What the law in NSW actually says

Under residential tenancy law in NSW, a tenant must leave the premises in a reasonably clean condition and in the same condition as at the start of the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear. The benchmark is the condition report completed when you moved in, not the agent’s personal preference and not a professional invoice.

Nothing in that requires a paid cleaner. If you can return the property to that standard yourself, you have met your obligation. See the NSW Government guidance on getting your bond back and the Tenants’ Union of NSW bond factsheet for the official position.

Can an agent insist on a professional clean or a receipt?

Generally, a blanket clause requiring professional cleaning at the end of every tenancy is not enforceable in NSW, because it asks for more than the law requires. What an agent can do is hold you to the reasonably clean standard, and if the property falls short they can claim the cost of putting it right from your bond.

Carpet cleaning is the common exception. Many leases contain a specific carpet steam cleaning clause, often tied to whether pets were kept. Where that clause exists and is reasonable, agents do commonly ask for a receipt. This is why carpet steam cleaning is priced separately on our site and comes with a receipt on the invoice.

If you are told a professional clean is compulsory and you disagree, the NSW Government guidance on bond disputes sets out how a bond dispute is handled. This page is general information, not legal advice.

What agents actually check at the final inspection

The gap between a good household clean and a passing exit clean is nearly always the same short list of items. These are what appear on exit reports:

When doing it yourself works

DIY is realistic when the property is small, in good condition, has hard floors rather than carpet, and you have a clear day or two after the furniture is out. A studio or one bedroom unit in decent order is very doable.

It gets harder when there is carpet with a steam cleaning clause, an oven that has not been touched in a year, established shower mould, or you are handing back keys the same week you start a new job. The risk is not the cleaning itself, it is doing it under time pressure while also moving house.

The maths worth doing

A bond in NSW is usually four weeks’ rent. At $700 a week that is $2,800. A three bedroom bond clean from us is $440, about 16% of the bond. If a final inspection fails on cleaning, the usual outcome is that the agent arranges a clean and deducts the cost, at a price you did not negotiate and from a provider you did not choose.

So the comparison is not the cleaning fee against zero. It is the cleaning fee against the risk to the bond, plus the two days you would spend doing it yourself.

What it costs, with nothing hidden

Our bond cleans are priced by bedroom count, GST included:

Every bathroom, ensuite and powder room is included at any property size, and there is no charge for extra storeys. The oven, rangehood and inside windows are part of the clean, not add-ons. Carpet steam cleaning is the main optional extra at $110 per room.

Only four things can change that price, and all four are shown before you confirm: extras you choose, a furnished property (+20%), same-day urgency (+25%), and after hours, Sunday or public holiday work (+30%). There is no call-out fee, no booking fee, no travel charge within Sydney metro, no per-bathroom fee and no equipment charge. Build your exact figure on the pricing page.

How we do it

1. You build the price yourself on the pricing page, set your property, tick any extras and see the total with GST included.
2. You pick a date and time and the booking is confirmed in writing, with the price and the scope set before the day.
3. We arrive with everything, products and equipment included. You do not need to be there as long as we have access.
4. We work the exit checklist room by room, in the order agents inspect.
5. You get the invoice and any receipts, including the carpet steam receipt if you booked one, which is what agents ask to see.
6. If your agent flags a cleaning item, tell us within 48 hours and we return within 5 business days to fix it at no cost.

Common questions

Related reading: what a bond clean costs, how to get your bond back in NSW, the full bond cleaning checklist and what happens if you do not clean.