Moving out in Victoria
Moving out of a rental in Victoria: cleaning, condition report and bond
Quick answer: Give at least 28 days' written notice, leave the property reasonably clean and in the condition it was in when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear, and be there for the exit condition report if you can. Your rental provider can require professional cleaning only in two situations. From 13 October 2026, they must tell you in advance, with evidence, if they will claim on your bond.
Victoria uses its own words for renting: you are the renter, the owner is the rental provider. This guide uses them too.
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What changes on 13 October 2026?
From 13 October 2026, a rental provider who will make a claim on your bond at the end of the rental agreement must tell you in advance and give you evidence to support the claim.
Consumer Affairs Victoria lists this as "strengthened bond claims" among the rental law changes that start on that date. It means a claim for cleaning should come with something you can check, such as photos or an invoice, before the bond is decided.
It doesn't change what you have to do before you leave: the standard is still reasonably clean, allowing for fair wear and tear. It does make your own evidence more useful, because you will be comparing it with theirs. Keep your entry condition report, your move-in photos and dated photos of the home after the clean.
The same page lists other changes from 13 October 2026, including a ban on fees for rental applications and gas and electrical safety checks every 2 years. Those are the rental provider's responsibilities, not part of moving out.
How much notice do you need to give?
At least 28 days, in writing. On a fixed-term agreement, the date you give can't be before the agreement ends.
Your notice of intention to vacate can go by post, email or by hand. A fixed-term agreement becomes a month-to-month agreement if nobody gives notice, and the same 28 days applies then.
Leaving before a fixed term ends is breaking the lease, which has its own rules. Talk to your rental provider or agent first, and see Consumer Affairs Victoria's guidance before you sign anything.
The full move-out sequence, from notice to keys, is in our moving out checklist.
How clean does the property need to be?
Reasonably clean, and in the same condition as when you moved in, as far as practicable, allowing for fair wear and tear. That comes from section 63 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
"Reasonably clean" is not spotless, and it is not a professional standard. The benchmark is your condition report: what the property was like when you moved in.
Fair wear and tear is defined in the Act as deterioration from reasonable use and from natural forces such as sun and weather. Consumer Affairs Victoria's examples: faded curtains or worn benchtops are wear; ripped curtains or broken benchtops may be damage. Dirt and grease are never wear and tear.
For what to clean and in what order, use our end of lease cleaning checklist.
Can your rental provider require professional cleaning?
Only in two situations. For rental agreements that started on or after 29 March 2021, a rental provider can't require professional cleaning, or cleaning to a professional standard, at the end unless one of them applies.
- The property was professionally cleaned immediately before you moved in, and you were told that.
- Professional cleaning is needed to bring the property back to its condition at the start, having regard to the condition report and fair wear and tear.
This comes from regulation 12 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021, which is written into the standard Victorian rental agreement. If either applies, you need to have the professional clean done, or pay for it.
If neither applies, you can clean the property yourself, and a clause asking for professional cleaning anyway doesn't change that. Keep in mind the second situation: if the property isn't left reasonably clean, the cost of bringing it back can still be claimed.
We haven't found a Victorian rule on whether a rental provider can name a particular cleaner, so we don't say either way. If you're asked to use a specific business, ask Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Victoria's moving-out rules at a glance
The main rules for leaving a rental in Victoria, with where each one comes from.
| What | The rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to leave | At least 28 days, in writing; not before a fixed term ends | Residential Tenancies Act 1997 ss 91Z, 91ZA |
| How clean | Reasonably clean and in the same condition as at the start, allowing for fair wear and tear | s 63(2) |
| Professional cleaning | Only if professionally cleaned just before you moved in (and you were told), or needed to restore the starting condition | Regulations 2021, reg 12 |
| Exit condition report | Completed within 10 days after the agreement ends; you get a reasonable opportunity to be there | s 35(5) |
| Bond claim for cleaning | Only the reasonable cost of cleaning what wasn't left reasonably clean; never fair wear and tear | s 411AB(1)(c) |
| Advance notice of a bond claim | From 13 October 2026: told in advance, with evidence | Consumer Affairs Victoria |
| Disputes | Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (free), then VCAT | Consumer Affairs Victoria |
Checked against the Act, the Regulations and Consumer Affairs Victoria on 5 October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this guide. Checked 5 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
The exit condition report and final inspection
Your rental provider or agent completes the exit condition report within 10 days after the agreement ends, and you must be given a reasonable opportunity to be there.
Go if you can. Bring your entry condition report and your photos, and walk through the property with them. Consumer Affairs Victoria describes "reasonable" as what most people would think is fair.
Before the inspection:
- have the property cleaned once your belongings are out, with the power and water still on
- take dated photos of every room after the clean
- hand back every key and remote, and keep a record of when you did
If something is raised, ask for it in writing with photos. A quick re-clean is usually simpler than a dispute.
Getting your bond back in Victoria
Bonds are held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority. When you and your rental provider agree, the bond is usually repaid within one business day.
The rental provider should start any claim within 14 days of the agreement ending. You can also claim the bond yourself; the rental provider then has 14 days to dispute it.
If you don't agree with a claim, Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria can help for free. It asks the rental provider for evidence of each item. If you still can't agree, VCAT decides. An application to VCAT about the bond has to be made within 14 days after the agreement ends.
In 2024–25, the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority repaid 249,891 bonds: 65% went back to renters in full, 10% to rental providers in full and 25% were shared. Most claims, 96%, were processed by agreement.
Moving to another rental? Victoria's Portable Rental Bond Scheme lets you transfer your bond to your next rental for $25. Your previous rental provider can still make a claim against it.
Your Victorian move-out checklist
The Victoria-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
Not before the end of a fixed term.
Professional cleaning can only be required in the two situations the regulations allow.
They are the benchmark for the exit report.
The last two weeks
You must be given a reasonable opportunity to be there.
After you leave
From 13 October 2026, a rental provider must give you advance notice of a claim, with evidence.
It is free. VCAT applications about the bond are due within 14 days of the agreement ending.
Questions people ask
Do I have to pay for professional cleaning at the end of my lease in Victoria?
Only if the property was professionally cleaned immediately before you moved in and you were told, or if professional cleaning is needed to return it to its starting condition. Otherwise you can clean it yourself, to a reasonably clean standard.
Do I have to steam clean the carpets when I leave?
Not as a rule. The same two situations apply to carpets. If they were professionally cleaned just before you moved in and you were told, or they need it to return to their starting condition, the cost can fall to you.
How long does my rental provider have to do the exit condition report?
Ten days after the rental agreement ends. You must be given a reasonable opportunity to be there.
How long does it take to get my bond back in Victoria?
When everyone agrees, the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority usually repays the bond within one business day. A disputed claim goes to Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria, then VCAT.
What is fair wear and tear in Victoria?
The Act defines it as deterioration from reasonable use and from natural forces. Faded curtains or worn benchtops are wear; ripped curtains or broken benchtops may be damage. Dirt is not wear and tear.
Can my rental provider keep my bond for cleaning?
Only the reasonable cost of cleaning areas you didn't leave reasonably clean, judged against the starting condition, and never for fair wear and tear. From 13 October 2026 they must tell you in advance and give you evidence.
When you're ready
Moving out in Melbourne?
Get a fixed price for your end-of-lease clean, then pick a date after your removalists. Nothing is booked or paid at this step.
Want the details first? End of lease cleaning in Melbourne
Sources
The laws, regulators and services this guide relies on, with the date we read each one.
- New changes to the rental laws, Consumer Affairs Victoria. Read 5 October 2026. Strengthened bond claims from 13 October 2026.
- Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic), Victorian Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Fair wear and tear s 3; condition reports s 35; standard s 63; notice ss 91Z–91ZA; bond claims ss 411A, 411AB, 419A. Version 114.
- Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021, Victorian Legislation. Read 5 October 2026. Professional cleaning: reg 12 and Schedule 1 clause 11.
- Renters giving notice of intention to vacate, Consumer Affairs Victoria (7 Dec 2025). Read 5 October 2026.
- Bond claims and refunds, Consumer Affairs Victoria (28 Jun 2026). Read 5 October 2026. Claim timing, fair wear and tear examples.
- Resolving bond issues and disputes, Consumer Affairs Victoria (30 Jun 2026). Read 5 October 2026.
- Renters Guide, Consumer Affairs Victoria (July 2026). Read 5 October 2026. Professional cleaning (p. 33), portable bonds (p. 34).
- Portable Rental Bond Scheme, Victorian Government (1 Jul 2026). Read 5 October 2026.
- RTBA Annual Report 2024–25, Consumer Affairs Victoria. Read 5 October 2026. Bonds repaid and how they were split.
General information, not legal advice. Tenancy law differs by state and changes; check the official source for your state before you act.