End of Lease Cleaning Checklist Guide

Let’s face it moving out & cleaning a rental property is often a stressful and difficult process, especially if you want all your bond back! This guide includes tips and an ultimate end of lease cleaning checklist that you can print out.

 

 

Moving out is an extremely stressful period in anyone’s life, especially if you live in a rental property.

You not only have to pack all your belongings and move them to a new location, but you also have to worry about getting your bond back. You can’t give back the keys until you make sure the place looks spotless.

At the end of your tenancy, your landlord will conduct a final inspection to determine the condition of the property. An official condition report will be filled during this inspection, and if you don’t meet the set expectations, you may not be able to receive your security deposit back in full.

 

This is why it’s important to prepare for your end of lease cleaning in advance. Professional companies can take care of everything in a matter of hours, but if you don’t have the budget for that, it’s best to start preparing for the move out inspection early on.

 

What property damage are you responsible for whilst leasing?

One of the biggest difficulties people moving out face is determining what they are liable for in terms of damage. Fortunately, the tenant is not responsible for absolutely everything, as some types of wear and tear are out of your power. So, you are not responsible for damages that occur over time, such as fading and wearing of curtains, paint, furniture, floors or carpets.

These are the damages you are liable for, though:

• Any type of stains, burn marks, holes and tears on the carpets
• Scratches, stains and burns on floors
• Burns, scratches and cuts on countertops
• Stains, scratches and holes on walls
• Stains, damages, scratches on tables, sofas, beds

Do your best to avoid such types of damage, because their repairs are costly, and their presence will make getting your deposit back in full extremely difficult.

 

One month before moving out

Preparation

Depending on how big the rental property is, you may have to start to vacate cleaning preparations up to a month in advance. If you live in a big house with a lawn, garage and other types of additional amenities, you have to start planning the process from there.

If you have a lawn and hedges in front of the house, you will have to trim them a week before the move-out. In case you don’t own a mower and don’t have the needed skills, it’s best to employ a professional gardener to take care of that for you.

 

Pest Control

 

Same applies if there are any pests in the property, you will have to take care of the infestation before the inspection, as in most lease agreements this is the tenant’s responsibility. Most landlords require a professional pest control company to be employed because they provide guarantees for all their spraying and fumigation services. However, if your lease doesn’t state this you may consider the DIY option, just ensure all dead bugs are cleared before the inspection is undertaken!

Ask about setting up any connections when moving eg: NBN, electricity etc.. 

 

Book the profesionals

In case you need a professional to take care of one of these tasks, it’s best to book your appointment around a month in advance, if you want to use the services of a reputable company.  For any last-minute or budget options, you can always try Air Tasker.

All the other tasks can be left for around a week or two before you move out, depending on how much time you have for cleaning.

 

Take care of the outdoor area

 

How to clear the garden & balcony

 

First take care of all the weeds and trim back the bushes. Then mow the lawn and spray the entire area with a weed killer if needed. If there are any dead plants that shouldn’t be, it’s a good idea to replace them with new ones. Gather all the rubbish from the backyard, pack it in bags and discard of it accordingly. Pay special attention to any bottle caps, cigarette butts and other small pieces of trash that can be easily missed in the grass. If you have a balcony, ensure it has been swept and mopped and that nothing remains.

 

How to clean the garage

Once you’re done with the garden and everything is in pristine condition, you can move to the garage. If you’ve been using it for storage, first you’ll need to remove everything from there.

Sort the items, pack the ones you’re going to keep and order a council clean-up or donate the rest. Then you need to dust the entire space, remove all cobwebs, sweep and mop the floor.

If you notice any grease or motor oil stains on the floor or walls, you will need to take care of them as well. A good way to remove oil stains from the garage is to spray the stains with some oven cleaner, wait for 15 minutes, then scrub the area with a wired brush and rinse with a garden hose on a high pressure.

Then move to the driveway or patio, scrub down any dirt and make sure there are no oil spills or tire marks. If using a degreaser doesn’t work, you may have to employ a pressure cleaner.

 

Take care of the bigger indoor tasks

Before you start tackling all the rooms in the house one by one, it’s a good idea to take care of some important elements, which are present in almost every room, but are often forgotten during the regular cleaning you perform: 

 

How to clean walls and ceilings

Start with the walls and ceiling