Either you or your agent may lodge a refund claim for your bond at the end of the tenancy agreement - Residential Bonds.
Refund claims may only be submitted for electronic bonds, i.e. if the bond was lodged via Rental Bonds Online. Alternatively, the bond may originally have been lodged on paper but then later converted to an electronic bond and is therefore accessible in Rental Bonds Online - Residential Bonds only.
Once a refund claim is lodged in Rental Bonds Online, it cannot be amended.
A Refund Claim can be submitted if …
Refund Claim submitted by you
When you submit a claim:
When the agent receives a notice of claim, agent may:
Once the payment has been processed, a notification will be sent to you, any co-tenants and the agent.
Refund claim submitted by the agent
When agent initiates a claim:
When you receive the notice of claim you may:
Once the payment has been processed, a notification will be sent to you, any co-tenants and the agent.
View Notifications and incoming Claims
You are able to view all notifications sent to you. Go to your Home page to view your list.
Also note …
Once a refund claim has been lodged it cannot be amended.
Contact the Rental Bonds Online security and support desk on 1800 990 724 …
if you need to amend your bank account details on a Refund Claim that has been submitted. The details can only be changed if the payment has not already been processed.
Either you or the agent may submit a refund claim for your bond.
When you submit the claim, you may:
Find the Bond
To submit a refund claim you must first locate the relevant bond which will take you to the claim.
Click on Home in the top navigation bar. On your home page, scroll down to Your active bonds and click on the relevant bond number.
If the bond is eligible for a claim to be submitted, you will be able to click the Submit a claim button.
Note: the bond will not be eligible for a claim and the button will not be clickable if:
Confirm Understanding of Process
The Claim process page will be displayed, describing what happens when you submit a claim.
Residential Claim bond refund information page
You must tick the box, I have read and understood the claim process & wish to proceed.
Then click the Proceed button to go to the next step.
Retail Claim bond information page
Claim Details
The Claim details page will be displayed, showing key bond details.
If there is money owing to the agent (to be deducted from the bond):
If there is no money to be deducted:
Check that we have your correct bank details and also your mobile number as you will shortly receive an SMS with a security code. Go to Your details to make changes before proceeding.
Review details and if ok, click Continue.
An SMS with a security code will be sent to your mobile.
SMS Authentication
Enter the security code sent to your mobile and click the Submit button to lodge the claim.
Refund Claim Completed
The refund claim is now submitted and marked as in progress. You can print a Claim Summary.
What Happens Next?
The agent will be notified that you have submitted a claim. If you have any co-tenant(s) they will also be notified.
When the agent receives the notice of claim, they may:
When a payment has been processed, a notification is sent via SMS and email to you, your co-tenant(s) and the agent.
Your agent may submit a refund claim for your bond. If they have specified that money will be deducted from the bond, you will receive a notification via SMS and email when the claim is submitted.
You are able to view all notifications sent to you. Go to your Home page to view your list of tasks. You will see the notice claim under Your tasks. Click on “Click here to see how much bond money you will receive and your options” in order to view the claim details and the available actions.
If you agree with the agent’s refund claim, you can approve it for processing and immediate payment. You will receive your payment within 24 to 48 hours.
Find the Bond
To approve the claim, you must first locate the relevant bond which will take you to the claim.
Click on Home in the top navigation bar. On your home page, scroll down to Your active bonds and click on the relevant bond number.
If the bond does have a claim associated, you will be able to click the View claim button to view the details.
Claim Details
The Refund Claim details page will be displayed, showing details entered by the agent.
If you agree with the refund claim, you can approve it. Click the Pay refund now button.
An SMS with a security code will be sent to your mobile. If the mobile number displayed is incorrect, go to Your details to update it before proceeding.
Click Continue to proceed.
SMS Authentication
Enter the security code sent to your mobile and click the Submit button to approve the claim.
Refund Claim Approved
The Completed page will be displayed showing that the refund claim has been approved and is now in progress. Click Print claim summary if you require a printed summary.
What Happens Next?
The approved refund claim will be processed for payment which will be made within 2 working days.
Both you and any co-tenant(s) will be notified when the refund has been paid.
Your agent may submit a refund claim for your bond. You will receive a notification via SMS and email when the claim is submitted.
You are able to view all notifications sent to you. Go to your Home page to view your list.
If you disagree with the amount the agent specified as owing to you, you should contact the agent to discuss. If a different deduction amount is agreed, you and the agent must contact NSW Rental Bonds Online.
If you take no action, your agent‘s claim will automatically be paid 14 days after submission.
Lodge Dispute with Tribunal - Residential Bonds
Alternatively, you have 14 days to dispute the claim formally. A dispute must have been lodged with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) prior to disputing the claim in Rental Bonds Online. You will be asked to enter an NCAT Application Number and the date the dispute was lodged.
Go to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal website for more information and to access Tribunal application forms
https://www.ncat.nsw.gov.au/ncat/case-types/housing-and-property/tenancy.html
Lodge Dispute for Prescribed proceedings (mediation, court or Tribunal) - Retail Bonds
Alternatively, you have 14 days to dispute the claim formally. A dispute must have been commenced through prescribed proceedings (mediation, court or Tribunal) prior to disputing the claim in Rental Bonds Online. You will be asked to enter the prescribed proceedings application number and the date the dispute was lodged.
Go to the Small Business Commissioner website for more information https://www.smallbusiness.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/mediation
Find the Bond
To dispute the claim, you must first locate the relevant bond which will take you to the claim.
Click on Home in the top navigation bar. On your home page, scroll down to Your active bonds and click on the relevant bond number.
If the bond does have a claim associated, you will be able to click the View claim button to view the details.
Disagree with refund claim
The Refund Claim details page will be displayed, showing details entered by the agent.
To lodge your dispute, click the Notify of dispute button.
Residentia Bond Claim Details
Retail Bond Claim Details
Dispute Details
You must enter details of the dispute:
An SMS with a security code will be sent to your mobile. If the mobile number displayed is incorrect, go to Your details to update it before proceeding.
Click Continue to proceed.
SMS Authentication
Enter the security code sent to your mobile and click the Submit button to dispute the claim.
You may click Back to go back to amend details you entered.
Dispute Claim Lodged
The Completed page will be displayed confirming that the refund claim is now subject to a tribunal application - Residential Bonds or prescribed proceedings - Retail Bonds.
Click Print claim summary if you require a printed summary.
Residential Bond screen example below
What Happens Next? - Residential Bonds
The bond will be frozen and will not be refunded until the Tribunal makes a decision.
The agent will be notified that you have lodged a dispute with the Tribunal regarding the refund of the bond.
If you decide to withdraw your Tribunal application, you should go to Withdraw and Approve Claim to authorise the refund to be processed.
Retail Bond 3. Completed
What Happens Next? - Retail Bonds
The bond will be frozen and will not be refunded until an order is received from a court or the Tribunal.
The agent will be notified that you have commenced prescribed proceedings (mediation, court or Tribunal) regarding the refund of the bond.
If you decide to withdraw your prescribed proceedings, you should go to Withdraw and Approve Claim to authorise the refund to be processed.
If you have disputed a claim, you can either:
To withdraw your dispute on a Bond
Locate the correct Bond in Your Bonds and click on the view claim details this will display the claim details prior to being frozen and show an option to withdraw the dispute and approve the exiting claim.
By clicking on the withdraw dispute button it reminds you of the current claim details and you are required to enter the SMS code sent to your mobile phone number registered with your Rental Bonds Online account.
The status will change to Claim in Progress and your Agent and any co-tenants will receive notification that you have withdrawn the dispute and agreed to the existing claim.
You and your agent agree to a new claim deduction
If you wish to withdraw and submit a new claim for a different deduction amount, you will need to provide to contact NSW Rental Bonds as soon as possible. Written evidence that you and your agent are in agreement to a new deduction amount must be provided.
If you wish to proceed with either course of action, you will need to contact the Rental Bonds Online security and support desk on 1800 990 724. They will assist you.
Once you lodge a refund claim in Rental Bonds Online, you cannot amend or cancel it online.
If you wish to delete a claim, you will have to contact the NSW Rental Bonds security and support desk on 1800 990 724. They will assist you.
A division of the Department of Customer Service
