Bond back
End of lease cleaning checklist for NSW renters
By the Outer Space Removals teamUpdated October 2026 6 min read
Cleaning is the most common reason for bond disputes. In NSW you need to leave the property in the condition it was in when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear, and reasonably clean. Here’s how the bond refund works, and a room-by-room checklist to get it all back.
How getting your bond back works in NSW
- Bonds are held by NSW Fair Trading, not your landlord or agent. You claim them back through Rental Bonds Online.
- Once you lodge a claim, your landlord or agent has 14 days to respond. If they don’t dispute it, Fair Trading pays the bond out.
- If they do dispute it, they must apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) within 14 days and tell Fair Trading.
- The ingoing condition report is the benchmark. Your landlord can claim for damage and for cleaning needed beyond what you found, but not for fair wear and tear.
Before you start
- Find your ingoing condition report and the photos you took when you moved in.
- Move out first, then clean: an empty home is faster to clean properly.
- Check your lease for anything specific, like professional carpet cleaning.
- Take dated photos of every room when you’re done.
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Kitchen
- Oven inside and out, including racks, trays and the glass door
- Cooktop, rangehood and filters (degreased)
- Cupboards and drawers inside and out, wiped of crumbs and grease
- Benchtops, splashback, sink and tap
- Dishwasher filter and seals, if there is one
- Fridge cleaned out and left open, if it belongs to the property
Bathrooms and laundry
- Shower screen and tiles free of soap scum and mould
- Grout, silicone edges, drains and exhaust fan
- Toilet inside, outside, behind and around the base
- Vanity, mirror, cabinet shelves and taps
- Laundry tub, cupboards and the space behind the washing machine
Bedrooms and living areas
- Wardrobes inside, including shelves, rails and tracks
- Skirting boards, door frames, light switches and power points
- Marks on walls spot-cleaned (test gently first)
- Windows inside, window tracks and sills
- Blinds dusted or wiped, light fittings and ceiling fans dusted
- Floors vacuumed and mopped; carpets steam cleaned if your lease requires it
Outside
- Balcony or courtyard swept and wiped down
- Outside windows you can reach safely
- Bins emptied and cleaned, rubbish removed
- Garage or car space swept and cleared
DIY or professional?
A thorough end of lease clean takes most people a full day for an apartment, longer for a house. A professional clean costs from $319 for a studio to $580 for a 4-bedroom home with us (extra bathrooms $30 each), and comes with a bond back guarantee. Keep the receipt: it’s useful evidence if the cleaning is ever questioned. Booked together with your move, you get 5% off both.