How To Claim The Bond At The End Of Tenancy In Canberra

Moving is among the most stressful and challenging events of anyone’s life, especially when one is renting a house or apartment. For tenants moving out successfully is a major task because they have to ensure the property is returned in the original state it was in at the time of tenancy to get the bond back. There are a host of formalities to complete and tasks to take care of while managing the move such as the end of lease cleaning, updating/transfer of utilities, packing, transporting belongings etc. While taking care of all the responsibilities, it is common to feel stressed, notably about claiming the bond at the end of tenancy as moving is financially taxing. If you are a tenant and your lease period is about to get over, here is a complete guide by experts on how to claim the bond at the end of a tenancy in Canberra. Please have a look to find useful information like what is a bond, where is it lodged, facts about claiming the bond, and why end of lease cleaning in Canberra is important.

What is a Bond?

Every tenant renting a property in Canberra and other parts of the country may have to deposit a security amount at the start of a tenancy. This amount is usually one month’s rent and can be lower depending on the agreement between lessee and landlord. Although the security deposit is not mandatory, most landlords ask for it, and it helps build the property owner’s trust in a tenant. Want to know more? Listed below are some more facts related to rental property bonds in Canberra.

• The bond is always in the form of money and cannot be a written guarantee or promise of the word.
• For each tenancy, a landlord can only have one bond. One tenancy cannot have multiple bonds.
• Before the agreement for starting a tenancy is signed, a landlord cannot ask their prospective tenant to pay the bond money.
• Furthermore, if rent is revised during the tenancy, the landlord cannot demand more bond money or revise it if a new tenant moves in the property.

Where are Your Bond’s Details Recorded?

A landlord is required to lodge the details with the ACT Rental Bonds Office and all bonds be to be submitted via the portal only. The process of lodging must be done within two weeks’ time of either receiving the bond money or the start of a tenancy. The details of the bond have to be accurate and submitted in a single session carefully because editing is not viable once it is lodged. In case of an error, the landlord will have to get in touch with the Rental Bonds Office for assistance. As a tenant, please ensure the landlord has the email addresses of all household members contributing in the bond to receive documentation and details.

How to Claim Your Bond?

After reaching an agreement regarding the bond amount to be returned with your landlord, the next step would be to fill the bond refund form which needs to be signed by both the parties involved. After the form is signed, it should be sent back for further process, and ideally the full refund will be received via bank account transfer. While claiming your bond having knowledge of the terms and conditions is necessary. Here are some of the things you should know before filing the claim form.

• The landlord will receive a notification of the claim via the provided email address, and then the claim will be processed.
• If the bond amount is not complete due to deductions and the claim is made by the landlord, then a Bond Refund S33 Notice will be received by you to fill the details of the distribution of the bond and have 14 days to respond that you are okay with the amount being returned or dispute it. In case the tenant is okay with the amount and agrees with the distribution of funds, then the refund will be processed without any hitch.
• A tenant you can fill the refund form without the signature of the landlord and submit it for a full refund. In this case, the landlord will be given the Bond Refund S33 to provide the distribution of the bond and have 14 days to respond.
• If there is a dispute related to the bond money refund from either side, the case will be referred to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT). The dispute can be solved at any time by the landlord and tenant, or the tribunal will provide a decision.

Why is End of Lease Cleaning Important?

According to the tenancy laws in Canberra, the lessee has to return the property in the same condition it was in at the time of occupancy which is why for tenants moving out of a rented property in Canberra end of lease cleaning is crucial. It is the final deep cleaning of the house or apartment done by the tenant to ensure all the areas are sanitary for the landlord and the next tenant. Performing end of lease cleaning in Canberra is an important activity performed to move out successfully and get a full refund of your bond. The bond clean is different than regular sanitation of the property as it requires deep cleaning of bathroom, kitchen, and all the other internal/external areas. The carpets, floors, walls, countertops, and all surfaces need to be cleaned to remove spots, stains, and dirt. Some people opt to perform the challenging task of purging the entire property themselves. However, nowadays most tenants prefer to take the assistance of end of lease cleaning experts in Canberra because the reputed ones offer they complete bond back guarantee. In addition, reputed end of lease cleaning professionals in Canberra have extensive training, years of experience, the industrial-grade supplies, and resources to manage the cleaning process within a stipulated time. Furthermore, the experts offer insurance if any property content is damaged or lost during the cleaning job and during the bond back guarantee period, the cleaners usually have a period in which they come back for re-cleans if the tenant/landlord requires. Taking the assistance of end of lease cleaners is usually subjective, but there are a host of factors to consider. If a landlord had professionals clean the property before the start of the tenancy, the tenant has to hire end of lease cleaning experts in Canberra as well. Also, most lease contracts today have clauses for hiring professionals for the final clean which a tenant should reread when planning to move out to know if taking the assistance of experts is mandatory for getting the bond back. For tenants, it is stressful to move and follow all the processes correctly to get their bond back because relocation is a financially draining activity. Therefore, if you want to move out of your rented property successfully and know how to claim your bond at the end of tenancy, this guide will provide excellent guidance! Commonly, tenants lose a portion or the entire security deposit because the property is dirty, unkempt or not cleaned according to industry standards. Therefore, end of lease cleaning in Canberra is a necessary activity to perform because the property is reviewed after the tenant moves out of it and based on the inspection deduction may or may not be made.

The Bottom Line

As a tenant, it is crucial to streamline your moving-related tasks, especially the ones that will help to get your bond back such as the end of lease cleaning, moving out on the decided date etc. In addition, having complete knowledge of how to claim your bond and what challenges you may face is essential. Therefore, follow this guide by expert real estate agents and end of lease cleaners in Canberra to take the right steps and get your bond back in entirety.