I live in a share house in Victoria and need to move out before the term of the lease. When I moved in I deposited $1200 in bond money. How do I get my bond back from my landlord? Do I have to wait until the end of the tenancy?
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Answer by Rebecca Bardaxis, Parramatta 2150 NSW
- If you want to move out before the fixed term has ended you can still arrange to get your bond back.
- All tenants will generally need to sign a tenant transfer form to transfer ownership of the bond to a new combination of people.
- This will either be just your remaining housemates or your remaining housemates and any new tenant that is taking your place in the tenancy.
- The tenant transfer form is then given to the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) within five days.
- However the RTBA will not provide you with your bond back as they do not manage tenancy changes throughout the term of the lease.
- The RTBA is concerned only with full refunds of the bond at the end of the tenancy.
- This means that you will need to manage the bond between yourself and any other remaining or incoming tenants.
- Whoever is taking over your bond should provide you with the amount of your bond. They then take ownership of the portion of the bond that you originally paid.
- You need to ensure that your name is taken off the list of bonded tenants by completing the ‘bond transfer’ form and that you are paid the correct amount by any remaining or incoming tenants.