What “reasonably clean” means

In Victoria, tenants are generally expected to leave a rental property in the same condition it was in at the start of the lease, allowing for fair wear and tear. Your condition report and lease are the reference points, so check both before you start.

Agents inspect against their own checklist, and the same few areas cost people bond money year after year. Work through the list below room by room.

Kitchen

The kitchen is where most bond disputes start.

Oven: inside, racks, trays and door glass
Rangehood and filters, which collect grease
Cooktop, burners and drip trays
Inside the fridge and freezer, doors and seals
Inside cupboards and drawers
Benches, sink, tapware and splashback

Bathrooms and laundry

Limescale and soap scum build up quietly.

Shower screen, tiles and grout
Bath, basin and toilet, including the base and behind
Taps and plugholes descaled
Mirrors, exhaust fan covers and cabinets
Laundry tub and cupboards

Bedrooms and living areas

Dust and marks collect in the places we stop looking.

Inside wardrobes, shelves and drawers
Skirting boards, door frames and light switches
Walls spot-cleaned for marks and scuffs
Windows, sills and tracks
Light fittings and ceiling fans
Floors vacuumed and mopped; carpets as your lease requires

Carpet and extras

Check your lease: some agreements ask for carpet to be professionally cleaned and keep the receipt. Do not assume either way. Also clear any rubbish, remove all belongings and return every key.

Short on time?

An end-of-lease clean to the agent’s checklist is a common booking, and our 24-hour guarantee applies: if anything was missed, tell us within 24 hours and we come back and fix it free.

See our end-of-lease cleaning