Move-Out Checklist

What this document is

The last day of a tenancy is where deposits are won and lost. A move-out checklist walks both sides through a clean ending: the property emptied and cleaned, final meter readings taken, keys counted back, the condition compared against the move-in record, and the deposit amount and return date agreed — or the disagreement documented precisely instead of loudly.

Its power is symmetry with move-in. Where the day-one records fixed the baseline, the move-out checklist closes each loop: same meters, same key count, same room-by-room walkthrough. Deductions, if any, get named and priced on paper rather than subtracted silently from the refund. Tenants leave with proof they returned the unit properly; landlords keep evidence of anything genuinely owed.

When to use it

• A tenancy is ending and the final walkthrough is being scheduled.
• The tenant wants the deposit conversation settled on the spot, not weeks later by message.
• The landlord found damage and wants deductions itemized and acknowledged rather than disputed.
• An agent is checking the unit back on the landlord's behalf and needs a standard record.
• The lease is ending early by agreement and both sides want the handback documented.

When not to use it

• An eviction or contested departure — that is a legal process needing local advice, not a checklist.
• After the tenant has already left — document what you find, but a jointly signed comparison is no longer possible.
• Recording the deposit repayment itself — that is the job of a deposit refund confirmation once the money moves.

Information you will need

• Date of the final walkthrough and who attended
• Final electricity and water meter readings, with photos
• Number of keys, cards, and remotes returned, matched against move-in
• The move-in condition checklist and photos, brought for comparison
• Notes on any damage beyond normal wear, with photos and estimated costs
• Status of final utility bills and building fees
• Tenant's bank account or e-wallet details for the deposit refund
• Agreed refund amount and the date it will be paid

Clauses included

How to sign it

Do the walkthrough together with the move-in records in hand — comparing against a signed baseline turns opinion into observation. Both sides sign the completed checklist and each keeps a copy, photos included.

If you disagree about an item, write the disagreement down: what the landlord claims, what the tenant says, photos of the spot. A documented disagreement can be resolved calmly later; an undocumented one becomes a story that grows.

Agree the refund amount and date before leaving the property if at all possible, and follow up with a deposit refund confirmation when the money is actually paid.

Common mistakes

• Handing back the keys before the walkthrough, giving away the tenant's main leverage for a fair comparison.
• Comparing against memory instead of the move-in checklist and photos.
• Accepting a promise to transfer the deposit soon with no amount or date on paper.
• Forgetting final meter readings, which lets one utility bill sour an otherwise clean handback.
• Charging or accepting a round-number deduction with no itemization — real costs have line items.
• Leaving without exchanging contact and bank details for the refund.

Frequently asked questions