Tenant guide
Moving In & Moving Out Checklist
Most deposit disputes come down to what was written down on move-in day. This checklist covers what to record when you arrive, what to keep during the lease, and what to do in the last month so the handover is clean and the deposit is refunded without argument.
Before you get the keys
Everything below should be settled before move-in day, not on it. A lease only starts once it is signed by both sides and the move-in amount has cleared.
- Signed lease, with the start date, monthly rent and deposit amount visible on the document you keep.
- Move-in payment cleared: the first month’s rent, the deposit (equal to one month’s rent) and the once-off administration fee.
- Your payment reference saved — it is your property code plus your tenant number, and payments without it are hard to match.
- Proof of address, ID and income already submitted so nothing holds up the handover.
- Agreed date and time for the move-in inspection, with someone from the managing side present.
Move-in inspection: what to record
Walk the whole unit before you unpack. Photograph anything that is already marked, chipped, stained or not working, and make sure it is written on the inspection form, not only in your phone.
- Walls, ceilings and skirting — cracks, marks, damp or previous patching.
- Floors — scratches, lifted tiles, worn or stained carpet.
- Doors, locks and keys — every key, remote and tag you receive, counted and listed.
- Windows, handles, burglar bars and window seals.
- Kitchen — cupboard doors, taps, sink, drainage, stove plates, oven, extractor.
- Bathroom — toilet flush, shower pressure, leaks under the basin, tile grout, drain.
- Electrics — every plug point, light fitting and switch tested.
- Geyser, prepaid meter number and current reading; water meter reading if there is one.
- Anything supplied with the unit: appliances, furniture, curtains, rails.
What "N/A" means on an inspection form
If an item does not exist in your unit, it is marked N/A. That counts as inspected — it is not an outstanding item and it can never be charged to you later. If an item exists but was not checked, it should not be marked N/A.
During the lease
The habits below are what protect a deposit far more than anything done in the final week.
- Rent is due on the 1st. The 5th is the last day to pay — late charges apply from the 6th.
- Report maintenance in writing as soon as you notice it. A small leak reported early is a repair; the same leak six months later is damage.
- Never arrange your own contractor for something the landlord is responsible for unless it has been approved in writing first.
- Keep proof of payment for every month, filed by month.
- Tell us in writing if your contact number, employer or emergency contact changes.
Giving notice
Notice must be in writing and must match the notice period in your lease — verbal notice does not start the clock. Give the exact date you intend to hand back the keys, and confirm the bank account the deposit refund should be paid into.
- Put the notice in writing and keep the acknowledgement.
- Book the exit inspection at least a week before your last day.
- Ask for a statement of your account so you can settle any balance before handover.
Move-out checklist
The unit should be handed back in the condition recorded on move-in, allowing for normal wear and tear. Fair wear is expected; damage, dirt and missing items are not.
- Remove everything you brought in, including items stored outside or in the roof.
- Clean the oven, stove plates, extractor and inside all cupboards.
- Clean the bathroom properly — grout, drain, toilet, shower screen.
- Fill and touch up nail holes; remove hooks, stickers and adhesive strips.
- Replace blown globes and anything you broke or removed.
- Clear drains and gutters if the unit has its own.
- Cut the garden if the garden is yours to maintain.
- Return every key, remote, tag and access card that was issued to you.
- Photograph the empty unit on the day, and record the final meter readings.
Getting the deposit back
The exit inspection is compared against the move-in inspection. Anything charged should be traceable to a difference between the two, and you are entitled to see it. Settle any outstanding rent or charges before the refund is processed — a clean account is the fastest route to a full refund.