Top Landlord Questions Answered — Bond, Rent Bidding, Pets, Disputes

This page is an aggregated, anonymised digest of the 10 most-asked landlord questions across the HoldKey Q&A agent — drawn from landlord questions on bond lodgement, the rent bidding ban, pet request reasonable-grounds, and per-state dispute pathways. All landlord-identifying details have been redacted before publishing: no street addresses, tenant names, agency names, dollar amounts, phone numbers or email addresses appear in the question stems or the answers below. Each answer is the same cited body the agent reads from — the jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction rule stored in services/compliance-rules.js — so what you read here matches what the HoldKey app tells you when you ask.

1. How long do I have to lodge the bond in NSW?

This is the single most-asked landlord question in NSW. The window is short and the consequence of missing it is a tenancy tribunal claim the landlord will lose on paperwork before the hearing even begins. The agent's verified rule for NSW bond lodgement is:

Lodge the bond with NSW Fair Trading within 10 business days of receiving it from the tenant. After the tenancy ends, refund any undisputed amount within 14 days. Tenants have 14 days from receiving a claim to dispute it with NSW Fair Trading. Disputes that remain unresolved after the Fair Trading pathway escalate to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

The 10-business-day window is strict: the lodgement deadline starts on the day the landlord receives the bond money, not the day the tenancy agreement is signed. Most NSW landlords whiff the window because they are waiting on the signed lease to scan, or because the agent in the chain holds the bond before passing it on — every handover is a fresh clock. Keep the NSW Fair Trading lodgement receipt in the same place as your condition reports; if a claim escalates, that receipt is the file the tribunal will ask you for first.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), s.165 (lodgement within 10 business days); s.166 (claim/dispute window 14 days); Fair Trading refund obligation within 14 days post-tenancy; NCAT escalation under NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW).

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2. How long do I have to lodge the bond in VIC?

VIC runs a different bond authority (the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority, RTBA), with a longer window than NSW — but the same kind of consequence if you miss it. The agent's verified rule for VIC bond lodgement is:

Lodge the bond with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) within 14 business days of receiving it from the tenant. After the tenancy ends, refund any undisputed amount and notify the tenant of any claim within 14 days. Disputes are heard by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

The RTBA window is 14 business days (not calendar), and unlike NSW the agency runs the lodgement, not the tenant. Most VIC landlords miss the window for the same reason NSW landlords do — they treat the receipt of bond money as the end of the transaction, not the start of a 14-day lodgement clock. If the landlord in VIC fails to lodge the bond with the RTBA inside that window, the tenant's remedy is to apply to VCAT, and VCAT takes a dim view of un-lodged bonds.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), s.408 (bond lodgement with RTBA within 14 business days); s.414 (claim/notification window 14 days); VCAT jurisdiction under Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 (Vic).

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3. How long do I have to lodge the bond in QLD?

Queensland runs the tightest bond lodgement clock in the country — 2 business days from the date the agreement is signed. The agent's verified rule for QLD bond lodgement is:

Lodge the bond through the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) within 2 business days of the agreement being signed. After the tenancy ends, refund any undisputed amount within 10 business days. Disputes are heard by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

The 2-business-day window is the smallest lodgement clock of any state, and QLD's bond refund window (10 business days post-tenancy) is correspondingly short. QLD landlords who fail to lodge on time usually find out the hard way: a tenant applies to QCAT for an order that the bond be refunded despite a claim, and the missing lodgement receipt is decisive. Lodge the bond the same day the agreement is signed and keep the RTA receipt in your file with the condition reports.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 1984 (Qld), s.111 (bond lodgement with RTA, 2 business days); s.143 (refund within 10 business days post-tenancy); QCAT jurisdiction under Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009 (Qld).

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4. How long do I have to lodge the bond in SA?

South Australia holds the bond via CBS (Consumer and Business Services SA) on the landlord's behalf. The lodgement window is 7 days from receipt, halfway between NSW's 10 and QLD's 2. The agent's verified rule for SA bond lodgement is:

Lodge the bond with CBS South Australia within 7 days of receiving it from the tenant. After the tenancy ends, refund any undisputed amount and notify the tenant of any claim within 14 days. Disputes are heard by the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT).

SA landlords commonly confuse the lodgement window (7 days from receipt of the bond) with the claim window (14 days post-tenancy). They are two different clocks: one starts when the bond money arrives, the other starts when the tenant hands back the keys. Both need to run, and SACAT will look at both when a dispute is escalated. Lodge with CBS within a week of receiving the bond and serve any post-tenancy claim inside the 14-day window — those are the two dates the file is judged on.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA), bond lodgement provisions (lodge with CBS within 7 days of receipt); claim/notification window 14 days post-tenancy; SACAT jurisdiction under South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (SA).

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5. Can I ask applicants to bid above the advertised rent?

This question predates the rent bidding reforms and used to be a landlord tactic — pre-list the property at a low figure "to attract interest" and invite competing offers. That practice is now banned nationwide. The agent's verified rule for the rent bidding ban (anchored on the NSW Fair Trading guidance) is:

Rent bidding is banned across Australia. A prospective tenant cannot offer, and a landlord or agent cannot solicit, a rent amount above what was advertised for the property. The advertised rent is the asking rent — and that is the rent the landlord may accept (subject to the tenancy agreement being signed). NSW Fair Trading treats any request for higher offers as misleading or deceptive conduct. Landlords must list the property at the rent they intend to charge and must not invite competing bids.

The ban is nationwide — every state and territory treats the advertised rent as the asking rent, regardless of what jurisdiction the property sits in. NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria, RTA Queensland and the SA, WA, NT and TAS authorities each enforce their own version of the same rule. A landlord who lists a property at a low advertised rent and asks for higher offers is committing misleading or deceptive conduct on every state regulator's book — and the agent's stored body makes that plain no matter which state you operate in.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), s.29–s.30 (rent and rent-related terms — landlord cannot require higher rent than advertised); NSW Fair Trading rent bidding guidance (advertised price is the asking rent; agents/landlords must not solicit offers above it).

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6. Can I refuse a pet request in NSW?

Since the NSW pet-amendment regime came in, tenants have a formal pathway to apply to keep a pet and the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse. Most "can I refuse?" questions in NSW come from landlords whose body corporate or strata rules say no pets. The agent's verified rule for the NSW pet refusal framework is:

Under the recent NSW Residential Tenancies Act pet-amendment regime, a tenant may apply to keep a pet (including a companion animal) and the landlord must not unreasonably refuse consent. Reasonable grounds for refusal include: the property is unsuitable for the type/size of pet (e.g. body corporate by-laws prohibiting animals, premises too small for a large dog); the landlord has documented insurance or strata rules that prohibit the pet; a previous breach by the same tenant relating to animals; or safety concerns. If the landlord refuses, they must give written reasons and the tenant can rebut those grounds (with supporting evidence — e.g. a body corporate confirmation that pets are permitted) and escalate to NSW Fair Trading or the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) if the refusal is unreasonable.

The single most important phrase in the NSW pet rule is "reasonably refuse". A blanket "no pets" policy is no longer a sufficient answer. The refusal must be on a documented ground — usually a strata by-law, insurance exclusion, or prior breach — and the refusal must be given in writing so the tenant has something to rebut. Keep the body corporate by-law, the insurance certificate wording and any prior breach record in the same folder as the tenant's pet request and the landlord's written response. That folder is the file NCAT will ask for if the refusal is escalated.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), s.70C (pet request framework — landlord must not unreasonably refuse; tenant may rebut grounds); NSW Fair Trading pet request guidance (consent and reasonable refusal grounds).

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7. Can I refuse a pet request in VIC?

VIC's pet refusal framework sits under the Victorian Residential Tenancies Act pet-amendment regime and mirrors NSW's "must not unreasonably refuse" rule, with Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) standing in for NSW Fair Trading and VCAT standing in for NCAT. The agent's verified rule for the VIC pet refusal framework is:

Under the Victorian Residential Tenancies Act pet-amendment regime, a tenant may apply to keep a pet (including a companion animal) and the landlord must not unreasonably refuse consent. Reasonable grounds for refusal include: the property is unsuitable for the type/size of pet (e.g. owners corporation rules prohibiting animals, premises too small for a large dog); the landlord has documented insurance or owners corporation rules that prohibit the pet; a previous breach by the same tenant relating to animals; or safety concerns. If the landlord refuses, they must give written reasons and the tenant can rebut those grounds (with supporting evidence — e.g. an owners corporation confirmation that pets are permitted) and escalate to Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) or the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) if the refusal is unreasonable.

In VIC the relevant body corporate concept is the owners corporation — its rules play the same role as NSW strata by-laws. If you are refusing a pet request in VIC, the owners corporation rule or insurance exclusion needs to be in writing and attached to the landlord's written refusal. VCAT will look at whether that written refusal actually identifies a documented ground, not whether the landlord "feels" the pet is unsuitable.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), s.71A–s.71D (pet request framework — landlord must not unreasonably refuse; tenant may rebut grounds); Consumer Affairs Victoria pet request guidance (consent and reasonable refusal grounds).

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8. Can I refuse a pet request in QLD?

QLD's pet-amendment regime mirrors NSW and VIC — landlord must not unreasonably refuse, written refusal required, RTA Queensland and QCAT stand in for NSW's regulators. The agent's verified rule for the QLD pet refusal framework is:

Under the Queensland Residential Tenancies Act pet-amendment regime, a tenant may apply to keep a pet (including a companion animal) and the landlord must not unreasonably refuse consent. Reasonable grounds for refusal include: the property is unsuitable for the type/size of pet (e.g. body corporate by-laws prohibiting animals, premises too small for a large dog); the landlord has documented insurance or body corporate rules that prohibit the pet; a previous breach by the same tenant relating to animals; or safety concerns. If the landlord refuses, they must give written reasons and the tenant can rebut those grounds (with supporting evidence — e.g. a body corporate confirmation that pets are permitted) and escalate to the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) Queensland or the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) if the refusal is unreasonable.

QLD runs the same refusal framework as NSW and VIC — the only thing that changes is the regulator (RTA Queensland instead of NSW Fair Trading / CAV) and the appeal tribunal (QCAT instead of NCAT / VCAT). QLD landlords handling a pet refusal should put the body corporate rule or insurance exclusion in writing, attach it to the written refusal, and keep that file in the same folder as the tenant's original pet request — that bundle is what QCAT looks at if the matter escalates.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 1984 (Qld), pet-amendment provisions (request framework — landlord must not unreasonably refuse; tenant may rebut grounds); Residential Tenancies Authority Queensland pet request guidance (consent and reasonable refusal grounds).

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9. Which tribunal hears my bond dispute in VIC?

If a VIC landlord's bond dispute with a former tenant goes all the way, it goes to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). VCAT has jurisdiction over residential tenancy matters under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), and the tribunal's powers are set by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 (Vic). The agent's verified rule for the VIC dispute pathway is:

In Victoria, tenancy disputes are heard by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). VCAT has jurisdiction over residential tenancy matters under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), and the tribunal's powers are set by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 (Vic). The headline rules for VIC landlords are: VCAT accepts applications online via the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal portal — landlord applications are filed in the Residential Tenancies List; for urgent matters (e.g. termination challenge, urgent repairs), an expedited hearing can be requested. Typical evidence to prepare: signed lease/agreement, ingoing and outgoing condition reports with dated photos, rent ledger and arrears schedule, full communications log with the tenant (emails, SMS, letters), witness statements (e.g. tradesperson who attended a repair), copies of any notices to vacate or repair notices served. Expected timeline: typical hearings are listed 4–8 weeks from lodgement for contested matters; urgent repair applications can be listed within days.

VCAT's orders are legally binding even though there is no filing fee for most residential tenancy matters in VIC — so the evidence pack decides the outcome before the hearing. Photos with timestamps, a complete rent ledger and a written communications trail will usually settle a bond dispute the day the file is reviewed. Lodge the bond with RTBA on time, serve any post-tenancy claim inside the 14-day window, and assemble the evidence folder before you file — that's the difference between a fast hearing and a contested one.

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic) (VCAT jurisdiction over residential tenancy disputes — bond claims, termination challenges, repair orders). VCAT procedural framework confirmed under the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 (Vic).

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10. How many business days do I have to serve a post-tenancy claim in WA?

WA runs the tightest post-tenancy claim window in the country — 7 days from the date the tenancy ends. The agent's verified rule for the WA bond lodgement and post-tenancy claim window is:

Lodge the bond with the WA Bond Administrator (Consumer Protection) promptly upon receiving it from the tenant. After the tenancy ends, lodge any claim for bond money and notify the tenant within 7 days. Disputes are heard by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).

The 7-business-day post-tenancy claim window is the tightest of any mainland state. WA landlords who miss it usually discover the consequence during the SAT hearing — the tribunal will look at whether the landlord's claim notification reached the tenant inside the window, and a claim served even one day late will be cut down. Lodge the claim on the same day the tenancy ends if you can, keep the WA Bond Administrator lodgement receipt in the same folder as the photos and the communications log, and write the claim letter in a way the tenant cannot pretend they missed it (registered post or read-receipt email is the standard).

Authority: Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA), bond lodgement provisions (lodge with WA Bond Administrator promptly on receipt); claim/notification window 7 days post-tenancy; SAT jurisdiction under State Administrative Tribunal Act 2004 (WA).

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How the digest is kept in sync with the HoldKey agent

The 10 answers above are not paraphrases — they are the verbatim body strings from the jurisdiction/topic keys in services/compliance-rules.js (NSW:bond_lodgement, VIC:bond_lodgement, QLD:bond_lodgement, SA:bond_lodgement, WA:bond_lodgement, NSW:rent_bidding, NSW:pet_refusal, VIC:pet_refusal, QLD:pet_refusal), plus the VIC dispute pathway already encoded in public/blog/dispute-pathways.html. The agent quotes the body verbatim into the system prompt that drives the HoldKey landlord app's compliance answers. If a jurisdictional deadline or tribunal name changes upstream in services/compliance-rules.js, both the agent and this digest pick up the new text on the next deploy.

The cross-jurisdictional deadline and tribunal data in this article come from AU compliance research report ID 1811035, the verified record used to encode the rules into services/compliance-rules.js. If you spot a discrepancy between this page and what the agent tells you, the agent's stored body wins — and we'd want to hear about it.

For more on HoldKey's compliance handling, see the AI property manager page, or return to the HoldKey homepage to get started. For the per-state bond lodgement deadlines (NSW Fair Trading, RTBA, RTA), see our state-by-state bond lodgement guide. For the nationwide rent bidding ban plus the NSW/VIC/QLD pet request reasonable-grounds and tenant rebuttal pathway, see our rent bidding and pet request rules guide. For per-state tribunal pathways (VCAT, QCAT, NCAT, SACAT, SAT, NTCAT, RTACT/TASCAT) covering bond disputes, rent arrears, termination challenges and repair orders, see our state-by-state dispute pathways guide.