Our iPhone app has just launched — check it out on the App Store. Android coming soon!
How bonds work in WA — the maximum bond of four weeks' rent, lodging it with Bonds Administration (Consumer Protection), condition reports, the boarder vs tenant difference, and how to get your bond back.
A rental bond is a security deposit you pay at the start of a tenancy. It stays your money — it is held as security in case you leave owing rent or causing damage beyond fair wear and tear. In WA, the bond on a residential tenancy cannot be more than four weeks' rent, and a landlord cannot get around that limit by asking for a second bond on top.
Always get a receipt for the bond and for every other payment you make. If someone refuses to give a receipt, that alone is a warning sign.
On a formal lease in WA, your landlord or agent must lodge the bond with Bonds Administration (Consumer Protection). The money sits with the government — not in the landlord's pocket — until the tenancy ends. You should receive confirmation from Bonds Administration that your bond has been lodged; if it never arrives, ask why.
This is where many scams and dodgy arrangements show themselves. A landlord who insists the bond be transferred to a personal bank account and simply kept there — 'don't worry, I'll give it back' — is either running a scam or breaking the rules. Slow down, and never pay anything before you've inspected the room.
On a formal tenancy you'll be given a condition report describing the state of the property. Check it, add anything the landlord missed — stains, marks, broken fittings — and return your copy. In WA you have 7 days to do this.
Do this even if everything looks fine. The condition report plus your own dated photos from day one are the evidence that decides bond disputes months later.
Here is the detail most students find out too late: many share-house arrangements are not covered by WA's residential tenancy law. If you rent a room from a live-in owner, or informally from a head tenant without your name on a lease, you may be a boarder or lodger rather than a tenant — with far fewer legal protections. Your bond may not have to be lodged, and Bonds Administration's bond system may not apply.
That doesn't make these arrangements bad — plenty of genuine student housing works this way. It means you must protect yourself: inspect extra carefully, get the agreement and the bond amount in writing, pay by bank transfer (never cash without a receipt), and keep every message. If you're not sure which category you fall into, call Bonds Administration on 1300 30 40 54 and ask.
When you move out at the end of a formal lease, either side can start the bond claim through Bonds Administration. If you and the landlord agree, the refund is usually quick. If the landlord claims part of the bond and you disagree, don't just accept it — disputes can be taken to Magistrates Court of Western Australia, where your day-one photos and condition report do the talking.
Leave the room clean, photograph everything on the way out, and return the keys with a written record of the date.
Help is free, and using it will never affect your visa.
This guide is general information for WA as at 2026, not legal advice. Rules change and situations differ — for advice about your case, contact Bonds Administration or Circle Green Community Legal.
Browse verified rooms on Zuwu — and see exactly how our verification keeps you safe.
The golden rule of never paying before you inspect, an inspection checklist, day-one photos, the classic scam scripts, and what to do if you're targeted.
The first-week setup for international students in WA — tax file number, bank account, phone SIM, public transport with SmartRider and health cover, plus the scams to dodge along the way.
How to split bills fairly, set house rules that stick, give proper notice when you leave and resolve conflicts — plus when to bring in Bonds Administration or Circle Green Community Legal.