Does the property need to be professionally cleaned?
No, the property does not automatically need to be professionally cleaned when you move out. You are only legally required to leave the premises in the same condition as when you moved in, minus fair wear and tear. Landlords cannot force a professional clean without a valid legal reason.
Was this helpful?
14 readers found this helpful
How it works in practice
Many tenants believe they must hire professional cleaners at the end of their lease, but the law in New South Wales sets a different standard. The legal requirement is simply that the property must be returned in the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear.
The Legal Standard
The Residential Tenancies Act 2010 requires properties to be left "reasonably clean." If the property was not professionally cleaned when you moved in, the landlord or real estate agent cannot demand that you pay for a professional service when you vacate.
Condition Reports
Your primary evidence is the ingoing condition report. You should compare the current state of the property to the detailed notes and photographs taken at the beginning of your lease. If you have maintained the original cleanliness standard, doing the cleaning yourself is completely acceptable.
Invalid Lease Clauses
Any standard lease clause that automatically requires a tenant to have carpets professionally cleaned or use a specific professional cleaning company is generally void and unenforceable under NSW law. Agents cannot withhold your bond simply because you cleaned the property yourself.
Important exceptions
There is one primary exception where a landlord can legally require a professional clean in New South Wales. If you have been granted permission to keep a pet at the property, the landlord can include a special term in your tenancy agreement requiring professional carpet cleaning or professional pest control at the end of the tenancy.
Additionally, if the property was demonstrably professionally cleaned right before you moved in—and this was explicitly documented in your ingoing condition report—you may be expected to return it to that exact same professional standard to avoid bond deductions.
What you should do now
-
Review your initial condition report to determine the exact level of cleanliness documented when you first moved in.
-
Check your tenancy agreement for any legally valid special clauses regarding pets and professional cleaning requirements.
-
Thoroughly clean the property yourself, paying close attention to often-missed areas like ovens, exhaust fans, and skirting boards.
-
Take date-stamped photographs of every room after you finish cleaning to serve as indisputable proof of the property's condition.
-
Claim your bond directly through NSW Fair Trading's Rental Bonds Online immediately after handing back the keys to prevent unjustified deductions.
Expert Notes
No expert notes have been added to this question yet.
People also asked
Explore highly relevant questions and get instant verified short answers.