Check-out preparation checklist

How the inspection actually runs

An independent inventory clerk arrives with the check-in report on a tablet and works room by room, comparing what they find against what you signed on move-in day and photographing anything that has changed. A 2-bed flat takes 60 to 90 minutes; a furnished house takes longer. You are usually not there, and that is normal. The report lands with landlord, agent and tenant within 24 to 72 hours, laid out in three columns: the check-in description, the check-out observation, and a suggested action. The clerk only recommends. The landlord claims, you respond, and if nobody agrees, the deposit scheme’s adjudicator decides. We wrote the whole thing up, clerk types and all, in what London inventory clerks actually check.

Why the list starts three weeks early

Because the two things that decide most check-outs cannot be done in a rush. Reading the check-in inventory tells you exactly what standard you are cleaning to, and what was already worn or marked before you arrived. And booking the cleaning early means it can land one or two days before the inspection, with the receipt in your folder rather than promised. Clerks fall into types, from thorough to rushed, and you do not get to choose which one turns up. Prepare for the strict one and the others take care of themselves.

The part people miss: keys and timing

The tenancy runs until surrender is complete, so do not hand the keys back until you are happy with the state of the place. Once the keys go, so does your access, and anything unfinished is finished by someone the landlord chooses, at your deposit’s expense. Count every key, fob and window key against the inventory; a missing fob on a London block can cost more to replace than a missed oven. Then the paperwork: forwarding address in writing, and the evidence folder somewhere you can find it in three weeks when the report arrives.

Questions tenants ask about check-out

When should the final clean happen before check-out?

Aim to finish one or two days before the inspection. That leaves room to fix anything you spot on the final walk-through, and the place stays clean because nobody is living in it. Booking the clean for the morning of the inspection is the classic way to end up scrubbing at midnight.

Do I have to be there for the check-out inspection?

No, and most clerks prefer to work through the property alone. Arrange a key handover and leave them to it. If you do stay, give them space; walking a clerk round explaining things does not help and can read as pre-empting the report.

What should I photograph before handing back the keys?

Every room, dated, the morning you leave: one wide shot per room, then the known flashpoints, which are the oven interior, the washing machine seal, taps and shower heads, and the grout. Add the meter readings for your own records. These photos are your side of the evidence if any deduction is proposed. The check-out evidence pack is the full shot list, with a condition log that prints alongside it.

Do I have to pay for professional cleaning at check-out?

No. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 stops a landlord requiring professional cleaning as a tenancy term; what you owe is the cleanliness recorded at check-in, however you get there. The practical exception is a carpet clause, where producing a receipt is the easy route. Our deposit deduction checker covers the law side question by question.

When do I get my deposit back after check-out?

The report usually lands within 24 to 72 hours, then it is a negotiation: once you and the landlord agree the figures, the money must be returned within 10 days. If you cannot agree, the free dispute service run by your deposit scheme typically decides within two to four weeks, and the disputed amount stays protected until it does.

General guidance for tenants in England, not legal advice. The law side of deductions, with sources, is on the deposit deduction checker. For your specific tenancy, talk to Citizens Advice or Shelter.