Landlord inspections follow a predictable pattern. Here is the room-by-room list we work through, and the five places deposits are most often lost.
Deposit deductions are rarely about a dirty floor. In our experience they come from a short, repeatable list of overlooked details — the same ones on nearly every inspection. If you are cleaning your own unit before handover, work through the list below in order. If you would rather not, this is precisely what our move-out service covers.
Clean the property empty
This is the single most important rule and the one most often broken. Cleaning around furniture and boxes guarantees you miss the areas an inspector will check. Move everything out first, then clean. A properly cleaned empty unit takes less time than a badly cleaned occupied one.
Kitchen — where most deductions happen
Clean inside the oven, including the racks and the inside of the glass door. Clean inside and behind the refrigerator, and remember to clean the seals. Wipe out every cabinet and drawer, inside and out, including the tops of upper cabinets where grease collects. Degrease the extractor filter, the backsplash and the area behind the stove.
The kitchen is where landlords look hardest, because it is where wear genuinely shows. Give it more time than any other room.
Bathrooms — grout, glass and fixtures
Scrub grout lines rather than wiping over them. Remove limescale from taps, shower heads and glass. Clean the toilet fully, including the base, the hinges and behind the pedestal. Clean the extractor vent cover. Polish mirrors and any chrome so there are no water spots left.
The five places deposits are actually lost
First, inside the oven. Second, window tracks and sills — they collect grit and are checked more often than people expect. Third, the tops of doors and door frames, which are almost never dusted. Fourth, skirting boards and baseboards, particularly in corners. Fifth, marks on walls around light switches and door handles, which sponge off easily but only if you look for them.
Finish with floors, and photograph everything
Floors are the last thing you clean, always — otherwise you walk dust and drips back across finished surfaces. Vacuum thoroughly including edges and corners, then mop hard floors.
When you are done, photograph every room in good light. A dated set of photos taken at handover is the most useful evidence you can have if a deduction is later disputed. We provide these on request for every move-out clean we complete.