Sometimes tenants are left perplexed as to why their bond or a portion of it was retained. If a property manager must retain a bond, it's commonly because the property is not in the same condition when vacated as it was when the condition report was completed, or because rent was not paid as agreed. For this reason, an accurate condition report at the time the lease is signed is crucial. If a tenant wants to dispute their bond refund (or lack of), they will review the condition report that was completed when they moved in. It's for this reason that your property manager is meticulous about the detail he or she include in a condition report. Also, its why tenants should pay attention when reviewing and signing it.
A property manager's role is to ensure a property remains in good condition for their landlord, so good communication with the tenant is key. Encouraging the tenant to be proactive and provide solutions before they lose their bond works in everyone's favour. Rental property managers see hundreds of properties every year and though it's their job to document things precisely, brevity can take priority sometimes and for a tenant waiting on their bond to be refunded, the devil is in the detail. What was originally documented as a scuff mark, is not grounds for a wall to be repainted some years later. Everyone could end up at the tenancy tribunal, simply because neither the tenant nor the property manager paid enough attention to the condition report.