You're leaving your rental home, and naturally you want your full deposit back. Whether that happens depends on the condition in which you leave the property. Landlords and housing associations look closely at holes, colours, damage and cleaning. With this handover checklist, you'll know exactly what needs to be done so you can leave without any deductions.
First: what does the inspection report say?
The golden rule at handover: you return the property to the condition described in the inspection report (also called the condition report) that was drawn up when the tenancy began. If the property was white and plastered back then, that's how you hand it back. Normal wear and tear, a worn patch in the floor or light signs of use, is allowed, and the landlord cannot make you pay for that.
Is there no inspection report? Then the principle of "good tenancy" applies: clean, intact and without any changes you made yourself that aren't permitted.
Dig out the inspection report and the photos from when you moved in. At handover, take fresh photos of every room. That way you'll have evidence on hand should any dispute arise about the condition of the property or deductions from your deposit.
The complete handover checklist
🧱 Walls & ceilings
- Fill drill holes and nail holes and sand them smooth.
- Repaint bright or dark walls in a neutral colour (usually white).
- Remove any wallpaper you put up yourself, if that was agreed.
- Touch up spots where plugs, shelves or a TV bracket were mounted.
🚪 Floors, doors & frames
- Remove floors you laid yourself (laminate, vinyl) if the property was handed over bare.
- Remove adhesive residue from skirting boards and floors.
- Check doors, handles and locks for proper working order; replace any missing keys.
- Repair damaged frames or touch them up with paint.
🔌 Technical & installations
- Check that all sockets, switches and lights work.
- Refit cover plates and neatly restore any wiring you fitted yourself.
- Test smoke detectors and replace flat batteries.
- Check taps, drains and the central heating system for leaks.
🍳 Kitchen & bathroom
- Clean kitchen cupboards, oven, fridge and extractor hood inside and out.
- Descale taps, shower, washbasin and toilet; remove mould from grout and sealant.
- Replace blackened or mouldy sealant where needed.
- Make sure any appliances you removed are properly capped off (gas/water/electrics).
🧹 Garden, shed & cleaning
- Tidy the garden: weeds removed, pruning waste taken away, no items left behind.
- Empty and sweep the shed, storage area and any attic.
- Remove all your belongings and residual waste completely, leave nothing behind.
- Clean the whole property to a broom-clean standard: windows, floors, windowsills and bathroom.
Getting a property handover-ready quickly adds up to a few days' work, especially if there's odd-job work and painting to do after the move, when you're already tired. Plan plenty of time, or hand the finishing work over to a professional.
The pre-inspection: your best friend
Many landlords offer a pre-inspection a few weeks before the end of the tenancy. Always make use of this. You walk through the property together with the landlord and receive a list of points that still need fixing. That way you know exactly what's expected and avoid surprises at the final handover, when it's too late to repair anything.
Do it yourself or outsource?
Small things like filling holes and cleaning are easy enough to do yourself. But if there's serious painting to do, a floor to remove, or sealant to replace, and you've just been through an entire move? Then it pays to outsource the handover. A professional gets the property ready in one go, often faster and tidier than you could yourself.
That's exactly what The Final Touch by DURA is for: wrapping up those last jobs, painting, repairs, filling holes and cleaning, so you can hand in the key with peace of mind. Expect a rate from €45 per hour for odd-job work; simple lifting and clearing work starts from €37.50 per hour.
Want your property made handover-ready?
DURA takes care of the final touch on your rental home in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe, painting, repairs and cleaning. So you secure your deposit without doing the work yourself.