In short
- Compare the property against your entry condition report, not a generic list.
- 'Reasonably clean' means an average community standard, not spotless.
- Professional cleaning can only be required in two specific situations.
What the law expects
Victoria's Residential Tenancies Act 1997 requires renters to keep the property reasonably clean, and to leave it at the end of the tenancy in a reasonably clean condition and in the same condition as when they moved in, taking into account fair wear and tear.
The Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria has published guidelines that the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) must consider in cleaning disputes. They say cleanliness should be measured according to average standards in the community: it doesn't mean spotless or pristine, and it doesn't mean terribly messy either.
Start with your condition report
When you moved in, you should have received a condition report, with five business days to add comments and return it. At the end, the rental provider or agent completes the exit condition report within 10 days of the tenancy ending, and you have the right to attend. VCAT relies on these reports, and any photos, to decide what 'reasonably clean' means for your property.
Before you clean, read your entry condition report and look at the photos. Anything that was already marked, worn or dirty when you moved in isn't yours to fix.
Can you be made to pay for professional cleaning?
For rental agreements made from 29 March 2021, a standard clause applies. The rental provider must not require you to arrange professional cleaning, or cleaning to a professional standard, at the end of the tenancy unless either:
- professional cleaning was done immediately before your tenancy started, and you were told so; or
- professional cleaning is needed to restore the property to the condition it was in at the start, having regard to the condition report and allowing for fair wear and tear.
In practice, that often applies to carpets. If they were clean at the start and are now stained or smell, a carpet steam clean is usually the simplest fix. Keep the receipt.
Room-by-room checklist
These are the areas the Director's guideline gives as examples of what reasonably clean premises look like, grouped by room.
| Room | What to check |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Oven, stove and rangehood free of oil, grease and food stains. Dishwasher clean and free of grease, food scraps and strong smells. Sink free of soap scum and food. Cupboards emptied, dusted and wiped. |
| Bathrooms and laundry | Baths, showers, toilets, basins and vanities free of dirt, stains and soap scum, and of mould caused by the renter's lack of care. Mirrors free of marks and smears. |
| Bedrooms and living areas | Walls and skirting boards reasonably free of scuffs, fingerprints and dust. Wardrobes emptied and wiped. Curtains or blinds free of dust and stains. |
| Floors | Hard floors washed and free of dirt and stains. Carpets free of pet hair, stains and strong smells such as urine. |
| Windows | Sills free of dust and dirt. Windows, including the outside of ground-floor windows, free of marks, smears and dust. |
| Fittings | Heating ducts and exhaust fans free of dust. Cleaning at height is often the rental provider's maintenance, and you're not expected to reach fans where that's dangerous. |
| Outside | Rubbish removed. Garden beds weeded and lawns mowed, unless that's the rental provider's responsibility. Personal belongings gone. |
Our own end of lease checklist covers the inside of the home room by room.
Fair wear and tear, or damage?
Fair wear and tear is deterioration from reasonable use and natural forces, and it isn't your responsibility. Damage is. The Director's guideline gives examples like these:
| Fair wear and tear | Damage |
|---|---|
| Worn or faded kitchen benchtop | Burns or cuts in the benchtop |
| Minor marks or scuffs on walls | Holes from hooks, nails or shelves the renter put up |
| Faded curtains or blinds | Stained or ripped curtains or blinds |
| Traffic marks on carpet | Carpet stains from burns, overwatered plants or pets |
| Scuff marks on a timber floor | Badly scratched or gouged timber floors |
Timing your clean
- Move everything out first. Cleaning around boxes always misses something.
- Book the clean for a day or two before the final inspection.
- Walk through with your condition report once the clean is done.
- Take dated photos of every room after the clean, and keep them with your paperwork.
- Hand back every key, remote and access card, and get it noted.
Getting your bond back
Your bond is held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA). If you and the rental provider agree, the rental provider starts a bond claim, which they must do within 14 days of the agreement ending, and you accept it within 14 days. The RTBA usually repays the bond within one business day of the claim being accepted.
You can also start a claim yourself. The RTBA tells the other parties, who then have 14 days to dispute it by applying to VCAT or Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria. If nobody disputes it, the bond is paid out.
