Moving out in Queensland
Moving out in Queensland: bond clean rules, exit condition report and your refund
Quick answer: In Queensland you must leave the property clean and, as far as possible, in the same condition as when you moved in, fair wear and tear excepted (section 188). The RTA says a lease term requiring a professional clean or a receipt breaches section 171. You fill in the exit condition report (Form 14a), claim your bond through the RTA, and take disputes to RTA conciliation, then QCAT.
What the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 says about the bond clean, the exit condition report and your refund, with the section for each rule. For renters in Brisbane, on the Gold Coast and across Queensland.
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How much notice do you give in Queensland?
At least 14 days, on a Notice of intention to leave (Form 13). On a fixed-term lease, the handover day can't be before the lease ends.
Schedule 1 of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 sets the minimum: 14 days after you give the notice, and not before the end of a fixed term. The notice must be in the approved form and name your handover day (section 327). You and the lessor can also agree in writing to end the tenancy earlier.
The RTA's vacating checklist asks you to make sure your rent is paid to your vacating date. You hand back the keys together with your exit condition report, and the RTA says not to apply for your bond before the vacate or handover date.
So the order is: removalists out, bond clean, exit condition report, then keys. The full sequence is in our moving out checklist, and the timing is in when to book your end-of-lease clean.
How clean does a bond clean need to be in Queensland?
As far as possible, the same condition as when you moved in, fair wear and tear excepted (section 188(4)). The Act sets no professional standard. Your entry condition report is the benchmark.
Section 188 gives you two duties. During the tenancy you keep the premises and inclusions clean, having regard to their condition at the start (section 188(2)). When you leave, you hand them back, as far as possible, in the same condition as at the start, fair wear and tear excepted (section 188(4)).
So find your entry condition report before you clean. You had 7 days after moving in to sign it, mark anything you disagreed with and return it, and the lessor had to give you a copy back within 14 days (section 65). That copy, and your move-in photos, are the benchmark.
Fair wear and tear is not dirt
The Act doesn't define fair wear and tear. The RTA describes it as deterioration from normal use, ageing and the environment, and says dirt, grime, grease and damage, including damage caused by an approved pet, are not fair wear and tear.
The RTA's cleaning page lists the areas to cover, including window tracks, skirting boards, fans and vents, ovens and outdoor areas. Our end of lease cleaning checklist takes you through it room by room.
Is a professional bond clean mandatory in Queensland?
No. The RTA says a special term requiring you to engage a "professional" or provide a receipt breaches section 171. A lessor or agent also can't make you buy cleaning from them or from a business they nominate.
Section 171(2) says the lessor or agent must not require you to buy goods or services from the lessor, the agent, or a person they nominate. The maximum penalty is 20 penalty units. The RTA's guidance on special terms adds that a lease can't require a specific bond-cleaning or carpet-cleaning company, or a set fee.
The RTA reads section 171 as covering terms that ask for a professional clean or a receipt: such a term breaches the Act. In 2018 the RTA prosecuted an agency for requiring professional carpet and curtain cleaning, which led to a $6,000 penalty.
A line in your lease or the agent's vacate pack saying a professional bond clean is required doesn't change the law. You can do your own bond clean, or hire whoever you choose. If you hire someone, the RTA's advice is to choose a reputable cleaner and check the work when it's finished.
Whoever cleans, the test is the condition you leave. A lessor can still claim for rent, repairs or damage, and no cleaner can promise how a claim will turn out.
Carpets, pest treatment and pets
Return carpets to the standard they were in at the start. If you have an approved pet, professional carpet cleaning or fumigation can be a condition, but you still choose who does it.
The RTA's carpet and pest page asks you to return carpets to the standard they were in when you moved in. It also describes a 2019 QCAT appeal that upheld a professional carpet clean where one had been done at the start of the tenancy. So check your entry condition report: what it records about the carpets is the standard you're returning them to.
For an approved pet, section 171(3)(b) lets the approval include a condition that the carpets are cleaned or the premises fumigated at the end, but it can't require you to buy the service from a particular person or business. Section 184F(2) treats two conditions as reasonable: professional carpet cleaning where the pet is allowed inside, and professional fumigation where the pet can carry parasites. "Professional" means the standard ordinarily achieved by businesses that sell the service (section 184F(4)).
The RTA's pets fact sheet says the tenant must show that standard was reached. Keeping the invoice is a sensible way to do that. That's our advice, not a rule that the lessor can demand a receipt. Outside a pet condition, the RTA's guidance links pest treatment to pests the tenant caused.
Many Queensland renters book a bond clean, carpet clean and pest treatment together out of habit. Check whether you actually need the last two. We don't offer carpet steam cleaning, so if you need it, book a carpet cleaning company.
Queensland moving-out rules at a glance
The main Queensland rules for leaving a rental, with the section of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 or the RTA guidance each one comes from.
| What | The rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to leave | At least 14 days on Form 13, naming the handover day; not before a fixed term ends | Sch 1, s 327 |
| Rent | Paid to your vacating date | RTA, Vacating a property |
| How clean | Keep it clean during the tenancy; at the end, the same condition as at the start, fair wear and tear excepted | s 188(2), s 188(4) |
| A named cleaner or set fee | The lessor or agent can't require you to buy services from them or a person they nominate | s 171(2); RTA, Special terms |
| "Professional" or receipt terms | A special term requiring either breaches the Act | s 171, as the RTA reads it |
| Pets | Professional carpet cleaning (pet allowed inside) or fumigation (pet can carry parasites) can be a condition; you choose who does it | s 171(3)(b), s 184F |
| Entry condition report | Signed and returned within 7 days of moving in, or of receiving it if it came later; copy back to you within 14 days | s 65 |
| Exit condition report | You prepare Form 14a and give it over with the keys; the lessor has 3 business days to sign and return a copy | s 66 |
| Lessor's evidence | Supporting evidence, such as receipts or quotes, within 14 days | s 136AA |
| Disputing a claim | Form 16 within 14 days of being told about the claim | s 136A; RTA, Bond refunds |
| Who decides | Free RTA conciliation, then QCAT | RTA, Bond refunds |
| Agreed refund | Processed the same day where possible; up to 3 business days to reach your bank | RTA, Bond refunds |
Checked against the Act and the RTA on 5 October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Sources are listed at the end of this guide. Checked 5 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
The exit condition report (Form 14a)
In Queensland you prepare the exit condition report yourself. Sign it on or before the day the agreement ends and give it to the lessor or property manager with the keys. They then have 3 business days to sign it and return a copy.
Under section 66(2), the tenant prepares and signs the exit condition report in the approved form, Form 14a, and gives a copy to the lessor or agent as soon as practicable after the tenancy ends. The RTA says to hand it over when you return the keys.
Within 3 business days of receiving it, the lessor or agent signs it, marks anything they disagree with and sends a copy to your forwarding address, if you gave one (section 66(3)). So give them a forwarding address. Copies are kept for a year (section 66(4)).
The Act doesn't require a joint final inspection. The RTA says the report is ideally completed together, and recommends photos. Fill it in after the bond clean, room by room against your entry report, and take dated photos of every room as you go.
If the property manager marks a disagreement about cleaning, ask for the detail with photos. A quick re-clean is usually simpler than a dispute. For what property managers tend to look at, see the final inspection.
Getting your bond back in Queensland
Queensland bonds are held by the RTA. When you and the lessor agree, the RTA processes the refund the same day where possible, and it can take up to 3 business days to reach your bank.
When you agree
Apply for the refund on or after your vacate or handover date, not before. When both sides agree, the RTA processes it the same day where possible, with up to 3 business days for the money to reach your account.
When you don't agree
If the lessor applies for some or all of the bond and you disagree, lodge a dispute resolution request (Form 16) within 14 days of being told about the claim (section 136A). Any amount nobody disputes is released. The RTA's conciliation service is free, and if conciliation doesn't settle it, the matter can go to QCAT.
Since 30 September 2024, a lessor who applies for bond money or disputes your claim must give you supporting evidence within 14 days (section 136AA). The Act's examples include receipts, quotes to repair damage and records of unpaid rent. For a cleaning claim, ask which areas weren't left in their starting condition, with photos and the cost.
What the 2025–26 figures show
The RTA Annual Report 2025–26 shows that, on average, 75.9% of a bond was refunded, and the report says 57.2% received the full bond. Cleaning was the most common reason for a claim, at 22.7% of claim reasons, ahead of rent (17.1%) and repairs (16.4%). That's a share of claim reasons, not of disputes, but it's the biggest item you control.
Practical notes for a bond clean in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast
The clean itself is rarely what holds up handover day. Building access, parking, outdoor areas and the keys are, so sort them when you book.
- Book the lift and loading bay. Many apartment buildings in inner Brisbane and on the Gold Coast have body corporate rules about move times. Book the removalists' slot first, then leave a gap before the cleaners arrive.
- Sort parking. Tell your cleaner where they can park: a visitor bay, the driveway or the nearest unrestricted street.
- Check the outdoor areas. Patios, decks and balconies are common in Queensland homes, and the RTA's cleaning list includes outdoor areas. See what your entry report says about them, and ask whether your quote covers them.
- Don't forget fans and vents. They're on the RTA's list. Ceiling fans and air-conditioning vents are easy to miss.
- Keep the power and water on until you've handed over. The cleaner needs hot water, and you need the lights to check the work.
- Plan the report and the keys together. Your Form 14a goes in with the keys, so fill it in after the clean and before you drop them off.
Prices by home size are on our Brisbane end of lease cleaning prices and Gold Coast end of lease cleaning prices pages.
Your Queensland move-out checklist
The Queensland-specific steps, in order. The room-by-room cleaning list is in the end of lease cleaning checklist.
Every step in this view is ticked. Untick ‘Hide steps I’ve ticked’ to see them again.
When you decide to move
Name your handover day; it can't be before a fixed term ends.
A "professional", receipt or nominated-cleaner term breaches section 171, except a valid pet condition, where you still choose who does it.
The end of the tenancy is measured against them.
The last two weeks
In Queensland you prepare it, not the property manager.
Handover and after
The lessor has 3 business days to sign it and send you a copy.
Ask for the lessor's evidence: they must give it within 14 days.
Questions people ask
Can I do my own bond clean in QLD?
Yes. The Act asks you to leave the property, as far as possible, in the same condition as at the start, fair wear and tear excepted (section 188(4)). It doesn't say who does the cleaning, and the RTA says a term requiring a professional or a receipt breaches section 171.
Is bond cleaning mandatory in QLD?
Leaving the property clean is. No law makes you pay for a professional bond clean. The narrow exceptions involve carpets and pests: a pet condition, and a 2019 QCAT appeal that upheld a professional carpet clean where one had been done at the start.
Can the agent make me use their cleaner?
No. Section 171(2) says a lessor or agent must not require you to buy services from them or from a person they nominate. The RTA adds that a lease can't name a specific bond-cleaning or carpet-cleaning company, or set a cleaning fee.
What is fair wear and tear in QLD?
The Act doesn't define it. The RTA describes it as deterioration from normal use, ageing and the environment. Dirt, grime, grease and damage, including damage by an approved pet, are not fair wear and tear.
How long does it take to get my bond back in QLD?
When you and the lessor agree, the RTA processes the refund the same day where possible, and it can take up to 3 business days to reach your bank. If there's a dispute, it waits for RTA conciliation or QCAT.
Do I have to steam clean the carpets in QLD?
Not as a rule. Return them to the standard they were in at the start. A pet approval can require professional carpet cleaning where the pet was allowed inside, and you still choose who does it. We don't offer carpet steam cleaning, so book a carpet cleaning company if you need it.
When you're ready
Booking a bond clean in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast?
Get a fixed price for your home, then pick a date after your removalists and before you hand over the keys. If something we cleaned is flagged, tell us within 48 hours and we come back within seven business days. Nothing is booked or paid at this step.
Want the details first? End of lease cleaning in Brisbane
Sources
The laws, regulators and services this guide relies on, with the date we read each one.
- Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), Queensland Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Condition reports ss 65–66; bond disputes and evidence ss 136A, 136AA; prohibited requirements s 171; pet conditions s 184F; tenant's obligations s 188; notice s 327 and Sch 1. Version current from 17 Aug 2026.
- Notice periods for ending a tenancy, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026.
- Vacating a property, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026. Rent to the vacating date; when to apply for the bond.
- Exit condition report, Residential Tenancies Authority (1 May 2025). Read 5 October 2026.
- Entry condition report, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026.
- Cleaning, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026. Areas to clean; choosing a cleaner.
- Fair wear and tear, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026.
- Special terms, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026. Named cleaners, set fees and purchases of services.
- Should carpet cleaning be included as a special term?, Residential Tenancies Authority (24 Aug 2021). Read 5 October 2026. Professional and receipt terms and section 171.
- Carpet cleaning and pest control, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026. The 2018 prosecution and the 2019 QCAT appeal.
- Renting with pets fact sheet, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026.
- Bond refunds, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026. Refund timing, Form 16 disputes, conciliation and QCAT.
- Rental law changes, Residential Tenancies Authority. Read 5 October 2026. Evidence rule from 30 Sep 2024.
- RTA Annual Report 2025–26, Residential Tenancies Authority (Sep 2026). Read 5 October 2026. Share of bond refunded and claim reasons.
- Terms of service, Simply Maid. Read 5 October 2026. Re-clean terms.
General information, not legal advice. Tenancy law differs by state and changes; check the official source for your state before you act.