Landlord & bond disputes

Residential tenancy law varies by state, but the core protections are similar everywhere: a bond can only be withheld with your agreement or a tribunal order, not because a landlord or agent simply decides to keep it; landlords must attend to genuine repairs within a reasonable time; and evictions and rent increases generally have to follow specific notice requirements, not happen at the landlord's discretion.

Each state has its own tenancy tribunal (NCAT in NSW, VCAT in Victoria, QCAT in Queensland, and equivalents elsewhere) that hears bond, repair, and eviction disputes cheaply and informally, deciding on the evidence, condition reports, photos, and written correspondence, not on who has the more forceful agent.