Rental Deposit Authority
Important Information About Changes to Rental Bonds in Tasmania
Changes are anticipated in 2008 in the way private owners and real estate agents handle rental bond money.
A new Rental Deposit Authority (RDA) will be responsible for holding all Tasmanian residential rental bonds in trust for private owners and tenants until the bond is repaid.
If you have any questions about the changes in rental bonds why not telephone us on 1300 654 499 or email RDA@justice.tas.gov.au
Activities of the Rental Deposit Authority (RDA)
Information for Tenants
Information for Private Owners
Information for Real Estate Agents
Disputes
The main areas of activity of the RDA will include the following:
- Managing rental bond money including lodgement, refunds and maintenance of tenancy details
- Educating tenants, private owners and real estate agents about their rights and obligations
- Referring Disputes on rental bonds to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner
- Providing information on all rental bond related matters
- Monitoring legislation
- Providing policy advice to the Minister and Government
Information for tenants
- Once the Rental Deposit Authority (RDA) is established it will be illegal for a private owner to receive your rental bond money. Instead, you will be able to lodge your bond money at a Service Tasmania Shop, with your real estate agent or directly with the RDA.
- One of the key aims of the RDA is to ensure the fast processing of bond refund claims. When you move out of a property, the RDA will return the bond money as agreed by you and the private owner or real estate agent.
- If it is not possible to reach an agreement on the return of the rental bond, then fair and equitable processes will be in place to quickly resolve issues.
- Once the RDA is established your private owner or real estate agent will have 6 months to lodge rental bonds on any existing tenancy agreements.
- For now, continue to give the rental bond money to a private owner or to your real estate agent.
Information for Private Owners
- Once the Rental Deposit Authority is established, you will no longer receive the rental bond money from the tenant. Instead, the tenant will lodge the rental bond at a Service Tasmania Shop, with their real estate agent or directly with the RDA.
- New changes to the law mean that it will be illegal for you to take the rental bond money from the tenant.
- As the tenant will be responsible for lodging the rental bond with the RDA, you will no longer need to run separate trust accounts for your rental property(s).
- One of the key aims of the RDA is to ensure the fast processing of rental bond refund claims. When a tenancy agreement ends, the RDA will return the rental bond money as agreed by you and the tenant.
- If it is not possible to reach an agreement on the return of the rental bond, then fair and equitable processes will be in place to quickly resolve the issue.
- Once the RDA is established, you will have 6 months to lodge the rental bonds on existing tenancies.
- Until the RDA is established, continue to receive rental bonds from tenants.
Information for Real Estate Agents
- Once the Rental Deposit Authority (RDA) is established, you will still be able to receive rental bonds for properties under your management. However, you will be required to lodge the rental bond with the RDA within 3 working days of receipt of the rental bond. Alternatively, the tenant may choose to visit a Service Tasmania shop to lodge the rental bond or directly with the RDA.
- One of the key aims of the RDA is to ensure the fast processing of rental bond refund claims. When a tenancy agreement ends, the RDA will return the rental bond money as agreed by you and the tenant.
- If it is not possible to reach an agreement on the return of the rental bond, then fair and equitable processes will be in place to quickly resolve the issue.
- Once the RDA is established, you will have 6 months to lodge the rental bonds on existing tenancies.
- Until the RDA is established, continue to receive rental bonds from tenants.
Disputes
- Rental bonds will be returned either as agreed by the private owner/real estate agent and tenant.
- If there is a dispute, the Rental Deposit Authority will refer the matter to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner.
- For more information on rental bond disputes, see Residential Tenancy Commissioner
