Moving-Out Cleaning Checklist

Who this is for

The clean that a deposit depends on. Kitchen and bathroom in detail, every room, the final walk-through, and a line to sign when it is done.

Tenants at the end of a lease, anyone selling or handing back a property, and landlords or agents who want to give the outgoing occupier a plain list of what is expected.

What this helps you track

• Every area an inventory check is likely to look at, so none is missed on the day
• The appliance jobs that are easy to forget once the kitchen is packed
• The final walk-through items — readings, photographs, keys — that are not cleaning but matter as much
• A signed, dated record that the clean was done

How to use it

1. Write the address, the date you leave and the inspection date at the top; work backwards from the inspection.
2. Clean the kitchen and bathrooms last, after the packing is finished, or they will need doing twice.
3. Tick each item as it is done. Add anything specific to the property — a conservatory, a loft, a garden shed — on the blank lines.
4. Photograph every room after cleaning, before the keys go back. Keep the photographs with this sheet.
5. Sign and date the sheet and keep it with your move-in inventory and the photographs.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Will this guarantee my deposit back?

No sheet can. What a deposit scheme or a landlord can deduct depends on the tenancy, the inventory at the start and the rules where you are. This list helps you get the cleaning done thoroughly and keep evidence that you did.

Should I hire a professional cleaner instead?

That is a question for your tenancy agreement and your budget. If you do, give the cleaner this sheet and ask for it back ticked — it is a clear brief either way.

Why are meter readings and photographs on a cleaning list?

Because they happen on the same day, in the same walk-through, and are forgotten for the same reason. Once the keys are handed back you cannot go back for them.

What about the garden and outside?

The final walk-through section has a line for outside areas and bins. Add a separate line for anything your property has — a garage, a balcony, a shed.