The average UK void period costs a landlord £1,000-£1,800 in lost rent, cleaning, repairs and re-marketing - and cleaning alone is the single biggest cause of deposit disputes, responsible for over a quarter of all cases raised with the deposit protection schemes. A disciplined end-of-tenancy checklist puts most of that time and money back in your pocket.
We handle tenant changeovers most weeks for landlords in Yateley, Camberley, Sandhurst and Wokingham, and the checklist below is the exact sequence we work through on every property.
4-6 weeks before move-out
- Write to the tenant confirming the last day of tenancy, rent owing and deposit return process.
- Share the original inventory and check-in report so there are no surprises at check-out.
- Diary the gas safety certificate (CP12), EICR and EPC - renew any that expire mid-void.
- Book a professional cleaner and changeover team provisionally. In our area, late-month Fridays fill first.
Move-out day: the pre-departure inspection
A pre-departure walk-through with the outgoing tenant present is the single most effective deposit-dispute defence you have. Photograph every room with a timestamp, noting:
- Walls, paintwork and fixtures vs. the check-in report.
- Flooring - especially high-traffic areas, pet damage and burn marks.
- Kitchen: inside oven, extractor, fridge seals, cupboards, tops of units.
- Bathroom: grout, sealant, limescale, shower screen.
- Gardens, sheds and bin stores (often forgotten - and often filthy).
- All meter readings and smoke/CO alarm tests.
The essential repairs and maintenance list
A tight changeover is a profit lever. The jobs we almost always find and fix between tenants:
- Touch-up painting and scuff removal (£250-£400 per floor).
- Silicone sealant renewal in bath and kitchen (£40-£80).
- Dripping taps, slow drains and loose toilet seats.
- Blown bulbs, cracked switch plates, failed door handles.
- Garden tidy: hedge cut back, lawn cut, leaves cleared.
- Gutter clear and roof check - particularly after winter tenancies.
- New smoke alarm batteries and dated carbon monoxide alarm checks.
Clearance and rubbish removal
Tenants routinely leave behind mattresses, broken white goods, garden furniture and cardboard mountains. A professional end-of-tenancy clearance for a two-bed flat typically runs £250-£450 and a three-bed house £450-£750, including licensed disposal. Always keep your waste transfer note - under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the landlord (not the tenant) is liable if waste ends up fly-tipped.
Professional clean: who pays, and how much?
Post-2019, landlords in England can no longer require a paid professional clean as a condition of tenancy - but you can still require the property to be returned at the same standard of cleanliness as the check-in inventory. In practice: charge cleaning against the deposit only where photo evidence plainly shows a drop from check-in. Expect to pay £180-£280 for a two-bed and £280-£400 for a three-bed professional end-of-tenancy clean in our region.
Deposit return: the 10-day rule
Return the deposit within 10 days of agreement on deductions. If the tenant disputes, escalate to your deposit scheme (DPS, mydeposits or TDS) rather than hold funds indefinitely - holding deposits without justification has cost landlords tribunal awards of up to 3x the deposit. Document everything: check-in report, check-out report, photos, contractor invoices. Judges love paperwork.
Getting the property re-let faster
A turnkey changeover - clearance, clean, repairs and photos - done in 72 hours means losing one week of rent instead of three. Across our landlord clients in Hampshire and Berkshire, a full turnkey package typically costs £600-£1,200 and pays for itself against even one week of avoided void. Browse our landlord services or get in touch for a portfolio rate.