Moving out in South Australia
Moving out of a rental in South Australia: exit clean, inspection sheet and your bond
Quick answer: Give 28 days' notice at the end of a fixed term, or 21 days (or one rent period, if longer) on a periodic lease. Hand the property back in reasonable condition and a reasonable state of cleanliness, allowing for reasonable wear and tear (section 69). A blanket clause requiring professional carpet cleaning isn't enforceable. Disputed bond claims go through CBS counter-offers, then SACAT.
What the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 and Consumer and Business Services (CBS) say about the exit clean, the inspection sheet and your bond, with the source for each rule. For tenants in Adelaide and across South Australia.
- End of lease clean
- From $423, live from our booking calculator, checked 6 October 2026
- Our record
- 1,726 completed end of lease cleans
How much notice do you give in South Australia?
At least 28 days to leave at the end of a fixed term (section 86A). On a periodic lease, at least 21 days, or one rental period if that is longer (section 86).
So if you pay rent monthly on a periodic lease, the CBS Tenant Information Guide gives a calendar month's notice as the example. Give your notice in writing, and pay rent up to the end date: both are on the sa.gov.au end of tenancy checklist.
The full move-out sequence, from notice to keys, is in our moving out checklist.
How clean does an exit clean need to be in South Australia?
Reasonable condition and a reasonable state of cleanliness, judged against how the property was when you moved in and allowing for reasonable wear and tear. That is section 69(3) and (4) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1995.
Adelaide renters usually call it an exit clean. Elsewhere you'll hear bond clean or end of lease clean. They all mean the same job: getting the property back to the standard the Act sets.
That standard isn't spotless and it isn't a professional standard. It is "reasonable", measured against the inspection sheet you signed at the start. Section 69(4) says the starting condition and the probable effect of reasonable wear and tear must both be taken into account.
No South Australian law requires you to pay for a professional clean. You can do it yourself, as long as the result meets the standard. For what to clean and in what order, use our end of lease cleaning checklist, and if you're weighing it up, see do you need a professional end of lease clean.
Do you have to get the carpets professionally cleaned?
Not because a lease clause says so. CBS says a term requiring all carpets to be professionally cleaned at the end, whether they are dirty or not, is inconsistent with section 69(3).
CBS's fact sheet on lease terms that are inconsistent with the Act puts it this way: "The issue at the end of the tenancy is whether carpets are left in a reasonable condition".
So the test for carpets is the same as for the rest of the home. Vacuum them and deal with any marks you made. If they are left in reasonable condition compared with the start, a blanket professional-cleaning clause doesn't change that. If they aren't, the cost of cleaning them can still form part of a bond claim.
The one clear exception is a pet condition, below.
Moving out with a pet
If your pet was allowed inside, a condition requiring the carpets to be cleaned to a professional standard at the end is taken to be reasonable (section 66C(9)(c)). If your pet approval includes it, you need to do it.
Read your pet approval closely. The Act's list of reasonable pet conditions doesn't mention fumigation, so don't assume one applies unless it is in your paperwork; ask CBS if you're unsure.
Two limits protect you. A pet condition is void if it requires you to buy goods or services from the landlord or from a specified person or business (section 66C(10)(a)). And a landlord can't ask for a separate pet bond (section 66C(10)(d)).
Can your landlord make you use their cleaner?
For a pet condition, no: section 66C(10)(a) voids a pet condition that requires you to use a specified business. Outside pet conditions, we haven't found a general South Australian rule either way.
That pet-only rule is narrower than in some other states, so we don't claim more than the Act says. If your lease or vacate letter names a cleaner you must use, ask CBS or RentRight SA before you book anything.
Whoever does the clean, the test at the end is the same: reasonable condition and cleanliness under section 69(3).
South Australia's moving-out rules at a glance
The main rules for leaving a rental in South Australia, with where each one comes from.
| What | The rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Notice, end of fixed term | At least 28 days | Residential Tenancies Act 1995 s 86A |
| Notice, periodic lease | At least 21 days, or one rental period if longer | s 86 |
| How clean | Reasonable condition and a reasonable state of cleanliness | s 69(3) |
| Wear and tear | Starting condition and reasonable wear and tear taken into account; not defined | s 69(4) |
| Blanket carpet-cleaning clause | Inconsistent with the Act; the test is reasonable condition | CBS fact sheet (July 2024) |
| Pet kept inside | Carpets cleaned to a professional standard can be a condition | s 66C(9)(c) |
| Choice of business | A pet condition can't require a specified business; no general rule found | s 66C(10)(a) |
| Exit inspection | No timeframe found in the Act; complete and sign the inspection sheet, take photos | sa.gov.au checklist; CBS |
| Bond dispute | Counter-offers in Residential Bonds Online: 10 days each, up to 7, then SACAT | CBS |
| Landlord's own cleaning time | Can be claimed with a detailed breakdown; CBS notes a SACAT-allowed rate of $33.85 an hour | CBS evidence fact sheet (July 2026) |
Checked against the Act (version of 15 January 2026), CBS, sa.gov.au and SACAT on 5 October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this guide. Checked 5 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
The inspection sheet and final inspection
The official term in South Australia is the inspection sheet, not the condition report. Complete and sign it when you leave, keep a copy and take your own photos.
At the start, your landlord gives you a signed inspection sheet listing the fixtures, furniture and contents and their condition. That sheet is your benchmark at the end, and CBS says it can be used in a dispute or for the bond refund.
We didn't find a set timeframe for the final inspection, or a rule that it must be done jointly, in the Act text we read. Ask your landlord or agent when it will happen and whether you can be there. Then:
- check the property against your original inspection sheet
- complete and sign the sheet, and keep a copy
- take dated photos of every room after the clean
- hand back every copy of every key
If something is raised, ask for it in writing with photos. Our guide to the final inspection covers what agents check, room by room.
Getting your bond back in South Australia
Bonds are held by CBS and refunded through Residential Bonds Online. If you and your landlord agree, the bond is paid. If not, you can counter-offer through the system before the claim goes to SACAT.
When you claim first
You don't need to prove anything. If the landlord or agent doesn't respond within 14 days, CBS pays you.
When the landlord claims first
A claim made without your agreement must come with evidence. You can accept it, make a counter-offer, take it to SACAT, or not respond. If you stay silent, CBS assesses the evidence and can refuse a claim that isn't supported.
Counter-offers, then SACAT
Each counter-offer stays open for 10 days, and there can be up to 7 rounds. If you still can't agree, the dispute goes to SACAT, which lists it for a conference or a hearing. RentRight SA offers tenants free advocacy.
Money is released through Residential Bonds Online only once both sides agree the amount. sa.gov.au says refunds applied for on a paper form take longer.
SACAT lists cleaning and rubbish removal among the usual end-of-tenancy claims, so it pays to leave the bins empty and nothing behind.
What evidence a landlord needs for a cleaning claim
An invoice or quote from a trader, or a detailed breakdown of the landlord's own time, plus the ingoing and outgoing inspection sheets. Each claim must be itemised.
That is from CBS's fact sheet on documents to support a non-consented bond claim (July 2026). It also notes an hourly rate of $33.85 that SACAT has allowed for a landlord's own time. So a landlord who cleans up after you can claim for their time, but they still have to show the time and why the cleaning was needed.
If the dispute reaches SACAT, both sides provide a statement of claims, the inspection sheets and photos, and any invoices and quotes, and every document must also go to the other party.
Your best evidence is the same: the signed entry sheet, your move-in photos, dated photos after the clean, and the receipt if you paid a cleaner.
Practical notes for an exit clean in Adelaide
The clean itself is rarely what holds up handover day. Timing, access and the last bits of rubbish are, so sort them when you book.
- New to Australia or interstate? In Adelaide the end-of-lease clean is usually called an exit clean, and you're judged against your inspection sheet, not a professional standard.
- Clean after the furniture leaves. Book the clean for after the removalists, with the power and water still on. See when to book your end of lease clean.
- Ask how many inspections there will be. Some agents do a walk-through before the final one. Ask for any list in writing so you can fix it before you hand back the keys.
- Clear the rubbish and bins. Rubbish removal comes up in end-of-tenancy claims, so leave nothing behind.
- Leaving before the clean? If you're moving interstate, arrange key access for the cleaner with your agent, and ask the cleaner for photos when they finish.
Prices by home size are on our Adelaide end of lease cleaning prices page.
Your South Australian move-out checklist
The South Australia-specific steps, in order. The full 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
Sections 86A and 86.
They are the benchmark for the exit clean.
A blanket carpet clause isn't enforceable; a pet carpet condition is.
The last two weeks
After you leave
If you disagree, make a counter-offer or ask for the evidence; SACAT comes after.
Questions people ask
What is fair wear and tear in South Australia?
The Act doesn't define it. Section 69(4) says the property's condition when you moved in and the probable effect of reasonable wear and tear since then must be taken into account when judging whether you left it in reasonable condition. Cleanliness is judged separately: a reasonable state of cleanliness.
Do I have to steam clean carpets in SA?
Not because of a blanket lease clause. CBS says a term requiring all carpets to be professionally cleaned at the end, dirty or not, is inconsistent with section 69(3). The exception is a pet kept inside: then a professional-standard carpet clean can be a condition of your pet approval.
Is a bond clean required in SA?
No law requires you to buy a professional exit clean. You must leave the property in reasonable condition and a reasonable state of cleanliness, allowing for reasonable wear and tear. You can do that yourself or book a cleaner.
How do I dispute a bond claim in SA?
Respond in Residential Bonds Online. You can make a counter-offer: each stays open for 10 days, with up to 7 rounds. If you still can't agree, the dispute goes to SACAT. If you don't respond, CBS assesses the landlord's evidence and can refuse an unsupported claim.
Can my landlord charge for cleaning they did themselves?
Yes, if it is backed by evidence. CBS accepts a detailed breakdown of the landlord's own time, with the ingoing and outgoing inspection sheets, and notes an hourly rate of $33.85 that SACAT has allowed for own time. Each item must be listed separately.
Can my landlord make me use their cleaner?
A pet condition can't require you to use a specified business (section 66C(10)(a)). We haven't found a general rule outside pet conditions, so if you're told to use a particular cleaner, ask CBS or RentRight SA.
When you're ready
Moving out in Adelaide?
Get a fixed price for your exit clean, then pick a date after your removalists and before you hand back 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 Adelaide
Sources
The laws, regulators and services this guide relies on, with the date we read each one.
- Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA), South Australian Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Bond applications s 63; pets s 66C; condition and cleanliness s 69; notice ss 86, 86A. Authorised version of 15 Jan 2026.
- Tenant Information Guide, Consumer and Business Services (January 2026). Read 5 October 2026. Notice example, the inspection sheet, RentRight SA.
- Rental agreement terms inconsistent with the Residential Tenancies Act 1995, Consumer and Business Services (July 2024). Read 5 October 2026. Blanket professional carpet-cleaning terms.
- Settling a bond dispute, Consumer and Business Services. Read 5 October 2026. Non-consented claims, counter-offers, SACAT.
- Documents to support a non-consented bond claim, Consumer and Business Services (July 2026). Read 5 October 2026. Cleaning evidence and the own-time rate.
- Moving out of your rental property, Government of South Australia (11 Oct 2022). Read 5 October 2026. End of tenancy checklist.
- Bond refunds, Government of South Australia (21 May 2026). Read 5 October 2026.
- End of tenancy disputes, SACAT. Read 5 October 2026.
- Providing documents for housing disputes, SACAT. Read 5 October 2026.
- 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.