For most renters, the end of a lease means two big jobs at once: moving out, and leaving the property clean enough to get the bond back. Done in the right order, with a clear checklist, the clean is far less stressful than it looks.
This guide gives you a room-by-room end of lease cleaning checklist for Victoria, explains how the condition report fits in, and shows how to plan the clean around your moving day. For the legal details of bonds and claims, Consumer Affairs Victoria is the official source, and we’ve pointed to it where it matters.
How bonds work in Victoria, in brief
In Victoria, rental bonds are held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA), not by the rental provider. At the end of the lease, the bond is repaid by agreement between you and the rental provider, or, if there’s a dispute, through the process explained by Consumer Affairs Victoria, which can include an application to VCAT.
Renters are generally expected to leave the property in a reasonably clean condition, allowing for fair wear and tear. That’s where your condition report comes in: it records the state of the property when you moved in, so it’s the benchmark for what “the same condition” means when you leave.
This is general information, not legal advice. Consumer Affairs Victoria has current, detailed information about bonds, condition reports and ending a lease.
Plan the clean around your move
The easiest clean is an empty home. Ideally, book your removalist first, then clean once the furniture has gone. That way you can reach behind and under everything, and you’re not cleaning around boxes.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 2–3 weeks before | Find your entry condition report and photos; book cleaners if you’re using them |
| 1 week before | Deep-clean the oven, rangehood and any rooms you’ve already emptied |
| Moving day | Removalists take the furniture; you clean the rooms as they empty |
| After the move | Final clean of floors, kitchen and bathrooms; take dated photos |
| Before handing back keys | Walk through with the condition report and check every item |
If your new lease starts before the old one ends, even a day of overlap makes this far easier. Our guide to the best time to move in Melbourne has more on timing.
What you’ll need
- All-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner and a degreaser for the kitchen
- Oven cleaner (and gloves)
- Bathroom cleaner and a mould remover suitable for the surfaces
- Microfibre cloths, sponges, scrubbing brushes and an old toothbrush
- A vacuum, mop and bucket
- A step ladder for high spots
- Rubbish bags, and a plan for anything you’re not taking
Kitchen checklist
The kitchen is usually the most closely inspected room and the longest to clean.
- Clean the oven inside and out, including racks, trays and the glass door
- Degrease the cooktop and the rangehood, including the filter
- Wipe out every cupboard and drawer, inside and out
- Clean benchtops, splashback and the sink, including the plughole
- Clean the dishwasher filter and wipe the door seals
- Wipe light switches, power points and handles
- Clean the fridge space and the wall behind it, if the fridge was yours
Bathroom and laundry checklist
- Scrub the shower, screen, tiles and grout, and treat any mould
- Clean the bath, basin, taps and plugholes
- Clean the toilet thoroughly, including the base and behind it
- Clean mirrors, cabinets, shelves and exhaust fans
- Wipe the laundry tub, taps and cupboards
- Clean the lint filter area if a dryer was installed
Bedrooms and living areas checklist
- Dust and wipe skirting boards, door frames and doors
- Wipe walls where there are marks (test cleaners on a small area first)
- Clean inside wardrobes, including shelves and tracks
- Clean windows inside, window sills and tracks
- Dust light fittings and ceiling fans
- Vacuum carpets thoroughly and mop hard floors
- Check your lease and condition report for any carpet cleaning requirements
Outside, garage and storage
- Remove all rubbish, including from the garage, shed and garden
- Sweep paths, balconies, decks and the garage floor
- Leave gardens tidy and as they were at the start of the lease
- Empty and clean bins
- Remove anything you’ve stored in common areas or storage cages
Leftover furniture and junk can be a problem at the end of a lease. Our rubbish removal service can take away what you’re not moving.
Things renters often miss
| Often missed | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Rangehood filters | Above the cooktop |
| Window tracks and sills | Every window, especially sliding doors |
| Skirting boards and door tops | Throughout the home |
| Exhaust fans | Bathroom, laundry and kitchen |
| Light fittings | Every room |
| Inside drawers and cupboards | Kitchen, bathroom and wardrobes |
| Behind appliances | Where the fridge and washing machine stood |
Pets and the end of a lease
If you’ve had a pet in the rental, give a little extra attention to the areas pets use: vacuum carpets and furniture areas thoroughly, clean any marks on doors and walls, and leave the yard tidy and free of pet waste. Check your lease for any pet-related conditions. Our guide to moving house with pets covers the move itself.
Small repairs worth doing
Some small jobs make a real difference at the final inspection. Replace blown light globes, tighten loose handles, refill or replace smoke alarm batteries if your lease makes you responsible for them, and patch small holes only if you can do it neatly and your lease allows it. For anything bigger, talk to your rental provider before the inspection rather than attempting a repair that could make it worse.
Use the condition report as your guide
Before you finish, walk through the property with your entry condition report. For each room, compare what the report says with what you see. Where something has changed, ask yourself whether it’s fair wear and tear (the natural ageing of a property through normal use) or something you need to clean or fix.
| Often fair wear and tear | Often worth fixing before you leave |
|---|---|
| Faded curtains or paint from sunlight | Grease and grime in the kitchen |
| Carpet worn in walkways | Stains, marks and rubbish left behind |
| Minor scuffs from normal living | Holes or damage beyond normal use |
These are general examples only. Consumer Affairs Victoria explains how fair wear and tear is treated.
Take photos before you hand back the keys
Once the clean is finished, take clear, dated photos of every room, including the oven, bathroom, inside cupboards, floors and walls. Keep them with your entry condition report. If questions come up about the bond, a good set of photos is the simplest evidence you have.
DIY clean or professional cleaners?
Cleaning yourself saves money but takes a lot of time and energy, usually on the same weekend as your move. Professional end of lease cleaners know what inspections look for and bring the equipment. If you use cleaners, book them for after the removalist has finished, and check what their service includes.
Moving out and cleaning on the same day
If you have to move and clean on the same day, the order matters:
- Pre-clean the oven, rangehood and spare rooms in the days before.
- Pack everything before moving day using our room-by-room packing guide.
- Start early with the removalist, so the home is empty sooner.
- Clean each room as it empties, starting with bedrooms.
- Finish with floors, working towards the front door.
The faster the move, the more time you have to clean, which is one more reason to be packed and ready. Our guide to removalist costs explains how preparation saves money too.
Handing back the keys
Return every key, remote and access card listed on your lease, and get a receipt or written confirmation that they’ve been returned. Give your forwarding address to the rental provider or agent, so they can contact you about the bond, and keep your photos and condition report until the bond has been repaid.
End of lease checklist
- Find your entry condition report and photos.
- Book your removalist, and cleaners if you’re using them.
- Remove all rubbish and anything you’re not taking.
- Clean room by room, starting with the kitchen and bathroom.
- Walk through with the condition report.
- Take dated photos of every room.
- Hand back the keys and follow up on the bond.
With a plan, the right supplies and the clean scheduled after the furniture has gone, an end of lease clean is a manageable weekend job, and it gives you the best chance of a smooth handover.
If the move and the clean fall on the same weekend, book the removalist for an early start, so the home is empty with plenty of daylight left.
