End of lease cleaning checklist: how to get your bond back

Your entry condition report and the photos you took when you moved in are the standard you are cleaning to. If something was already marked or stained on day one, it should be in that report.

• Oven, grill, racks and trays degreased
• Rangehood filter and stovetop
• Cupboards and drawers emptied and wiped inside and out
• Sink, taps and splashback
• Dishwasher filter and seals

• Shower screen and tiles free of soap scum; grout cleaned
• Toilet, vanity, mirror and cabinets
• Exhaust fan cover dusted
• Laundry tub, and lint behind the dryer space

• Floors vacuumed and mopped; skirting boards wiped
• Light switches, door handles and marks on walls — spot-clean only, since scrubbing paint off makes it worse
• Inside wardrobes and on top of shelves
• Windows, tracks and sills; blinds dusted
• Cobwebs, light fittings and air-con vents

Vacuum carpets thoroughly. Whether professional steam cleaning is required depends on your state, your lease and the carpet’s condition when you moved in, so read your agreement and your state tenancy body’s guidance before paying for it.

Outside, take the rubbish out, empty the bins, sweep the courtyard or balcony and tidy any garden you were responsible for.

On the last day, photograph every room from the doorway and close up anything you’re worried about. Date-stamped photos are your best evidence if there is a dispute.

Bonds are held by a state authority, not the landlord. In Victoria that is the RTBA; in NSW you apply through Rental Bonds Online; in Queensland through the RTA. South Australia and Western Australia have their own bond services through their consumer protection agencies.

If the landlord claims money and you don’t agree, don’t sign the claim. In Victoria the landlord then has to take it to Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria; other states have their own tribunal or dispute service.

Ask whether they will come back for a re-clean if the agent finds something missed, and give them your entry condition report so they know what was already there.