No evidence, no claim: bond disputes are won or lost on move-in day

From 13 October 2026, a Victorian landlord who wants to claim against the bond must first tell the renter, at least 3 business days before lodging the claim, and hand over the evidence. The Victorian Government summed it up as "no proof, no claim". It is one state's rule, but it describes how bond disputes already work almost everywhere: the landlord with records wins, and the landlord without them usually does not.

This is not a guide to any one state's process. It is about the habit that decides most bond claims, wherever your property is.

3 business days

What changed in Victoria

Consumer Affairs Victoria now says that before claiming all or any part of the bond, a rental provider must:

• notify the renter of the intended claim at least 3 business days before lodging it;
• give the renter evidence supporting the claim, in the form of invoices, receipts, quotes or photographs; and
• make sure that evidence does not contradict the condition report.

If the landlord goes to VCAT for an order, the same evidence test applies, and it is an offence to apply without supporting evidence or with evidence that contradicts the condition report. The change came into force alongside a ban on application fees and two-yearly gas and electrical safety checks for every rental, as listed on the regulator's rental law changes page.

For a landlord with good records, this barely changes anything. You were going to need that evidence at the tribunal anyway. What it removes is the claim lodged in hope, where the landlord expects the renter not to contest it.

The test you have to pass, wherever you are

Bond rules differ by state, and you should check yours with your state regulator. The underlying logic does not differ much. Tenants Victoria's bond factsheet puts it plainly: to be paid any of the bond, a landlord must prove a loss, prove the renter caused it, and show the amount claimed is reasonable.

The same factsheet lists the defences renters most often raise:

• the damage or mess was there before they moved in;
• it was not their fault, such as vandalism or a storm;
• it is fair wear and tear from normal use; or
• they caused it, but the amount claimed is too high.

Look at that list from the landlord's side. Three of the four are answered by records you make before the tenant moves in, or by a receipt. Consumer Affairs Victoria's examples show where the line sits: faded curtains or worn kitchen bench tops are fair wear and tear; ripped curtains or a broken bench top might be damage. You can only show which one you are looking at if you recorded what was there on day one.

What good evidence looks like

A weak bond claim is often not a dishonest one. It is one where the landlord knows the carpet was fine at the start but has no way to prove it. A few habits fix most of that.

A thorough ingoing condition report. In Victoria, every rental must have one, using the prescribed template, with two signed copies (or one electronic copy) given to the renter before they move in. The renter has 5 business days to return it with their comments. Other states and territories set their own condition report rules and forms, so check with your state regulator. Note anything unclean, damaged or not working, room by room.

Dated photos of everything, not only the problems. The regulator recommends both parties take photos at the start, date and label them, and attach them to the report. A photo of an undamaged wall is the evidence you will need if that wall has a hole in it three years later.

The same angles at the end. Exit photos are most persuasive when they match the ingoing shots. A close-up of a stain means little if there is no matching photo from move-in.

Receipts, quotes and invoices kept with the property. The claim amount has to be reasonable. A quote or invoice from a tradie or cleaner does that job, and Victoria now names them as acceptable evidence.

Notes from routine inspections. If damage appears mid-tenancy, a dated inspection record shows when, and gives you the chance to raise it early rather than at the end.

Tools that make this easier

The same test applies to every option: does it capture dated, room-by-room evidence, can you compare start and end, does it keep the receipts with the property, and does it meet your state's form requirements?

• The regulator's template and your phone camera. Free, and it meets the form requirement by definition. The weakness is organisation: photos end up in your camera roll, invoices in your inbox, and matching them up three years later is slow.
• A property manager's report. If you use an agent, the condition report is usually part of what you pay for. Ask to see the photos, not just the tick boxes, and keep your own copy. We cover what to expect in what your property manager fee really buys.
• Landlord platforms. Several self-management platforms include condition reports. RentBetter, for example, lists digital condition reports in its plans, in a web product that also handles advertising and rent collection.
• Propero. An iPhone app for landlords who self-manage. On Pro ($24.99 a month or $199.99 a year, as at October 2026), you walk each room filming, and it turns the footage into a room-by-room report with photos attached, compares ingoing, routine and outgoing inspections automatically, and exports a PDF you review before sharing. On Pro, invoices forwarded to the property's own email address are read into Propero Chat for that property, which keeps the receipts with the rest of its records. It is iPhone only, with no Android or web version, and the free plan covers one property without AI condition reports.

Whatever you use, check it against your state's rules. If your state requires a prescribed condition report form, as Victoria does, treat an app's report as the photo evidence attached to the official form unless you have confirmed it meets the requirement.

What this means for landlords

1. Do the ingoing report properly, every time. Room by room, with dated photos of everything, including what is in good condition. It is the single document most bond disputes turn on.
2. Read the renter's comments when the report comes back. If they disagree with something, deal with it then. A disagreement at the start is cheap; one at the end is a tribunal hearing.
3. Match your exit photos to your ingoing photos. Same rooms, same angles. Make comparison easy for whoever has to decide.
4. Get a quote or invoice before you claim. Your own estimate of what a repair "should" cost is weak evidence. A tradie's quote is strong.
5. Leave fair wear and tear alone. Claiming for a worn carpet in a five-year tenancy invites a dispute you are likely to lose, and it costs goodwill and time.
6. Check your state's process with your state regulator. Notice periods, forms and where to lodge differ. If you manage property in Victoria, the 3 business day notice and evidence rule applies to claims from 13 October 2026.

A bond claim is the last conversation of a tenancy, but it is decided by the first one. Get the move-in record right and the end usually looks after itself.