The end-of-lease checklist that gets your bond back in NSW

Most rental bonds in NSW are held by NSW Fair Trading's Rental Bonds Online service, and most bond disputes come down to two things: cleaning and small damage. With a little planning, both are avoidable. This checklist is what we send every renter who books a move and clean with us.

Start with your condition report

Your ingoing condition report is the benchmark for the final inspection. Agents compare the property with that report, allowing for fair wear and tear. Find your copy and the photos you took when you moved in. If a mark was there on day one, you are not responsible for it.

Time the move and the clean properly

The cleaner needs an empty property. Book your removal for the morning, then the clean for that afternoon or the next day. Leave at least one day before the final inspection, in case anything needs a second look.

• Removal: morning of day one
• End-of-lease clean: afternoon of day one or day two
• Carpet steam clean if required by your lease: day two
• Final inspection and key return: day three

What agents check

Kitchen

Oven, grill trays, rangehood filters, cooktop, splashback, inside and outside cupboards, the dishwasher filter and the sink. Ovens are the most common reason a bond claim is made.

Bathrooms

Soap scum on shower screens, grout, exhaust fans, the toilet base, mirrors and drains.

Living areas and bedrooms

Skirting boards, light switches, window tracks, sliding door tracks, built-in wardrobes, blinds and marks on walls.

Outside

Balconies, courtyards, garages and bins. Remove all rubbish and anything you have stored under the house.

Window tracks and rangehood filters take ten minutes each and are on almost every agent's checklist.

Small repairs worth doing

• Replace blown light globes
• Patch picture hook holes if your lease requires it
• Replace smoke alarm batteries if you are responsible for them
• Return all keys, remotes and swipe cards together

If the agent claims part of your bond

In NSW, you have 14 days to respond to a claim lodged through Rental Bonds Online. Ask the agent for photos and quotes supporting the claim, compare them with your condition report, and apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal if you cannot agree.

Our end-of-lease cleaning partners work to the checklist agents use and include a free re-clean within 72 hours if the agent raises anything. It is one less thing to organise when you are already moving house.