The difference between getting the deposit back and losing it usually comes down to six or seven specific things.
A move-out clean is not a deep clean
They look alike, but the goal is different. A deep clean aims to make a space spotless to live in. A move-out clean aims to have a third party — the owner or the manager — sign it off.
That changes where the effort goes.
The points that actually get checked
- Inside the appliances: oven, refrigerator and dishwasher.
- Inside cabinets and drawers, not just the doors.
- Bathroom grout and caulk, where mildew shows.
- Baseboards, frames and the tops of doors.
- Vent hood filters and HVAC returns.
- Furniture marks on walls, and nail holes filled.
Nearly every deposit deduction we have seen comes from this list, not from obvious dirt.
We work from a signed checklist and hand over photos, so there is a record of the condition the property was left in.
