Moving out? Your end-of-tenancy cleaning checklist

Before you book the clean

Make a room-by-room list and compare it with the condition information and inventory you have for the property. Note surfaces that need specialist care and areas that cannot be reached safely. Share clear photographs with the cleaner when a room's condition is difficult to explain.

Confirm whether the quoted work includes the inside of the oven, fridge, cupboards and windows. Ask separately about carpets, upholstery, balconies and outside areas. A label such as ‘deep clean’ is less useful than a written list of what will actually be done. Record any excluded work so you can make another arrangement if needed.

Kitchen: work from the inside out

Empty cupboards and remove food before the appointment if their interiors are included. Arrange any fridge or freezer preparation in accordance with the appliance instructions, and make sure essential utilities will remain available for the visit.

• Cupboard and drawer interiors, once emptied, plus accessible fronts and handles.
• Worktops, splashbacks, sink and taps, with a suitable method for each finish.
• Appliance exteriors and the agreed appliance interiors.
• Accessible edges, skirting boards, bins and the floor.

Bathrooms, bedrooms and living spaces

Removing personal items makes it easier to see what needs attention and prevents time being spent working around boxes. Do not assume a cleaner will move heavy furniture or take away unwanted belongings.

• Bathroom: toilet, basin, bath or shower, accessible fittings, mirrors and floor.
• Bedrooms and living spaces: accessible surfaces, shelving, cupboard interiors where agreed and floors.
• Throughout: doors, handles, switches where suitable, skirting boards and accessible internal glass.
• Record damage or maintenance issues separately from cleaning tasks; cleaning will not repair a broken fitting or worn surface.

Put London access details in the booking brief

For a flat, include the floor, whether there is a working lift, how the team should enter and any building access restrictions. If parking requires a visitor permit or the street has loading restrictions, clarify the arrangement before the visit. Do not promise that a space will be available unless you can arrange it.

Coordinate the clean after belongings have been removed where possible. Allow a buffer before key handover rather than scheduling the two back to back. If decorators or repair trades will still be working, discuss the order of visits so dust or foot traffic does not undo the finished clean.

Finish with a walkthrough

Walk through each room against the agreed checklist while there is still time to raise a missed item. Check cupboards and appliance interiors that were included, confirm the property has been secured and agree where keys are being handed over.

Keep the agreed scope, any receipt and your own dated photographs together. This guide helps you organise the cleaning; it does not promise a particular inspection result or deposit outcome. If something falls outside cleaning, identify the separate repair or discussion it needs rather than adding it to the cleaner's list at the last minute.