Property Inspection Report (Australia)

Create a legally compliant Residential Tenancy Agreement for any Australian state or territory. Covering landlord and tenant rights, rent, bond, condition report, maintenance obligations, break fees, and termination procedures in accordance with the NSW Residential Tenancies Act 2010, VIC Residential Tenancies Act 1997, QLD Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, and equivalent state legislation.

An Entry Condition Report (also known as an ingoing condition report or property condition report) is a document completed at the commencement of a residential tenancy that records the condition of the rental property, including every room, fixture, fitting, appliance, and external area. In Australia, the preparation of an entry condition report is mandatory under the residential tenancy legislation in most states and territories, and plays a central role in determining what, if any, amounts can be claimed from the tenant's bond at the end of the tenancy. In Queensland, under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), a lessor (landlord) must provide the tenant with two signed copies of the entry condition report on or before the day the tenant moves in. The tenant has three business days after receiving the report (or after moving in, whichever is later) to check the condition of the property, note any disagreements, and return one signed copy to the landlord or property manager. If the tenant does not return a signed copy within this period, the tenant is taken to have agreed with the report as completed by the landlord. The RTA provides a standard entry condition report form, and the use of this form (or one that contains at least the required information) is mandatory for general residential tenancies in Queensland. In Victoria, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), a landlord must provide the tenant with two copies of a condition report within three business days of the commencement of the tenancy. The tenant has three business days after receiving the copies to complete, sign, and return one copy to the landlord. If the landlord does not provide the copies within the prescribed period, they may not be able to rely on the condition report at the end of the tenancy. Consumer Affairs Victoria provides a standard condition report form for use in Victoria. In New South Wales, under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), a landlord must provide the tenant with a property condition report before or when the tenant takes possession of the premises. The tenant has seven days to check the accuracy of the report and return a copy to the landlord with any additions or amendments. Fair Trading NSW provides a recommended condition report form. The condition report is essential evidence in any dispute about damage before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). In South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory, similar obligations apply under the respective Residential Tenancies Acts, and the relevant state authority typically provides a standard form for use. The entry condition report is important for several reasons. First, it establishes the agreed baseline condition of the property at the commencement of the tenancy. This baseline is used at the end of the tenancy to assess what, if any, changes have occurred during the tenancy. Second, only damage beyond fair wear and tear — that is, damage exceeding the ordinary deterioration caused by normal everyday use — can be claimed from the tenant's bond. Without a detailed entry condition report, it can be very difficult for either party to prove what the condition was at the start of the tenancy. Third, the entry condition report provides important protection for tenants who would otherwise risk being held responsible for damage that pre-existed their tenancy. A thorough entry condition report should describe the condition of every room — including the entry and hallway, living areas, kitchen, all bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry, and external areas — and record details of all inclusions such as appliances, blinds, carpets, light fittings, and garden areas. Photographs taken at the time of the inspection (and dated) provide additional contemporaneous evidence of the property's condition at the commencement of the tenancy. This Entry Condition Report template is designed to help landlords and tenants prepare a comprehensive, well-structured ingoing condition report that meets the general requirements of Australian residential tenancy legislation. It covers all major areas of the property, records keys and access devices provided, and includes space for notes on existing damage and agreed pre-existing defects.

A Property Condition Report is the legally required document that records the state of a rental property at the start and end of a residential tenancy in Australia. It serves as the primary reference point for determining whether any damage has occurred during the tenancy beyond fair wear and tear, and is therefore the critical document in any dispute about bond deductions. Every residential landlord in Australia is legally required to prepare and provide a condition report to the tenant at the commencement of each tenancy, and a comparable outgoing inspection is conducted at the end of the tenancy to compare the property's condition. The legal requirement to prepare and provide a property condition report to the tenant is set out in section 29 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW). Under this provision, a landlord must give the tenant a written condition report documenting the state of repair and general condition of the premises before or at the time the tenant is given access to the premises. The tenant then has three business days (in New South Wales) to review the report, make any comments or amendments, and return a signed copy to the landlord. The landlord must retain a signed copy of the ingoing condition report for the duration of the tenancy. In Victoria, the equivalent obligation is found in section 35 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (VIC), which requires the landlord to give the tenant a condition report at the commencement of the tenancy. Victoria has specific prescribed forms for condition reports that are available from Consumer Affairs Victoria, and the form requires detailed room-by-room assessments. In Queensland, section 65 of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (QLD) requires the lessor to give the tenant a general condition report and a pool condition report (if applicable) at the commencement of the tenancy. The RTA in Queensland provides standard forms for this purpose. The bond is directly linked to the condition report. At the commencement of the tenancy, the landlord collects a security bond (capped at four weeks' rent in most Australian states) and must lodge it with the relevant state bond authority: NSW Fair Trading in New South Wales, the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) in Victoria, and the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) in Queensland. The bond is held by the authority on trust for both the landlord and the tenant, and can only be released with either the written consent of both parties or an order of the applicable tenancy tribunal. At the end of the tenancy, the landlord or agent conducts an outgoing inspection and compares the current condition of the property against the ingoing condition report. Any deterioration in condition that goes beyond fair wear and tear is the tenant's responsibility and may be claimed against the bond. Fair wear and tear refers to the normal deterioration of a property resulting from ordinary use — scuffs on walls from furniture, minor carpet flattening, and faded paintwork are typical examples of fair wear and tear that cannot be charged to the tenant. Damage caused by the tenant or their guests — such as holes in walls, burns, broken fixtures, or staining caused by neglect — can be claimed against the bond. The condition report is the single most important document in resolving bond disputes. If the landlord claims a bond deduction for damage, and the tenant disputes that the damage was present at the end of the tenancy, the tenancy tribunal will compare the ingoing condition report against the outgoing report. If the ingoing report recorded the item as being in good condition and the outgoing report documents damage, the evidence supports the landlord's claim. If the ingoing report was poorly completed, failed to record the initial condition of the item, or cannot be found, the tribunal may reject the landlord's bond claim on the basis that the landlord cannot prove the damage did not exist at the start of the tenancy. For property managers, completing a thorough and accurate ingoing condition report is one of the most important services they provide to the landlord. Photographs taken at the commencement of the tenancy (and cross-referenced against the condition report) significantly strengthen the landlord's position in the event of a bond dispute. In New South Wales, photographs are now required to be provided to the tenant as part of the condition report under the Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019 (NSW). This template is designed for use by landlords, property managers, and tenants in any Australian state or territory. It covers all major areas of a residential property including entry, hallway, living and dining rooms, kitchen, laundry, bedrooms, bathrooms, and external areas, and provides fields for recording the condition of each area with supporting notes. It also includes a bond lodgement reminder section to assist both landlords and tenants in understanding their rights and obligations in relation to the bond.

A Rental Bond Lodgement Receipt is a written document issued by a landlord or property manager to a tenant acknowledging receipt of the rental bond and confirming that the bond will be lodged with the relevant state bond authority. In Australia, rental bonds for residential tenancies are not held by the landlord — they must be lodged with the government bond authority in the applicable state or territory within a prescribed timeframe after receipt. This requirement is fundamental to the protections that Australian residential tenancy legislation provides to tenants. In New South Wales, under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), a landlord or their agent must lodge the rental bond with NSW Fair Trading within 10 business days of receiving it from the tenant. NSW Fair Trading holds the bond in a separate trust account on behalf of both parties. The bond may only be paid out at the end of the tenancy in accordance with a bond claim agreed to by both parties or ordered by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). The maximum bond a landlord can charge in NSW is four weeks' rent. In Victoria, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), the landlord or agent must lodge the bond with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) within 10 business days of receiving it from the tenant. The RTBA holds the bond and pays it out at the end of the tenancy in accordance with a claim form agreed by both parties or ordered by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). The maximum bond is one month's rent. In Queensland, under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), the landlord or property manager must lodge the bond with the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) within 10 days of receiving it from the tenant. The RTA provides an online bond lodgement system, and both the landlord and tenant receive an email confirmation when the bond is lodged. At the end of the tenancy, the bond is refunded by the RTA on receipt of a signed bond refund form, or in accordance with a QCAT order if disputed. The maximum bond is four weeks' rent. In South Australia, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA), bonds must be lodged with Consumer and Business Services (CBS) within two weeks of receipt. In Western Australia, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA), bonds must be lodged with the Bond Administrator at Consumer Protection WA within three days of receipt. In Tasmania, under the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas), bonds must be lodged with Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) within five days of receipt. In the Australian Capital Territory, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT), bonds must be lodged with the ACT Revenue Office. Failure by a landlord or agent to lodge a bond within the required timeframe is a breach of the applicable residential tenancy legislation and may expose the landlord to a financial penalty. A tenant who suspects that their bond has not been properly lodged can check the lodgement status with the relevant bond authority directly. This Rental Bond Lodgement Receipt template is designed to provide tenants with a clear written record of the bond payment they have made and the landlord's obligation to lodge it. It identifies the parties, describes the rental property, records the amount paid, the payment method, and the applicable bond authority, and provides statutory information about the lodgement requirements under the relevant Act. Using a written receipt protects both the tenant (by confirming the payment has been acknowledged) and the landlord (by providing a record of the amount received and the lodgement obligations assumed).