documented claims over verbal ones.
Frequently asked
My lease says I must use a professional cleaner — do I have to?
In the ACT, a clause requiring a named cleaner or a specific receipt is generally unenforceable after 2025 amendments. You are required to return the property in the condition noted on the entry report, allowing for fair wear and tear — whether you do that yourself or hire a cleaner is your choice. Where it is in your interest is the re-clean guarantee: if the agent objects, a professional cleaner comes back. You do not.
Can the agent demand a specific cleaner from their preferred list?
No. That is a restraint on your choice and ACAT has ruled against it repeatedly. You can use any registered cleaner — or do it yourself.