Moving out of a rental property can feel overwhelming. There’s a lot to organise, and the last thing you want is to lose money from your deposit over things that were easily avoidable.

Everything you’re responsible for is already written into your tenancy agreement but to make it a little easier this guide walks you through the key things to take care of before you hand the keys back.

The inventory completed at the start of your tenancy is the single most important document when it comes to your deposit. It’s the benchmark everything is measured against at check-out.

If you raised any issues with the inventory at the start of your tenancy, great. If not, the condition recorded at check-in is what your agent or landlord will be comparing against when you leave.

First things first, step through the inventory room by room to remind yourself of the property condition when you moved in.  If you haven’t got a copy, ask your agent or landlord. 

This is where the majority of deposit disputes come from, and it’s almost always avoidable.

The property needs to go back to the same clean condition it was in when you moved in. Not just tidy, genuinely clean. If there was a professional clean at the start of your tenancy, that’s the standard you’re working to.

Key things tenants often miss:

• Oven, hob, and extractor fan – these need a proper deep clean, not just a wipe down
• Fridge and freezer – defrosted, wiped out, and left switched off with the door open
• Bathrooms – limescale on taps and shower screens, grout, behind the toilet
• Showerheads – a tenancy agreement usually requires these to be cleaned and disinfected every six months, so make sure this is done before you leave
• Windows – clean them inside and out
• All soft furnishings and items – anything that has become soiled during the tenancy needs to be washed

If you had a pet in the property, a professional clean is usually a standard expectation regardless of how clean you think it is. Pet hair and odour can linger.

When in doubt, book a professional end-of-tenancy clean. It’s usually far cheaper than what an agent will charge to arrange one on your behalf.

Your tenancy agreement requires you to keep the interior in good decorative order throughout the tenancy, and to return it in the same condition.

It also prohibits affixing anything to walls using nails, screws, blue tack, glue, sticky tape, or picture hooks without written consent. Even with consent the walls need to be addressed before you leave.

• Fill nail holes with filler and touch up with matching paint
• Check for blue tack and adhesive strip marks, which can pull paint or leave grease stains
• If you’ve repainted anything in a colour of your choosing without consent, it may need to go back
• Scuffs and minor marks from normal use are covered by fair wear and tear, but holes, gouges, and staining from smoking are not

If you’re unsure what counts as fair wear and tear ask your agent or landlord for clarification.

If anything has been damaged, broken, or lost during your tenancy, you’re responsible for making it good. This includes anything caused by guests or visitors, not just yourself.

Don’t attempt a DIY repair if you’re not confident. An unprofessional fix often ends up costing more to put right than the original damage

Age and condition at the start of the tenancy is always considered when apportioning costs, so a landlord cannot claim the full replacement cost of a five-year-old item if there was already some wear.

If something is broken, it’s always better to disclose it and address it directly than to hope it won’t be noticed at check-out.

Everything listed on the inventory needs to go back where it was at the start of the tenancy.

Things to check:

• Every item on the inventory is present and in reasonable condition
• Nothing has been moved into the loft, garage, or a cupboard without the landlord’s knowledge
• You haven’t removed anything that belongs to the landlord
• Light bulbs and fuses have been replaced as needed (these are the tenant’s responsibility throughout the tenancy)

If your property has a garden, it needs to go back in the same character as it was at the start of the tenancy. Weeded, grass cut, and generally well-maintained.

If you moved into a property with a tidy lawn and planted beds, that’s what it needs to look like when you leave.

When you leave, you need to return all keys to your agent or landlord, including any additional copies cut during the tenancy. Missing keys mean lock replacements, which come out of your deposit.

Also check:

• All sets of keys are accounted for
• If you’ve changed the burglar alarm code during the tenancy, your landlord or agent needs to be notified. This should have happened at the time, but double-check before you leave
• The alarm is in agreed working order

All rubbish needs to be cleared and bins emptied before you hand back the keys.

Anything left behind can be stored by your landlord or agent for up to 14 days after the tenancy ends, but storage and disposal costs will be deducted from your deposit. If items are not collected within 14 days, they may be disposed of.

Before you leave, if you pay the bills yourself, take meter readings for gas, electricity, and water and notify all your suppliers that the tenancy has ended. Close your accounts and make sure there are no outstanding bills.

Unpaid utility accounts can be claimed from your deposit, so it’s worth making sure everything is settled before you go. And let your supplier know who the property is reverting to (your agent or landlord) so they can take over the accounts from the end date.

Your agent will arrange a check-out inspection at the end of the tenancy, and to collect keys.  If you miss the appointment any assessment made without you present is final and binding. You lose the opportunity to raise any points or disputes on the day.

The check-out is your chance to be there, note anything you want to flag, and avoid disagreements further down the line.

Your deposit will be protected by one of the three approved tenancy deposit schemes throughout your tenancy.

Once the tenancy ends, your agent or landlord has 10 working days to notify you if they intend to make any deductions.

If you disagree with the deductions proposed, you have 10 working days to raise a dispute. If an agreement can’t be reached, all tenancy deposit schemes offer a free Alternative Dispute Resolution service where an independent adjudicator reviews the evidence, usually the inventory, the check-out report, and any supporting documentation.

The adjudicator is impartial. Their decision is based on evidence, which is exactly why it pays to keep records throughout your tenancy, including photographs and written communication.

Attention to detail and keeping records, although may seem tedious it really does help both landlord and tenant on move out to ensure each party is reimbursed appropriately.  For my clients I use the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, they provide more information on deposits, disputes and damages, their guide can be found here

And for more useful tips take a look at my Information Hub