What To Do If Your Bond Refund Is Rejected After Cleaning In Brisbane

There are moments when tenants carry the burden of putting their best when preparing a rental home for the final inspection. Stringent cleanliness standards set by landlords or key responsibilities of renters; the reason could be anything, but the sole aim is to get the full bond back. Yet, sometimes, despite sprucing up the entire premises with precision or hiring experts, the landlord in Brisbane might reject your bond refund based specific concerns.

Unfortunately, the majority of renters in QLD lose their bond money due to cleaning issues, followed by unpaid bills/rent. The landlord or property managers can withhold your bond money if the property is in an unkempt condition, i.e dirty, damaged and uninhabitable/unliveable for the next occupants. However, this doesn’t mean it should be in a professionally clean and top notch state. Landlords or property managers can’t unfairly deduct the bond. If your bond refund is deducted even after cleaning in Brisbane, this guide is for you. This includes a comprehensive guide on what to do, from understanding the key reason for rejection to knowing your rights to raise a claim in QCAT. Make sure you don’t panic or lose hope because efforts never go unnoticed.

1. What is a Rental Bond?

A rental bond, also known as bond money, is a security deposit paid by a tenant at the start of the tenancy to cover potential losses, such as property damage, cleaning fees, unpaid rent, and outstanding utility bills. If the property manager or landlord takes a bond, they must provide the tenant with a receipt and lodge it with the RTA within 10 days. In Queensland, the maximum bond permitted by law is equivalent to 4 weeks’ rent.

This amount is refunded to the tenant at the end of the lease when the property is left in a reasonably clean condition (except for fair wear and tear) and all payments are clear. However, sometimes, the property manager can make bond deductions due to substandard cleaning. That’s why tenants hire experts for a guaranteed bond cleaning Brisbane when moving out of a rental property.

2. Understanding the Specific Reasons for Your Bond Refund Rejection

Sprucing up a rental home isn’t enough in Brisbane to secure the full bond money. The level of cleanliness must meet the standards set by landlords or property agents. According to the Residential Tenancies Laws in QLD, a rental property must be returned in a clean and maintained condition, as it was at the start of the tenancy, except for fair wear and tear. However, landlords conduct strict final rental inspections and may deduct your bond even if they find mild stains or dirt on surfaces. Therefore, it is essential to understand the specific reasons for rejection, despite your cleaning efforts. In most cases, bond refund rejections happen due to:

• Leftover cobwebs or accumulated dust on ceiling fans, light fixtures, or fittings
• Dirt laden windows, blinds and window screens
• Faded carpets and rugs
• Scuff marks on walls
• Soap scum or grime between tile grouts
• Unclogged garbage disposal
• Overlooked outdoor areas
• Stain residue inside the refrigerator
• Leftover stains on the floor

Ensure you request a comprehensive inspection report for clearer understanding. You can fix the issues based on the inspection report. This will also help you understand what property managers expect from a detailed bond clean.

3. Compare the Inspection Report with the Entry Condition Report

Don’t hesitate! This is the best time to make comparisons and rectify your mistakes because landlords can’t make unfair bond deductions.

So, take out your entry condition report you filled out and signed when you first moved in. It outlines the property’s condition before moving into a lease period. Compare it with the inspection report to find discrepancies and fair cleaning issues before accepting the claim.

Under the tenancy laws in QLD, tenants are not liable for existing dirt, damage and other conditions. That’s why it is always good to take photos and videos when moving into a rental property to prove your claim.

4. Refer to Your Rental Agreement and Specific Cleaning Clauses

Next, refer to your rental agreement to understand your rights and responsibilities. Sometimes, tenants miss pre determined cleaning clauses, such as deep cleaning of carpets, upholstery furniture or polishing wooden floors, etc at the end of a tenancy, and end up losing their bond money. So, it is good to re read your lease agreement and cleaning clauses to find more details and make changes accordingly.

5. Call Your Cleaning Company for Re Cleaning

If you have outsourced a professional cleaning company for a top quality bond cleaning Brisbane, ask them to re clean the missed spots immediately. Good companies with great reputation offer a bond back guarantee (Ts and Cs apply) and a free re clean for 72 hours if landlords aren’t happy with the service. Ensure you do it as soon as possible and ask your landlord for re inspection. This will help you resolve the issue seamlessly.

6. Negotiate with Your Landlord or Property Manager

If your bond refund is rejected after cleaning, you can negotiate directly with your landlord. Talk to them, send before and after cleaning photos, payment receipts from your cleaning company, etc. Make sure to be polite when showing them the proof, as you can’t win arguments with bitter words or anger. If nothing works, you can raise a dispute to proof your claim.

7. Seek an RTA Dispute Resolution Service

It is a free and confidential service by RTA to help both parties resolve their issues without any legal involvement. Bond refunds are typically managed by the Residential Tenancies Authority or RTA.

Highly trained conciliators consider both perspectives, review evidence, and make an informed decision based on QLD tenancy laws. They don’t decide who is right or wrong, but resolve the issue ASAP. Till now, the authority has resolved more than 75 per cent of conciliated disputes as they know end of lease cleaning rules, landlord and tenant responsibilities and their respective rights to seamlessly settle the matter.

Tip: You can lodge a bond dispute online via the RTA site for a quick resolution.

8. Raise a Claim in QCAT to Get Your Bond Back

If the above process fails, you can raise a claim in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal or QCAT for mediating disputes. It helps bring together both the landlord and the property manager. Make sure you gather and submit all supporting evidence, such as tenancy agreement, photos, videos, cleaning receipts, etc, to claim your bond refund. You can easily download the application form from the tribunal website. Next, QCAT will schedule a hearing date and make a final decision based on documents and evidence. In most cases, matter will settle.

9. Common Mistakes to Avoid to Prevent Deductions

Tenants typically lose bond disputes because of the following reasons:

• Not taking time stamped photos after cleaning
• Not hiring professional bond cleaners Brisbane
• Leaving cleaning receipts unsigned
• Not establishing a strong communication with your landlord or RTA

Keep these pitfalls at bay, do proper research to know the estimated bond cleaning prices, and stay optimistic to prevent awful disputes and bond deductions.

Infographic: Step by Step Guide When Bond Refund is Rejected After Cleaning

Wrapping Up

When hard work doesn’t pay off, you may feel disheartened. The same happens when your bond refund is rejected after you have cleaned the entire property. Hopefully, this guide will help you navigate through the process and help you resolve the issue and get your bond back without any conflict.