The end of tenancy checklist landlords actually use

Cleaning is the single most common deposit deduction in the UK, and almost every dispute comes down to the same handful of items. Inventory clerks work from a checklist, so the fastest way to protect your deposit is to clean to the same list they inspect against.

How a check-out inspection works

The clerk compares the property against the check-in inventory, room by room, noting anything that has changed beyond fair wear and tear. Cleaning is judged on a like-for-like basis: if the oven was clean at check-in, it must be clean at check-out. Photographs are taken of anything flagged and those photographs are what the deposit scheme adjudicator sees.

Room by room

Kitchen

• Oven interior, racks, trays and door glass (the number one fail).
• Hob, extractor hood and filters.
• Inside every cupboard and drawer, with crumbs and grease removed.
• Fridge and freezer, defrosted, emptied and wiped.
• Sink and taps descaled, tiles and grout degreased.

Bathrooms

• Limescale on taps, shower screens and tiles.
• Extractor grille, toilet base and behind the pedestal.
• Grout and sealant, with mould treated where it will lift.

Bedrooms and living areas

• Skirting boards, door tops and light switches.
• Inside wardrobes and drawers.
• Carpets vacuumed, and professionally cleaned if your agreement requires it.
• Windows, sills and tracks from the inside.

The five spots tenants always miss

1. The top of the doors and door frames. Clerks run a finger along them.
2. The extractor fan filter. It is greasy, and it photographs badly.
3. Behind and under the toilet. Dust and drips gather where nobody looks.
4. Window tracks. Black grime in the runners is an easy note on the report.
5. The inside of the washing machine drawer and door seal.

Do you need a professional clean?

Since the Tenant Fees Act, a landlord cannot insist on a professional clean, but the property must be returned in the same state of cleanliness it was let in. If it was professionally cleaned at check-in, matching that standard yourself takes a full day of hard work and the right products. Our end of tenancy cleaning works to the same inventory checklist and comes with a deposit-back re-clean guarantee: if the agent flags a cleaning item within 48 hours, we come back free.

Moving out in Bristol or London? See our Bristol and London pages for local availability, or get an instant itemised quote.