Exit condition report in QLD: move-out photos that match your move-in record

In Queensland, the exit condition report (Form 14a for most rentals) records the condition of the property when you leave. The RTA says it “is compared to the Entry condition report to determine if the property is in the same condition as when the tenant moved in, apart from fair wear and tear.” It also says it “recommends taking photos as further evidence.” So clean first, then fill in the report and photograph the same spots you photographed on move-in, in the same order. Give the report to the property manager or owner when you return the keys, and keep a copy. Some renters also timestamp the photos and report. That gives a dated record of exactly what those files looked like when the tenancy ended. It doesn’t decide a bond dispute.

Disclosure: I’m Inna Hall, co-founder of TimeBinder, the file timestamping tool mentioned in this guide. This page is general information, not legal advice.

What the RTA says about the exit condition report in QLD

The RTA’s Exit condition report page says the report “shows the condition of the property and any inclusions when the tenant leaves, and is an important part of the vacating and bond refund process.”

It says: “Ideally, the tenant and property manager/owner should complete the report together so that any issues can be addressed quickly and the bond refund can be released as soon as possible.” If you complete it separately, the RTA lists this process:

1. “The tenant removes their items and completes a thorough clean of the property.”
2. “The tenant completes an Exit condition report and submits it to the property manager/owner when returning the keys.”
3. “The property manager/owner reviews the tenant’s notes at the vacate inspection, makes any additional comments and signs.”
4. “The property manager/owner sends a completed copy of the report to the tenant at their new address within three business days.”
5. “Either the tenant or the property manager/owner submits a bond refund request.”

The Form 14a page adds: “These documents may be referred to as evidence if there is a dispute over the bond refund at the end of the tenancy.” Its tenant steps include “Attach supporting documentation” and “Retain the signed copy of the report from the lessor/agent.” It also says: “Do not send to the RTA—give this form to the lessor/agent, keep a copy for your records.”

The RTA also notes: “To prevent disputes, the RTA strongly advises both parties ensure the meter reading is recorded in both entry and exit condition reports at the beginning and end of the tenancy.”

Moveable dwellings (caravans, mobile homes and their sites) use Form 14b instead.

How to photograph a rental when you move out

1. Clean first. The RTA’s process starts with removing your items and a thorough clean, so take your photos after that.
2. Open your move-in photos. Follow the same route through the property, and shoot the same spots from the same angles. Matching pairs are easy to compare.
3. Get the details. Walls, floors and carpets, inside the oven and cupboards, windows and tracks, the bathroom, outdoor areas, and anything you noted as damaged on move-in.
4. Photograph the meter readings, since the RTA advises recording them on both reports.
5. Take a slow walk-through video as well. It shows how rooms connect, which single photos can miss.
6. Keep the original files. Copy them off your phone without editing or resizing.

What phone photo dates can and can’t show

Photo dates help, but they come from your phone’s clock and can be changed. Editing apps and some transfers also rewrite them. See date created vs date modified vs date taken and can a file’s date created be changed?

Two easy ways to get a date someone else holds:

• Attach the photos to the exit condition report, as the Form 14a page suggests with “Attach supporting documentation”, and give it to the manager when you return the keys.
• Email a copy to the property manager on the day. Their mail server holds the date it arrived.

Adding a timestamp: what it does

A TimeBind records a fingerprint of each file on the Bitcoin blockchain. That fingerprint is a short code calculated from the file’s exact contents. Later, it shows that the exact file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. For move-out photos, that means you can show these photos and this report existed by the end of your tenancy, rather than being taken or edited later.

The photos are fingerprinted in your browser and never uploaded. Each TimeBind holds up to 10 files, so put your best photos, the walk-through video and the completed report in one, or use a second TimeBind for the rest.

Pooled or ASAP for move-out photos?

• Pooled (1 Token). This is what the Free plan’s 1 Token a month covers. It’s recorded with other users’ fingerprints, usually within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity, and checked through TimeBinder. For most move-outs, this is enough.
• ASAP (3 Tokens). It gets its own Bitcoin transaction, broadcast straight away, and can be checked independently from the certificate and the Bitcoin blockchain, without relying on TimeBinder. Consider it if you already expect a dispute.

Either way, the recorded time is when the fingerprint is anchored, so make the TimeBind on moving day, not weeks later. Hire businesses use the same habit at equipment handover: see condition report and handover photo timestamping for hire businesses.

Your options compared

	Exit condition report (Form 14a)	Photos on your phone	Photos emailed to the manager	TimeBind of the photos and report
What the RTA process asks for	Yes, the tenant must complete it	Recommended as further evidence	Not mentioned	Not mentioned
Records condition item by item	Yes	Partly	Partly	No, it dates the files you add
Signed by both sides	Yes, once the manager signs	No	No	No
Date held by someone other than you	Once the manager receives it	No, your phone’s clock	Yes, their mail server	Yes, the Bitcoin blockchain
Shows the exact files existed by a date	No	No	Partly, if the attachments are kept	Yes, no later than the recorded time
Cost	Free	Free	Free	The Free plan’s 1 Token a month (Pooled)

When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool

• The manager has already signed off. If everyone agrees on the bond, there’s nothing to dispute, and your report and photos are enough to keep.
• You’ve already moved out and cleaned up. A timestamp made now only shows what your files look like now. It can’t date photos to moving day.
• You need someone independent to inspect. A timestamp doesn’t record condition. If you want a third party to look at the property, arrange that before you hand back the keys.
• You won’t keep the original files. A TimeBind is checked against the exact file. If you edit, resize or lose it, there’s nothing to match.
• You want advice on a dispute. Contact the RTA, or a tenant advice service or lawyer.

If the bond is disputed

The RTA’s Bond refunds page says: “The RTA cannot accept a bond refund request before the expiry date of the appropriate notice”. If there’s no agreement on the refund, it “releases any undisputed amounts” and “holds any disputed amount/s”. It says: “Parties that disagree with the bond refund request have 14 days to submit a Dispute resolutions request (Form 16) to the RTA.” And: “If they do not respond within 14 days, the bond is paid in full as directed by the first bond request.”

If the property manager or owner claims on the bond, the RTA’s Online Bond Refund page says: “A property manager/owner must provide evidence to a tenant/resident that supports their bond claim or bond dispute.” It describes dispute resolution as “the RTA’s free, confidential dispute resolution service which helps tenants and property manager/owners resolve disputes without the need for legal action.” It adds: “If agreement cannot be reached, the RTA will issue a Notice of unresolved dispute.” The person who lodged the request can then choose to apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

For agents and owners, see our page on real estate document verification.

Plan details were checked against timebinder.io/pricing on 30 October 2026.