Moving out of a rental
The final inspection: what gets checked and how to prepare
Quick answer: The final inspection is when your landlord, property manager or agent walks through the empty home and records its condition against your entry condition report. In NSW, Victoria, WA and the ACT you must be given a reasonable chance to attend; in Queensland you fill in the exit report yourself. Bring your entry report and move-in photos, and photograph every room after the clean.
Who inspects and when in each state, what to bring, the spots that get checked room by room, and what to do if something is flagged.
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What is the final inspection?
It's the last walk-through of the rental after you move out, used to record the home's condition on the exit report before the bond is settled.
The inspector compares each room with the entry condition report from the start of your tenancy. Anything dirtier or more damaged than when you moved in, beyond fair wear and tear, can become a claim against your bond.
The paperwork is called an exit condition report in most states, a property condition report in WA and an inspection sheet in South Australia. In Queensland, where the clean is usually called a bond clean, you fill in the exit report yourself.
The end of lease cleaning checklist covers the clean room by room, or our end of lease cleaning service can do it for you.
Who inspects and when, state by state
It differs by state. NSW and the ACT inspect together, Victoria and WA set a deadline, Queensland tenants prepare the report themselves, and the South Australian Act text we read sets no timing.
| State | Who completes the exit report | When | Can you be there? | Disputes go to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW (Sydney) | Landlord or agent and tenant together (RTA 2010 s 29(4)) | At the end of the tenancy, or as soon as reasonably practicable after | Yes. It can be done without you only if you had a reasonable opportunity to be present (s 29(5)) | NCAT |
| VIC (Melbourne) | The rental provider or their agent (RTA 1997 s 35(5)) | Within 10 days after the agreement ends | Yes, or without you if you had a reasonable opportunity to be present (s 35(5)) | Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (free), then VCAT |
| QLD (Brisbane, Gold Coast) | You, on the exit condition report, Form 14a (RTRA Act s 66) | By the last day; hand it over with the keys. The lessor or agent then has 3 business days to sign it and return a copy | No joint inspection is required. The RTA says ideally you complete it together | RTA conciliation (dispute within 14 days), then QCAT |
| WA (Perth) | The landlord or property manager, on the final property condition report (RTA 1987 s 27C(4)) | Within 14 days after the tenancy ends | Yes. You must get a reasonable opportunity to be present (s 27C(5)) | The Commissioner for Consumer Protection (free), then the Magistrates Court on appeal |
| SA (Adelaide) | Guidance: check the home against your original inspection sheet, then complete and sign it | Not set in the Act text we read | Not set in the Act text we read. CBS says to complete the sheet and take photos when you leave | Counter-offers in Residential Bonds Online, then SACAT |
| ACT (Canberra) | Lessor and tenant together, both signing (RTA 1997 s 30A) | At the end of the tenancy | Yes, it's a joint inspection. One of you can sign alone only if the other had a reasonable opportunity to attend | ACAT |
Section numbers are from each state's residential tenancies Act, read on 5 October 2026. The Queensland "ideally together" point and the South Australian rows are official guidance, not law. This is general information, not legal advice. Sources are listed at the end of this guide. Checked 5 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Should you attend the final inspection?
Yes, wherever you can. You see what's noted, can point to your entry report and photos, and can sort out small things before they become a claim.
In NSW, Victoria, WA and the ACT the law gives you a reasonable opportunity to be present, so if no time has been offered, ask for one in writing. WA's Commissioner for Consumer Protection advises attending so issues can be sorted out on the spot. In Queensland the important part is filling in your exit report carefully, with photos.
What to bring
- Your entry condition report or inspection sheet, with any notes you added
- Your move-in photos and dated photos taken after the clean
- Your cleaner's receipt or invoice, if you have one
- Every key, remote and access card
During the walk-through
If something is noted, look at it together and photograph it. If it was already like that when you moved in, show the entry report or photo there and then. Write anything you disagree with on the report and keep a copy, as ACT guidance suggests.
What gets checked, room by room
The inspector compares each room with the entry report, and the same spots come up again and again. This isn't a legal list; it's where we'd look first.
Every step in this view is ticked. Untick ‘Hide steps I’ve ticked’ to see them again.
Kitchen
Including the inside of the door glass.
Grease shows from below.
Expect every door to be opened.
Edges, knobs and water marks.
Bathrooms and laundry
Soap scum shows in daylight.
Check old staining against your entry report first.
Dust on the cover is visible from the doorway.
Lint and dust collect where it stood.
Every room
Inspectors open windows.
A finger run shows dust.
NSW Fair Trading lists wall damage from removing Blu-Tack or tape as damage, not wear.
Insects in covers, marks around switches.
Dust on slats shows quickly.
Shelves, rails, corners and where furniture stood.
Outside, if it's part of your lease
Mow, weed and sweep if your lease makes them yours to look after.
Swept, cobwebs down, bins emptied.
These are the items renters most often say were flagged in their own accounts of final inspections. The benchmark is your entry report, not a brand-new home.
Empty home, keys, meters and rubbish
Hand the home back empty, with every key returned and the rubbish gone, and keep the power and water on until the inspection is done.
- Empty means empty. NSW and ACT law expect your belongings and rubbish removed, and NSW Fair Trading describes the inspection taking place once the property is vacant.
- Keys and remotes. NSW law requires you to return all keys and opening devices. ACT guidance says to return keys at the final inspection, or you may be treated as still in possession and asked to pay lost rent.
- Meters. Photograph the meters on your last day so final bills match your move-out date.
- Power and water. Disconnect after the inspection: your cleaner needs hot water and lights.
- Rubbish. The South Australian tribunal lists cleaning and rubbish removal among typical end-of-tenancy claims.
Your evidence: what to keep
Keep three things until the bond is settled: the entry condition report, dated photos of every room after the clean, and any receipts or invoices you have.
The entry condition report
It's the benchmark. In NSW, a report signed by both sides is presumed correct unless there's evidence otherwise, so the notes you made at the start matter at the end.
Photos after the clean
Before the keys go back, take a wide shot of each room and close-ups of the oven, rangehood filter, shower screen, window tracks and any marks that were there when you moved in. NSW Fair Trading recommends time-stamped photos.
Receipts
WA Consumer Protection advises keeping your cleaner's receipt, especially for carpets. It doesn't replace the photos: what's assessed is the condition of the home, not who cleaned it.
If items are flagged
Get the list in writing, check it against your entry report and photos, then fix the fair items quickly, ideally before a claim is lodged.
Get the list in writing, with photos
Ask for the items by email, and ask whether you can come back to fix them, and by when.
Check each item against your entry report
Something recorded at the start, or fair wear and tear such as faded paint, isn't a cleaning item. Say so in writing, with your photo.
Arrange a re-clean quickly
If we did your clean, report it within 48 hours and we come back to re-clean the listed items within seven business days.
If you still disagree, use your state's process
In NSW a landlord claiming without your agreement must give you the exit report and any quotes, invoices or receipts within 7 days; in Queensland, evidence within 14 days. Each state sets its own deadline to dispute a claim, so check your state's guide straight away.
Questions people ask
Should the house be empty for the final inspection?
Yes. Your belongings and rubbish should be gone, and NSW Fair Trading describes the final inspection happening once the property is vacant. Open every cupboard before you leave.
Can I be there for the final inspection?
In NSW, Victoria, WA and the ACT you must be given a reasonable opportunity to be present. In Queensland you fill in the exit condition report yourself.
Can the agent look inside cupboards?
Yes, expect them to. The whole home is compared with the entry report, including cupboards, wardrobes, drawers and the oven.
What if I can't attend?
Tell the agent in writing, ask for a copy of the completed report, and send your own dated photos of every room before the keys go back.
What if they find something after I've moved out?
A claim still goes through your state's bond process and must be backed by evidence, and each state sets its own deadline to dispute it. If an invoice arrives after your bond was refunded, ask for the exit report and evidence before paying, and contact your state's tenancy authority.
When you're ready
Book your clean 1 to 3 days before the inspection
Get a fixed price for your home, then choose a time after your removalists leave. Nothing is booked or paid at this step.
Not sure of the timing? When to book your end-of-lease clean
Sources
The laws, regulators and services this guide relies on, with the date we read each one.
- Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), NSW Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Exit condition report and the right to be present (s 29(4)–(5)); presumption that a signed report is correct (s 30); handover, rubbish and keys (s 51(3)); claim evidence within 7 days (s 165).
- Moving out of a rental home, NSW Fair Trading (2025-05-19). Read 5 October 2026. The final inspection once the property is vacant, and the tenant's reasonable opportunity to attend.
- Rental property condition reports, NSW Fair Trading. Read 5 October 2026. Detailed reports and time-stamped photos.
- Fair wear and tear versus damage in rental properties, NSW Fair Trading. Read 5 October 2026. Examples of wear (faded paint, carpet traffic marks) and damage (wall damage from Blu-Tack or tape).
- Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), Victorian Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Exit condition report within 10 days, with a reasonable opportunity to be present (s 35(5)).
- Condition reports, Consumer Affairs Victoria (2025-03-24). Read 5 October 2026. Dating and labelling photos attached to a condition report.
- Resolving bond issues and disputes, Consumer Affairs Victoria (2026-06-30). Read 5 October 2026. Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria, then VCAT.
- Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), Queensland Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Tenant prepares the exit condition report; lessor responds within 3 business days (s 66); dispute within 14 days (s 136A); evidence within 14 days (s 136AA).
- Exit condition report, Residential Tenancies Authority (2025-05-01). Read 5 October 2026. Ideally completed together, with photos; handed over with the keys.
- Bond refunds, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026. Dispute within 14 days, free conciliation, then QCAT.
- Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA), WA Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Final property condition report within 14 days, with a reasonable opportunity to be present (s 27C(4)–(5)); appeal to the Magistrates Court (s 13C).
- The new bonds process FAQs, Consumer Protection WA (2026-03-30). Read 5 October 2026. Disputed bonds decided free of charge by the Commissioner since 28 March 2026.
- Commissioner's Blog: Leaving a rental home, Government of Western Australia (2023-06-14). Read 5 October 2026. Attend the final inspection to sort out issues on the spot.
- Don't get taken to the cleaners when a tenancy ends, Government of Western Australia (2025-08-13). Read 5 October 2026. Keep the receipt, especially for carpets.
- Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA), South Australian Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. No exit inspection timing found in the text read.
- Moving out of your rental property, Government of South Australia (2022-10-11). Read 5 October 2026. Check the property against the original inspection sheet, complete and sign it, keep a copy and take photos.
- Settling a bond dispute, Consumer and Business Services SA. Read 5 October 2026. Inspection sheet and photos when you leave; counter-offers in Residential Bonds Online, then SACAT.
- End of tenancy disputes, South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Read 5 October 2026. Cleaning and rubbish removal among typical end-of-tenancy claims.
- Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT), ACT Legislation Register. Read 5 October 2026. Joint final inspection and condition report (s 30A); belongings removed at the end (Sch 1 cl 64).
- The Renting Book (January 2026), ACT Government. Read 5 October 2026. Return keys at the final inspection; note disagreements on the report and photograph disputed items (p. 104).
- Terms of service, Simply Maid. Read 5 October 2026. Re-clean terms: report within 48 hours, return within seven business days.
General information, not legal advice. Tenancy law differs by state and changes; check the official source for your state before you act.