Moving out of a rental in Melbourne? The final inspection is where most bond disputes start, and cleaning is one of the most common reasons money is taken from a bond. This end of lease cleaning checklist walks you through every room, explains what Victorian rental law actually expects, and shares the spots renters most often miss.
What Victorian law says about cleaning when you move out
In Victoria, renters must leave the property reasonably clean and in roughly the same condition it was in at the start of the rental agreement, allowing for fair wear and tear.
For rental agreements signed from 29 March 2021, a rental provider can't simply require professional cleaning because you're moving out. A professional cleaning term only applies in certain circumstances, such as when professional cleaning is needed to return the property to the condition it was in at the start of the lease. Check your rental agreement, and compare it with your entry condition report.
Within 10 days of the agreement ending, the rental provider or agent must complete the end-of-agreement section of the condition report. You should be present, or be given a reasonable opportunity to attend. If they claim money from your bond for cleaning, it's because they believe the property wasn't left reasonably clean, so a thorough clean is your best protection.
This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, see Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Before you start
- Find your entry condition report and photos. They show the standard you need to return the property to.
- Move all furniture and belongings out first. It's almost impossible to clean properly around boxes.
- Clear out rubbish and unwanted items, including from the garage, shed and backyard.
- Allow plenty of time. As a guide, a professional clean of a 1-bedroom unit takes around 3–4 hours, and a 3-bedroom house around 5–7 hours.
Kitchen checklist
The kitchen is where agents look hardest, and where most cleaning deductions happen.
- Oven: racks, trays, door glass (inside and between the panes if accessible), walls and floor of the oven
- Stovetop, burners and knobs
- Rangehood, including the filter, which is one of the most commonly missed items
- Inside and outside all cupboards and drawers, including handles
- Benchtops, splashback and tiles, including grout
- Sink, taps and plughole
- Dishwasher: filter, seals and door edges
- Inside the pantry and on top of overhead cupboards
Bathroom and toilet checklist
- Shower screen and doors, removing soap scum and water marks
- Shower and bath tiles, grout and any visible mould
- Bath, basin, taps and drains
- Toilet bowl, seat, hinges, base and behind the toilet
- Mirrors and vanity, inside and out
- Exhaust fan covers
- Floor, including corners and around the base of the toilet
Laundry checklist
- Laundry tub, taps and drain
- Inside cupboards and shelves
- Behind and under where the washing machine and dryer stood
- Lint and dust on walls and the floor
Bedrooms and living areas
- Inside wardrobes, including shelves, drawers and sliding door tracks
- Skirting boards, door frames and doors
- Light switches, power points and marks around them
- Light fittings and ceiling fans
- Air conditioner filters and vents
- Spot-clean marks on walls where they can be safely removed
- Floors: vacuum and mop hard floors, and vacuum carpets thoroughly
Windows, tracks and blinds
- Inside of windows and glass doors
- Window and sliding door tracks, which collect dirt and are often checked
- Window sills and frames
- Blinds and fly screens, dusted or wiped
Outside areas
- Balconies and patios swept, with cobwebs removed
- Garage and shed emptied and swept
- Bins emptied, with no rubbish left on the property
Carpets
Whether you need professional carpet cleaning depends on your rental agreement and the carpet's condition compared with your entry condition report. If the carpets have stains or marks that weren't there when you moved in, steam cleaning is usually worth it. Our bond cleans offer carpet steam cleaning as an add-on.
Most commonly missed spots
- Rangehood filters
- Inside the oven door glass
- Window and sliding door tracks
- Tops of cupboards, wardrobes and door frames
- Exhaust fans and air conditioner filters
- Behind and under appliances
- Light switches and power points
After the clean
- Take dated photos of every room once you're finished. They're your evidence if there's a dispute.
- Attend the final inspection if you can.
- Only sign a bond claim form once it shows the amount you'll get back.
Want it done for you?
Zils Home Services provides end of lease and bond cleaning across Melbourne's western suburbs, including Footscray, Sunshine, Werribee, Point Cook and Hoppers Crossing. Every clean follows the checklist agents use at the final inspection and is backed by our bond-back guarantee. Need the rubbish cleared too? Book rubbish removal in the same visit.