The move-out cleaning checklist landlords actually inspect
The specific items agents check at handover, in the order they check them, and the five that cause most deposit deductions.
The specific items agents check at handover, in the order they check them, and the five that cause most deposit deductions.
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Deposit disputes in the UAE rarely turn on big things. They turn on an extractor filter, the inside of an oven, a moldy shower seal and a scuffed skirting board, because those are the items an agent can point to in a two-page report.
This is the checklist our handover teams work to. You are welcome to use it yourself, or to hand it to whoever you appoint.
The five that cause most deductions
- Kitchen extractor and filters. Grease-loaded filters are the single most commonly cited item. They need degreasing or replacing, not wiping.
- Oven interior, including the door glass and racks. Agents open the oven. Always.
- Shower silicone and grout. Blackened silicone is treated as damage rather than dirt, and often needs cutting out and replacing.
- AC filters and grilles. Dusty grilles suggest the system was never maintained, which invites a wider inspection.
- Wall marks and picture holes. Filling and touching-up is expected; leaving them is a charge.
Room by room
| Area | What gets inspected |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Cabinet interiors and tops, extractor and filters, oven and hob, splashback, sink and drain, behind and under appliances, worktop edges |
| Bathrooms | Grout and silicone, shower screen limescale, taps and shower head descaled, extract vent, under-basin, WC fixings and cistern |
| Bedrooms | Wardrobe interiors, shelves and rails, wardrobe tops, skirtings, door frames and handles, window tracks and sills |
| Living areas | Floor edges and corners, skirtings, switch plates, AC grilles, curtain rails, balcony door tracks |
| Balcony | Floor washed, drain clear, railings, glass, ceiling and light fitting |
| Whole property | Interior glass, light fittings and shades, ceiling corners, all vents, all handles |
What to do in the two weeks before handover
- Book the deep clean for the day before the inspection, not a week before
- Arrange touch-up painting after the clean, not before, or you will mark fresh paint
- Have AC filters cleaned and grilles washed
- Replace failed bulbs and any missing switch plates
- Have sofas and carpets professionally cleaned if they were provided with the property
- Photograph everything on completion, with a timestamp
That last point matters more than people expect. A dated photographic record of the property in handover condition settles most disputes before they start, and we provide one on request as part of a move-out clean.
What a handover clean should cost
Move-in and move-out cleaning starts from AED 599 and is priced on property size and condition. A furnished property takes longer than an empty one, and a property with pets, heavy cooking or long occupancy longer again.
Where painting touch-ups are also needed, combining both on the same booking saves a second mobilization and earns the 10 per cent second-service discount.
Common questions
After. An empty property can be cleaned properly, including under and behind everything, and it is what the inspection will be against.
We provide a photographic completion record on request, which most agents accept as evidence of handover condition.
Yes, and it is common to book both together. We clean first, then paint, then do a final wipe so nothing is left marked.
End of month is the busiest window in the UAE rental cycle. Book at least a week ahead for the last three days of any month.
Services covered in this guide
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