Free Reference · Updated 18 May 2026
The Australian Bond Clean Checklist, by State
A bond clean is the deep end-of-lease clean a tenant needs to recover their rental bond. This reference lists the room-by-room inclusions agents expect across Australia, plus state-by-state notes on which tenancy authority handles bond disputes and what evidence they accept.
Universal Inclusions
What a standard bond clean covers
These items appear on essentially every Australian bond clean scope. Agents in every state expect them. Operators should price them into the base quote unless explicitly noted as an add-on.
- Bench tops, splashback, all surfaces wiped and degreased
- Cupboards inside and out (incl. tops if reachable)
- Sink, taps, drainer polished; rangehood degreased and filters cleaned
- Stovetop, knobs, and surrounding panel scrubbed free of grease
- Oven cleaned to grease-free inside (often a separate quoted add-on)
- Microwave, dishwasher (interior + exterior), pantry shelves
- Floor mopped; corners and skirting boards detail-cleaned
- Shower screens, tiles, grout, soap scum and mould removed
- Bath, vanity, sink, taps polished free of water marks
- Toilet bowl, seat, base, and behind cistern detailed
- Mirrors streak-free; exhaust fans dusted
- Floor mopped; corners and skirting boards detail-cleaned
- Laundry tub, taps, lint filter (dryer if present)
- Walls spot-cleaned (no large scuff removal unless agreed)
- Skirting boards, architraves, door tracks dusted
- Wardrobe interiors (shelves, rails) wiped
- Light switches, power points, door handles cleaned
- Cobwebs removed from corners and ceilings
- Window tracks vacuumed and wiped
- Floors vacuumed and mopped (carpets are usually a separate steam-clean)
- Balcony / patio swept and hosed
- Garage floor swept; oil stains noted
- Letterbox emptied and wiped
- Lawn mowed (often excluded, confirm with agent)
- Bins washed where included
- Oven and griller, deep-clean to grease-free state
- Carpet steam clean, required by many agents for bond return
- Internal window cleaning (single storey)
- External window cleaning (often outside scope on multi-storey)
- Wall scuff removal beyond light spot cleaning
- Pet treatment / flea de-bombing (if pet was on lease)
State by State
Which authority handles bond disputes
Australian residential tenancy is regulated state-by-state. The core cleaning expectation is similar everywhere, the dispute process and burden-of-proof rules differ.
NSW Fair Trading
Tenancy Act 2010 sets bond conditions; landlords cannot insist on a specific cleaner. Receipts and photo evidence are the dispute-resolution standard at NCAT.
Consumer Affairs Victoria
Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (amended 2021) requires bond claim breakdown; VCAT applies the 'fair wear and tear' principle vs cleaning standards strictly.
Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA)
Form 14a Final Inspection report drives bond disputes. QCAT defers to professional bond clean receipts as evidence of compliance.
Consumer & Business Services (CBS)
SACAT requires landlord to prove the property was not left in 'similar condition' to start of lease; ingoing/outgoing condition reports are central.
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation & Safety (DMIRS)
Bond claims are decided by the Magistrates Court; photo evidence with timestamps weighs heavily.
Consumer, Building & Occupational Services (CBOS)
Residential Tenancy Commissioner handles disputes; clean to 'reasonably clean' standard vs ingoing condition.
Office of Rental Services / ACAT
ACAT applies 'fair wear and tear' with similar burden of proof to landlord on cleaning shortfall claims.
Consumer Affairs (Fair Lease & Tenancy)
NTCAT handles disputes; tropical-climate conditions can shorten 'reasonably clean' windows, especially for wet-area mould.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Tenancy laws change, for a current dispute, check the relevant authority directly or consult a tenancy advocate.
Tips for tenants and operators
Tenants
- Get the quote in writing with inclusions listed. The oven and carpets are the most-disputed add-ons, make sure they're explicit.
- Be present for the agent's exit inspection if possible. Disputes resolve fastest when both parties see the same property.
- Photograph the property after the clean. Even if the operator photographs, having your own copy helps if the agent flags an item later.
- Re-clean clauses: most reputable operators offer a 72-hour re-clean window if the agent flags a specific inclusion. Confirm before booking.
Operators
- Quote from a structured inclusions checklist, not free text. Customer can't argue scope on the day if it was ticked into the accepted quote.
- Photo-stamp every inclusion at completion. This single habit prevents 80%+ of post-clean disputes.
- Track which agencies request re-cleans. Some routinely flag the same items, price future jobs from that agency with a buffer.
- Quote oven and carpets separately, always. Bundling them into a flat rate destroys margin on properties where they weren't needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a bond clean the same as a regular clean in Australia?
No. A bond clean (also called an end-of-lease, vacate, or move-out clean) is a deep clean specifically scoped to the inclusions agents and landlords expect when returning a rental bond. Standard recurring cleans cover surface tidiness; bond cleans cover ovens, grout, skirting boards, light fittings, window tracks, and other detail items that build up over a tenancy.
Does a bond clean guarantee bond return?
No legitimate cleaner can guarantee bond return, only the agent and tribunal can. What a professional bond clean does guarantee is that the cleaning aspect of the bond release has been completed to industry-standard inclusions. Many operators offer a re-clean if the agent flags specific cleaning items within 72 hours.
Are carpets included in a standard bond clean?
Usually no, carpet steam cleaning is almost always a separate quoted line item. Most agents require receipts from a professional carpet cleaner as part of bond return, especially if pets were on the lease.
What about the oven and rangehood?
The oven is the single most common bond return dispute. Some quotes include it; many treat it as a $40 to $80 add-on. Confirm before booking, leaving it unscoped is the #1 source of post-clean disputes.
Can the landlord insist I use a specific cleaner?
No state in Australia allows a landlord to dictate the cleaner. The tenancy laws all require that the property is returned in 'reasonably clean' or 'similar to original' condition, how that is achieved is the tenant's choice.
Running a bond clean operation?
OneBookPlus turns this checklist into a working scope-of-work with photo evidence per inclusion, built for Australian end-of-lease cleaning operators.
Last reviewed and updated: by Bishal Shrestha
About the author
Bishal Shrestha
Founder & CEO, OneBookPlus
Bishal spent a decade running digital projects for Australian small businesses before founding OneBookPlus. Bishal has helped Australian end-of-lease cleaning operators standardise bond clean inclusions across NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT and NT tenancy regimes.
Read the founder bioMore in this guide
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