What Real Estate Agents Actually Check at End of Lease Inspections

Melbourne property managers are famously thorough, especially in high-demand suburbs like South Yarra, Richmond, and Hawthorn. They have a mental checklist honed from hundreds of inspections, and they know exactly where tenants cut corners. Here is what they are really looking for when they walk through with their clipboard.

The Bathroom: Silicone, Grout, and "Pink Mould"

The bathroom is where most inspections stall. Agents look specifically for pink or black mould in shower recesses, a sign of inadequate ventilation or cleaning. They will also check the silicone bead around the bath and shower base, which discolours over time.

• Mould in grout lines or on silicone is flagged every time, professional tile and grout cleaning is the only reliable fix
• Exhaust fans collect dust that is visible from below; wipe the grille clean
• Shower screens need to be completely soap-scum-free and streak-free
• If silicone is discoloured beyond cleaning, re-caulking is worth considering before the inspection

The "Finger Slide" Test

This is the move that catches tenants off guard. The agent will run a finger along the top of door frames, the blades of ceiling fans, and, most commonly, the inside of the dishwasher filter. These are spots that DIY cleans almost always miss.

Light Switches, Power Points, and Skirting Boards

These are magnets for scuffs, fingerprints, and built-up dust, and agents notice immediately when they haven't been wiped down. Skirting boards in particular attract pet hair and dust that settles in the gap between the board and the floor.

• Wipe every light switch and power point with a damp microfibre cloth
• Run a cloth along the top and face of every skirting board
• Check door handles, grease and grime builds up at contact points
• Wipe down all architraves, especially around bedroom doors

Appliance Internals: Beyond the Obvious

Agents don't just open the oven door, they pull out the racks and check the ceiling of the oven cavity. They also look at the rubber door seal on the washing machine, the crumb tray of the toaster (if provided), and the interior walls of the microwave.

• Professional oven cleaning removes carbonised grease that no surface spray can touch
• The washing machine rubber seal harbours mould, wipe inside every fold
• Pull out the dishwasher filter and rinse it under warm water

Windows, Tracks, and Fly Screens

Streaky windows are an automatic fail in most inspections. But agents also check the window tracks, compacted dirt and dead insects in the grooves are very common, and the fly screens, which should be wipe-clean. Our window cleaning service includes tracks and sills, not just the glass.

The Exit Report Approach

Treating the inspection as a business transaction, not a personal judgment, helps. Presenting a professional "Exit Report" from your cleaner, listing every area addressed and confirming a re-clean guarantee, signals to the property manager that the property has been handled professionally. This alone often prevents disputes before they start.

Ready to go into your final inspection with confidence? Book Spot On's end of lease cleaning service and get your bond back. We also cover carpet cleaning and window cleaning as part of a complete vacate package.