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RTA Dispute
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RTA Dispute
Hi all,
I’m currently in a dispute with my previous landlord regarding the return of my bond, and I’ve identified several concerning behaviours and possible breaches under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld).
I’m posting here to see if anyone has experienced similar issues, especially regarding privacy breaches, communication failures, and procedural non-compliance. Any advice or shared experience would be greatly appreciated.
I can provide the lease agreement for extra information. Note: only the landlady was listed as the managing party and her daughter would send a text message with the amount due for the bills.
It was a split living situation. I rented downstairs and the daughter rented upstairs plus the garage. The backyard was not shared and was apart of my side of the property. I’d like to also note that the electrical box was on the daughter’s side of the property and the hot water system on my side. Shouldn’t these be in a shared/ communal location incase either household needs to inspect it?
This is looking like it will go to the tribunal.
Communication & Email Irregularities
Lease specifies one email as the landlord’s point of contact, yet she uses two without formal notice.
Communicated via text asking me to send documents via a secondary email, which was inconsistent with the lease.
Failed to respond in a complete or timely manner to important emails.
Failed to provide full utility bills covering the tenancy period.
Did not issue invoices or receipts for rent or bill payments.
Lease renewals were routinely delayed, with agreements not sent until much later.
Privacy Concerns
First email from the landlord included my personal email shared with the daughter (another tenant) without consent.
16 April 2024 – Landlord sent me Daughter’s personal phone number, again without consent.
Repeated breaches of privacy through sharing personal information.
Suspect the daughter was taking photos of our side of the property and sending them to the landlord – clear breach of privacy. These photos could be traced back to the device they were taken on.
All of the above potentially breaches Section 183 – Tenant’s Right to Reasonable Privacy.
Entry Notices & Property Access
8 July 2024 – Landlord did not issue Form 9 prior to an inspection. Instead, she sent a text asking if she could inspect. I agreed, but the formal process was not followed.
Did not provide the required 7 days’ notice for final inspections at end of tenancy.
On multiple occasions, she expected me to rearrange my schedule for her convenience, failing to allow the standard 72 hours to reply.
Property Use & Interaction with Others
24 July 2024 – Landlord asked about a friend’s Jeep parked in front of the house. We were temporarily looking after it and considering purchasing it. I moved it to accommodate her request for parking.
6 August 2025 – Landlord’s daughter attempted to run me over. I’ve documented the incident in my diary as a contemporaneous written record.
I strongly suspect landlord’s daughter was surveilling our side of the property without consent.
Lease, Billing & End of Tenancy Issues
Landlord claimed RTA told her she wasn’t required to allow me to amend end-of-lease issues; however, I was advised by the RTA that I must be given the option to remedy these myself before deductions.
Final bills were first mentioned on 12 August 2025, yet due on 25 August 2025 – insufficient notice and no detailed breakdowns provided.
Did not give the required 2 months’ notice to vacate under the lease agreement.
Sent pre-tenancy garden photos on 29 December 2024, but with no specific details (e.g., type of mulch), making it impossible to accurately compare to current condition.
I rectified issues like a hole in the garden (7 January 2025) and provided a receipt, but still faced pushback.
Summary of Concerns
Privacy breaches (Section 183)
Improper or missing entry notices (Form 9)
Failure to issue proper notice to vacate
Incomplete communication and inconsistent use of emails
Lack of receipts, invoices, and proper billing documentation
Harassment and intimidation (alleged vehicular incident)
No opportunity provided to remedy bond-related concerns
Potential third-party surveillance (Beth taking photos of our property side)
If anyone has gone through something similar – especially with privacy violations, improper bond claims, or RTA misinterpretations – I’d really appreciate your insights.
Thanks in advance!
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2 Replies
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I’m a landlord, and even when I’ve dotted all my Is and crossed all my Ts I dread going to the tribunal. They seem very tenant bias and I believe it’s political (labor government in power). Even when the Tenants didn’t show up at a hearing, it felt like what I was after wasn’t going to be granted. It was, after a long ordeal where I had to explain myself, like why would I want to occupy my own property… etc. etc.
At least that was my experience with trying to obtain a warrant of possession. However I don’t have much experience with bond disputes.
If you’re up to date in rent, and the landlords been sloppy with issuing rent receipts, invoices and in other areas, I think you’re in a very good position. Being up to date with the rent is evidence that you’re acting in good faith. If you can show evidence that you tried to remedy the concerns of the landlord, that will help.
They need to provide invoices for all their claims against the bond, except for missing rent. I’d try to limit your arguments to what you evidence for. It’s sounds like your ex-landlord maybe unprofessional enough to lose the hearing by themselves, so you don’t need to exaggerate or fabricate anything, just stick to the tangible facts and it’ll work out.
Instances of harassment, privacy invasion, or threatening behaviour by the landlord constituting breaches of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 may be presented during a bond dispute hearing if they influenced the end of the tenancy or led to a claim or counterclaim. Perhaps their behaviour prevented you from being able to remedy some of their concerns. However I wouldn’t make it your main argument as its mostly a separate issue.. perhaps a civil matter for later.
Main thing is showing that you made an effort to act in good faith and the landlord was unreasonable.
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Hi There, Have you issued a Form 11 Notice to Remedy Breach to the landlord for any matters of breach of the rental agreement? Issue multiple forms, one for each breach noting the timeframe for remedy under the RTA. Include the sections of the RTRA Act and the sections of the agreement they have breached. This then becomes evidence in any proceeding. Also I have lodged a RTA dispute process with the RTA for landlord breaches and if I could show the section of the ACt and Regulations the landlord had breached, the RTA would point this out to the landlord and the penalty units of consequence for the breach if it continues to court. I had a landlord constantly asking in writing for more advance payments of rent even while I was up to date with rent and the legislation clearly states this is illegal with criminal code penalties, the RTA dispute officer called the landlord, advised them if they continued they could face jail time and the dispute was resolved, they never asked me to advance extra rent payments.