Residential Tenancies Act 1997

A lessor is entitled to deduct from the bond paid under the residential tenancy agreement any of the following:

the reasonable cost of repairs to, or the restoration of, the premises or goods leased with the premises as a result of damage (other than fair wear and tear) caused by the tenant;

the reasonable cost of securing the premises if the tenant fails to return the keys for the premises to the lessor at the end of the tenancy;

any rent owing and payable under the residential tenancy agreement at the time the agreement terminates or is terminated;

the reasonable cost of replacing any fuel supplied to the premises by the lessor at the commencement or during the course of the tenancy;

Examples—fuel

 gas

 oil

 wood

any reasonable amount (not greater than the costs incurred) for the cost of legal fees incurred by the lessor in assigning or transferring a tenant’s rights under a residential tenancy agreement;

any amount expressed in a term of the agreement to be deductible by the lessor from the bond, if the term is endorsed by the ACAT under section 10.

Division 3.4 Release of bond money