Most tenants clean their home before final inspection based on what looks dirty to them. Property managers inspect based on a structured checklist — and those two approaches produce very different results. After years of completing bond cleans alongside Brisbane property managers, we know exactly what's on that list. Here it is, room by room.
How property managers approach a final inspection
A final inspection typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. The property manager works through the property systematically — room by room, surface by surface — comparing the current condition against the entry condition report from the start of the tenancy. They're not casually looking around. They're checking specific items in a specific order.
They'll open ovens. They'll run their hand along blind slats. They'll check inside cupboards and wardrobes. They'll look at grout. They've done this hundreds of times and they know exactly what to look for and where.
Important: The benchmark at final inspection isn't "is it clean?" It's "does it match the entry condition report?" Fair wear and tear is allowed — but cleaning deficiencies are not.
Room by room: what gets checked
🍳 Kitchen
- Oven interior — walls, base, roof, element, racks and trays
- Oven door glass — inside and out (the inside is almost always missed)
- Rangehood — exterior, interior and filter (grease builds up and is always checked)
- Stovetop and burners or induction surface
- All cupboards and drawers — inside and out, including hinges and edges
- Pantry interior — shelves, base and walls
- Dishwasher interior — filter, spray arms, door seal
- Sink, tap and surrounding benchtop
- Splashback degreased
- Fridge space if fridge is included
🚿 Bathrooms
- Shower tiles — scrubbed, not just wiped
- Shower grout — mould and soap scum are both flagged
- Shower screen — mineral deposits and soap residue checked
- Shower screen tracks and seals
- Bath interior and exterior if applicable
- Toilet — bowl, under the rim, seat, base and cistern
- Vanity inside and out
- All mirrors and glass polished
- Taps and fixtures — limescale and water marks checked
- Exhaust fan cover
- Floor grout and tiles mopped
🏠 Bedrooms & Living Areas
- Walls — marks, scuffs and stains throughout
- Skirting boards — dust and marks
- Ceiling fans — dust on blades (commonly missed)
- Light fittings — dust and insects inside globes
- Blinds — each slat front and back
- Curtains — dust and marks if applicable
- Wardrobe interiors — shelves, rail and base
- Light switches and power points — grime around edges
- Door frames, handles and edges
- Architraves
🪟 Windows & Floors
- Interior windows — glass cleaned
- Window tracks — dirt and debris cleared
- Window sills — dust and marks
- Sliding door tracks
- Fly screens if applicable
- All hard floors vacuumed and mopped
- Carpet — professionally cleaned if required by lease
- Carpet edges and transitions
🧺 Laundry
- Laundry tub and tap
- Washing machine exterior
- Dryer exterior and lint filter
- Shelving and cupboard interiors
- Floor mopped
The items that cause the most disputes
Based on what we see coming back from inspections, the most commonly disputed items are:
- The oven — almost always the first thing flagged if not professionally cleaned
- Shower grout — mould is considered a cleaning issue, not wear and tear
- Blind slats — tenants wipe them, PMs check underneath
- Cupboard interiors — crumbs and residue inside drawers and shelves
- Walls — marks and scuffs that weren't there at entry
- Rangehood filter — grease buildup is always flagged
What happens if something gets flagged
If the property manager identifies cleaning issues at final inspection, they'll issue a notice requiring the work to be completed before the bond is released. You'll need to arrange a re-clean and a re-inspection — which adds time and stress to an already busy period.
This is why using a professional bond cleaner with a guarantee makes sense. At Bardon Clean, if your property manager raises any cleaning issue after our bond clean, we return within 24 hours and re-clean at no charge.
Want us to handle the whole checklist?
We clean to the standard property managers inspect against. Bond back guaranteed.
See Our Bond Clean Service →