The Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) may hold bonds that have not been claimed or where incorrect details were given.
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When bond payments have not been received
If you have not received your bond repayment, the RTBA may be holding it for you as a ‘retained repayment’.
The bond may not have been paid because the bank details or a forwarding address were wrong or not provided on the claim form.
If your bond is retained, the RTBA will let you know by email, phone, forwarding address or, if no contact details are included in the bond claim, your last known address.
Claiming a retained repayment
To search for and request a retained bond repayment:
- go to RTBA Online (ensure pop ups are enabled)
- select ‘Find outstanding bond repayment’ and accept the conditions
- search your name and select it from the list
- enter your current address and bank details, select ‘Finalise repayment request’ and generate the form
- print off the form, sign it, and enclose a copy of photo identification and proof of residence at your current address
- mail it to the RTBA following the instructions on the form.
Repayments not claimed within 12 months
If a bond is unclaimed for more than 12 months, it will be transferred to the Victorian Unclaimed Money Register.
Renters should first search the outstanding repayment register on RTBA Online, then search for unclaimed money on the State Revenue Office website. If you identify a repayment that belongs to you, follow the instructions to complete an online application claim form.
Repayments issued by cheque and not received
If the RTBA has issued your bond repayment by cheque and you have not received it, you can generate a ‘stop cheque’ request through RTBA Online and have the repayment reissued to you.
Sections of the Act
If you want to know what the law says about bonds that have not been claimed, you can read these sections of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997:
- Section 422 – Unclaimed money.