End of tenancy cleaning and deposit glossary

Moving out of a rented property comes with its own vocabulary, from check-out reports to fair wear and tear. The definitions below explain what each term means in the UK and how it relates to getting your deposit back.

Adjudication

The free, evidence-based decision service run by a deposit protection scheme to settle a dispute between a tenant and landlord. An independent adjudicator reviews the inventory, check-out report and photos, then decides how the disputed deposit is split.

Assured shorthold tenancy (AST)

The most common type of residential tenancy in England, used by most private landlords. Any deposit taken on an AST must by law be placed in a government-backed protection scheme within 30 days.

Betterment

The principle that a landlord cannot use your deposit to end up better off than before the tenancy began. A deduction should only restore the original condition, allowing for fair wear and tear, not pay for a brand-new replacement of something that was already worn or old.

Check-in inventory

A detailed report, usually with photographs, recording the condition, cleanliness and contents of a property at the start of a tenancy. It is the benchmark your property is compared against when you move out, so the standard it describes is the standard you are expected to return. Read more.

Check-out report

An inspection carried out at the end of a tenancy that compares the property’s condition against the check-in inventory. It is the main piece of evidence used to decide whether any cleaning or damage deductions are taken from your deposit. Read more.

Deep clean

A thorough clean that goes beyond routine tidying to tackle built-up grime, including inside appliances, behind and under furniture, and neglected areas. It can be booked at any time and is not tied to a specific check-in standard. Read more.

Deposit deduction

Money a landlord proposes to withhold from your tenancy deposit, typically for cleaning, damage beyond fair wear and tear, unpaid rent or missing items. Any deduction must be reasonable and supported by evidence such as the inventory and check-out report. Read more.

Deposit dispute

A disagreement over how much of the deposit should be returned, which can be referred to the free adjudication service run by your deposit protection scheme. The disputed amount is held by the scheme until the dispute is resolved.

Deposit protection scheme

A government-backed service that holds or insures a tenant’s deposit during the tenancy. In England and Wales there are three approved schemes: the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) and mydeposits.

Descaling

The process of removing limescale from taps, shower screens, tiles, kettles and other surfaces using an acidic cleaner. It is a common requirement at the end of a tenancy in hard-water areas, where limescale builds up quickly.

Dilapidations

The disrepair, damage or cleaning shortfalls a property shows at the end of a tenancy compared with its agreed condition. Landlords may seek to recover the reasonable cost of putting genuine dilapidations right, but not normal wear and tear.

End of tenancy clean

A full clean of an empty property carried out when a tenancy ends, designed to return it to the condition recorded in the check-in inventory. It is judged against that inventory rather than against a general idea of how clean a home should be. Read more.

Fair wear and tear

The gradual, reasonable deterioration that happens to a property and its contents through normal day-to-day living. Landlords cannot charge a tenant for fair wear and tear, such as lightly worn carpets or faded paint, only for damage or neglect beyond it.

HMO

A house in multiple occupation, where three or more tenants from more than one household share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. Larger HMOs need a licence from the local council, and shared areas are often the main focus of an end of tenancy clean.

Inventory clerk

An independent professional who prepares the check-in inventory and carries out the check-out report. Using an impartial clerk helps both tenant and landlord rely on the same record of the property’s condition.

Letting agent

A company that markets a rental property, finds tenants and arranges the start of a tenancy on a landlord’s behalf. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, a letting agent in England cannot charge tenants for services such as referencing, inventories or end of tenancy cleaning.

Limescale

The hard, chalky white deposit left by hard water on taps, tiles, shower screens and inside kettles. It is one of the most common issues flagged at check-out in hard-water regions and usually needs a dedicated descaler to remove.

Managing agent

An agent who handles the day-to-day running of a tenancy after it begins, including repairs, inspections and the check-out. On a managed property it is usually the managing agent, rather than the landlord directly, who deals with your deposit and any deductions.

Move-out

The point at which a tenant leaves the property and returns the keys, ending their right to occupy it. The condition of the property at move-out, recorded in the check-out report, determines whether the deposit is returned in full.

Professional clean

A clean carried out to a professional standard, often required where the check-in inventory records that the property was professionally cleaned at the start. A tenancy agreement cannot force you to pay for one, but you must still return the property to its recorded condition. Read more.

Schedule of condition

A dated record, usually with photographs, describing the exact state of a property and its fixtures at an agreed point, most often the start of a tenancy. It works alongside the inventory to set the baseline your check-out is measured against.

Snagging

Identifying and listing minor faults, marks or unfinished items so they can be put right, often after a clean or before a property is re-let. At check-out, a snagging-style walk-through helps catch small issues before they become deposit deductions.

Tenancy deposit

A sum of money a tenant pays at the start of a tenancy as security against unpaid rent, damage or cleaning costs. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, deposits on most tenancies in England are capped at five weeks’ rent where the annual rent is under £50,000.

Tenant Fees Act 2019

Legislation that bans most letting fees charged to tenants in England and caps tenancy deposits. It means a landlord or agent cannot require you to pay for an end of tenancy clean as a condition of the tenancy, though you are still responsible for leaving the property in its agreed condition. Read more.

Void clean

A clean of an empty property during a void period, the gap between one tenancy ending and the next beginning. It readies the property for new tenants or for marketing, and is typically arranged by the landlord or agent rather than the outgoing tenant. Read more.