End of Lease Cleaning Checklist NSW

Moving out of a rental property is a big milestone — but before you hand back the keys, there's one task that has a direct impact on getting your full bond refund: the end of lease clean.

Under the NSW Residential Tenancies Act 2010, tenants are required to leave the property in the same condition it was in at the start of the lease, fair wear and tear aside. That means every room needs to be returned to the standard it was handed to you — not just tidied up.

At Sydney Realty Group, cleaning is one of the most common reasons bond claims are raised. This checklist is here to help you avoid that.

No — NSW law does not require you to hire a professional cleaner. What the law requires is that the property is left "reasonably clean." However, there are two situations where professional cleaning is strongly recommended:

• Your lease agreement specifically requires it (this is common for properties with pets or smoking clauses)
• The property was professionally cleaned before you moved in — in which case, the same standard is generally expected when you leave

If you're unsure what standard applies, pull out your Entry Condition Report. This is the document signed at the very start of your tenancy and it's the benchmark your property manager will use at the final inspection. Due to the number of hours required to do an end of lease clean, many of our tenants choose to hire a professional cleaner to save themselves the time and effort.

1. Pull out your Entry Condition Report — clean to the standard recorded at the start, not higher or lower
2. Re-read your lease agreement — check if carpet steam cleaning, professional cleaning, or pest control is listed as a condition
3. Check for Pests - If you have spotted pests, especially German cockroaches you may need to do a pest control prior to cleaning as it will take time for cockroaches to die and you will need to clean up the dead bugs

Work through each area of your property using the checklist below. Tick off each task as you go.

Kitchen

• Clean oven inside and out, including racks and trays
• Degrease rangehood and filters
• Wipe down all bench tops and splashbacks
• Clean inside and outside of all cupboards and drawers
• Wipe down all appliances — microwave inside and out, dishwasher
• Clean sink, taps, and drain
• Remove any grease marks from walls
• Clean windows (internal), sills, and tracks
• Vacuum and mop floors

Bathrooms & Toilets

• Descale and clean shower screen, tiles, and grout
• Clean bathtub (if applicable)
• Scrub toilet inside and out including base and cistern
• Clean sink, taps, and vanity
• Clean mirrors
• Wipe down all surfaces and skirting boards
• Clean exhaust fans
• Clean windows (internal), sills, and tracks
• Vacuum and mop floors

Bedrooms

• Wipe down all built-in wardrobe shelves, rails, and tracks inside and out
• Clean windows (internal), sills, and tracks
• Dust and wipe down light fittings and switches
• Wipe skirting boards
• Remove any wall marks or scuffs beyond fair wear and tear
• Vacuum carpet or mop hard floors

Living & Dining Areas

• Dust and wipe down all surfaces
• Clean windows (internal), sills, and tracks
• Wipe light switches and power points
• Clean skirting boards and door frames
• Remove cobwebs from ceilings and corners
• Vacuum carpet or mop hard floors

Entry & Hallways

• Wipe down front door (inside and out), door frames, and handles
• Clean skirting boards
• Dust and clean light fittings and switches
• Remove cobwebs
• Vacuum and mop floors

Laundry

• Clean inside the washing machine drum and wipe down the exterior
• Wipe down the dryer and clean the lint filter
• Clean the tub and taps
• Wipe all surfaces and shelving
• Mop floors

Outdoor Areas (if applicable)

• Sweep balcony, courtyard, or patio
• Remove all rubbish and personal items
• Clean BBQ if one was provided
• Mow lawn, pull weeds, and tidy garden beds
• If there is a pool, return it to the condition in your Entry Condition Report and provide a pool test report to your property manager

Steam cleaning carpets is not automatically required by law. However, if the carpets were professionally cleaned at the start of your tenancy (noted in your Entry Condition Report), you'll need to match that standard.

Pest control — including flea treatment — is only required if you kept a pet during the tenancy and if you have spotted pests at the end of your lease

These are the areas tenants most often miss at final inspection:

1. Forgetting hidden areas — behind and underneath appliances, inside exhaust fans, air vents, and light fittings
2. Leaving the oven and rangehood greasy — these are the number one items flagged at final inspections
3. Skipping sliding door tracks — dust and grime builds up here and it's always checked
4. Not removing wall marks — small scuffs and marks that go beyond fair wear and tear can trigger a claim
5. Rushing the job — a thorough end of lease clean on a two-bedroom apartment typically takes 6 to 10 hours

Your property manager will walk through the property using your Entry Condition Report as a guide and compare the current condition against the notes and photos taken at the start of your tenancy.

If an area doesn't meet the required standard, you'll generally be given the opportunity to rectify it before any bond claim is lodged. At Sydney Realty Group, our goal is to process your bond refund as quickly and fairly as possible.