A move-out inspection is not about whether the home looks tidy. It is about whether the next occupant could move straight in. Here is what inspectors check, in the order they check it.
Kitchens
- Inside the oven, including the door glass and the racks
- Inside the fridge, including the freezer and the door seals
- Inside every cupboard and drawer, including the tops of upper cabinets
- The range hood and filter
- Behind and beside the appliances, if they pull out
- The sink, taps and the drain area
Most deductions start here, and almost all of them are about the inside of appliances rather than the surface of a counter.
Bathrooms
- Grout and tile, particularly around the tub and shower
- Soap scum on glass, which is often invisible until a landlord runs a cloth over it
- The toilet including the base and behind the bowl
- The vanity, inside and out
- Exhaust fan covers and vents
Floors and walls
- Carpets vacuumed and, if your agreement says so, professionally cleaned
- Hard floors washed to the edges and into closets
- Scuff marks and picture holes addressed. Check your agreement before filling or painting anything
- Window tracks, sills and interior glass
The parts tenants forget
- Inside closets and on closet shelves
- Light fixtures and ceiling fan blades
- Baseboards and door frames
- Balconies, including railings and corners
- The storage locker or garage bay
- Exterior entry areas that belong to your unit
Before the inspection
Take photographs of every room once it is empty and clean. Dated photos settle most deposit disagreements faster than any argument. Keep copies of any receipt for professional cleaning, because some agreements require it.
If you would rather hand it over
Our move-out clean covers every item on this list, and we book it around your possession date. If your landlord has given you a written checklist, send it to our office and we will work to their list rather than ours.