Quick answer: If you do not clean the property to the agreed standard, your agent can arrange a professional clean and deduct the cost from your bond. If you disagree with the deduction, the dispute can go to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). Cleaning properly, or booking a bond clean, avoids all of this.
The likely outcome
At the final inspection, the property is compared with your entry condition report. If it is not clean enough, the agent will usually:
- Note the issues and give you a chance to fix them, or
- Arrange cleaning and claim the cost from your bond.
Cleaning charged by the agent is often more than booking it yourself, and you lose control over the price.
If you disagree
You can dispute a bond claim through NSW Fair Trading, and if it is not resolved, it can go to NCAT. Dated before-and-after photos and a professional cleaning receipt are strong evidence. Learn more in our guide on how to get your bond back.
How to avoid it
Clean to the inspection standard using our end of lease checklist, or book a professional bond clean. We back ours with a 72-hour free re-clean if your agent is not satisfied.
Frequently asked questions
Can a landlord keep my bond for cleaning?
They can claim reasonable cleaning costs from your bond if the property is not left clean, but they must be able to justify the amount. You can dispute it if you disagree.
What if I clean but the agent still is not happy?
Ask for the specific issues in writing and fix them. With our service, if the agent flags something within 72 hours, we return to re-clean the flagged areas free.
Need it done for you? Get a fixed-price bond clean with a 72-hour free re-clean guarantee. Get your free quote or call 1300 310 070.