An end-of-tenancy clean needs to bring a property back to the standard set out in the check-in inventory — not just "tidy" but genuinely clean in every room, including areas that are easy to miss. This checklist covers a typical residential property room by room, useful for tenants preparing to move out and for agents or landlords checking a contractor's work.
Download the checklist
Download the PDFA room-by-room printable checklist covering kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living areas and general property tasks.
Kitchen
- Oven interior and exterior, including racks, degreased
- Hob, extractor fan/filter and splashback degreased
- Fridge/freezer interior cleaned and defrosted (door left ajar if empty)
- Cupboards and drawers wiped inside and out
- Worktops, sink and taps descaled and disinfected
- Floor mopped, including behind/under movable appliances where accessible
Bathroom(s)
- WC, cistern and seat cleaned and disinfected
- Bath/shower, screen and tiles descaled, mould-treated where present
- Basin, taps and mirror cleaned and polished
- Extractor fan grille dusted
- Floor mopped and grouting checked
Bedrooms and living areas
- Carpets vacuumed (professionally cleaned if the tenancy agreement requires it)
- Skirting boards, window sills and radiators dusted
- Wardrobes, shelving and cupboards wiped inside and out
- Light fittings and switches dusted/cleaned
- Windows cleaned internally; marks removed from doors and walls where possible
Whole-property/general
- All bins emptied and left clean
- Cobwebs removed from ceilings and corners
- Mirrors and glass throughout streak-free
- Hallway/stairs vacuumed or mopped
- Outside space (yard, balcony) cleared of rubbish if included in the tenancy
- Meter readings and keys handover noted separately (not a cleaning task, but commonly checked at the same time)
Evidence for deposit disputes
Photograph each room before handing back keys, dated, alongside this checklist — this is the single most useful thing either party can do if a deposit deduction is later disputed via a tenancy deposit scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tenants have to pay for a professional end-of-tenancy clean?
Only if the tenancy agreement specifically requires it (common where carpets were professionally cleaned at check-in). Otherwise the legal standard is generally to return the property to the standard recorded at check-in, cleaned to a reasonable standard, which can be done by the tenant.
What is most commonly missed in a move-out clean?
Oven interiors, extractor fan filters, behind/under appliances, window sills, and limescale in bathrooms — all called out specifically in this checklist because they are the most common deposit-dispute triggers.
Can Optus Glean UK do end-of-tenancy cleans for landlords and agents managing multiple properties?
Yes — for portfolios and letting agents we can run end-of-tenancy cleaning to a consistent standard across multiple properties under one arrangement.