Moving out of a rental
When to book your end-of-lease clean
Quick answer: Book as soon as your removalist date is fixed. Schedule the clean for after the furniture leaves and one to three days before the final inspection, with the power and water still on. Half of our customers book within a week of the clean, and Saturdays and Mondays are our busiest days.
How far ahead people book, whether the clean can be the same day as the truck, and where carpets, keys and parking fit.
- 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 far ahead people book
About a week. Half of our customers booked within seven days of the clean, and move cleans are booked further ahead than other one-off cleans.
Simply Maid booking history · not today’s price
- 7 days
- median between booking and the clean (middle half: 3 to 14 days)
- 53.5%
- booked within a week; 8.7% the same or next day
- 6.1%
- booked more than a month ahead
- 4 days
- the median for other one-off cleans, for comparison
- 5.5%
- of move cleans had paid extra time added on the day, against 2.7% of one-off deep cleans
1,716 completed move cleans (moving in and moving out together) on our previous booking platform, December 2015 to March 2025, for 1,604 customers; 82% of them in Sydney. Computed 5 October 2026.
Before or after the removalists?
After. The clean goes once the furniture and boxes are out, because a cleaner can't reach behind them or inside full cupboards.
The usual order is: furniture out, then the clean, then carpets if your lease and state call for them, then the final inspection, then the keys.
Leave a day of buffer if you can. Removalists run late, and a clean that has to wait for a truck can run into the evening.
Can the clean be the same day as the truck?
Yes, if the truck leaves by early afternoon. One in six of our move cleans started at 3 pm or later, after the furniture had gone.
Simply Maid booking history · not today’s price
- 1 in 6
- move cleans started at 3 pm or later (17.0%), against 11.8% of other one-off cleans
- Sat and Mon
- the busiest days, about 19% of move cleans each
- 1%
- of move cleans were on a Sunday
1,716 completed move cleans (moving in and moving out together) on our previous booking platform, December 2015 to March 2025, for 1,604 customers; 82% of them in Sydney. Computed 5 October 2026.
How long the clean takes
It depends on the home's size and condition. Our booking calculator books 4h 50m of cleaner time for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom home, which a team shares.
A team splits that time, so a two-person team is on site for about half of it. The end of lease price guide lists the booked time for every home size.
How close to the final inspection?
One to three days before. Close enough that the home is still clean on the day, with time left to fix anything you notice in your own walk-through.
Walk through the home after the clean and take dated photos. If something was missed, tell the cleaner straight away. With us, report it within 48 hours and we come back to fix it within seven business days (terms). One to three days gives you time to walk through and report anything; a return visit before the inspection depends on our availability and on access, so tell us your inspection date when you book and we'll say what we can do.
Carpets and pest control: who goes first?
The clean first, then carpets, so dust and grit from the clean don't land on freshly cleaned carpet. Pest treatments follow the treatment company's advice.
Whether you need professional carpet cleaning at all depends on your state, your lease, pets and how the carpets were at the start. We don't offer carpet steam cleaning, so book that separately if you need it.
Keys, parking and power
Tell your cleaner who lets them in, where they can park, and keep the power and water on until after the final inspection.
- Keys: if you won't be there, agree where the key is left. We don't hold keys and recommend a lockbox. If the cleaner can't get in, a lockout fee applies after a 20-minute wait (terms).
- Parking: visitor parking and building access are arranged by you. Parking was the most common note our customers left on a move clean booking.
- Power and water: book disconnection for the day after the inspection. A clean can't be done without hot water and lights.
- Lifts and loading docks: some buildings need these booked, for the removalists and sometimes for the cleaner.
If your dates move
Change the clean as soon as the removalist or inspection date changes. Cancelling with less than 24 hours' notice can incur a fee.
Short-notice moves happen: a sale, an owner moving back in, a renovation. Same and next-day cleans made up 8.7% of our move cleans, so ask even if it's close. Under our terms, cancelling with less than 24 hours' notice may cost $70.
Questions people ask
Does the house need to be empty for a bond clean?
As empty as possible. Cleaners can't move heavy furniture or clean around boxes, and items left behind can be treated as rubbish at the inspection.
Can I do the clean and the final inspection on the same day?
You can, but it leaves no time to fix anything. One to three days before is safer.
Should I book the clean or the removalists first?
The removalists. Their date sets everything else; then book the clean for after they leave.
Is there a busy season for end-of-lease cleans?
Not in our bookings. Move cleans are spread evenly through the year, with February a little busier, and there is no month-end rush. Saturdays and Mondays are our busiest days.
When you're ready
Pick your clean date
Get a fixed price for your home, then choose a time after your removalists. Nothing is booked or paid at this step.
Still planning? The full moving out checklist
Sources
The laws, regulators and services this guide relies on, with the date we read each one.
- Terms of service, Simply Maid. Read 5 October 2026. Re-clean, cancellation and lockout terms.
General information, not legal advice. Tenancy law differs by state and changes; check the official source for your state before you act.