Photograph after the final clean
Take wide and close-up photos of kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, floors, windows, tracks, cupboards, oven, cooktop, rangehood, dishwasher, shower screen, toilet, sinks, skirting boards, balconies, garage, and outdoor areas.
Focus on areas that often appear in cleaning callbacks: oven glass, rangehood filters, shower grout, exhaust fans, window tracks, cupboards, light fittings, and floors under appliances or furniture.
Keep the invoice and scope
If you use a cleaner, keep the invoice, date, property address, business name, ABN if shown, and scope of work. If carpet cleaning, pest treatment, or gardening was separate, keep those records too.
If the cleaner offers a callback guarantee, save the terms and the cutoff date. That helps if the agent raises a cleaning issue after key return.
Compare against entry condition
Cleaning claims should be considered against the starting condition and fair wear and tear. If the oven, walls, carpets, windows, or outdoor areas were not perfect at entry, make sure your response includes the entry evidence as well as exit photos.
Consumer Affairs Victoria notes that renters must leave the property reasonably clean and in the same condition as when they moved in, taking fair wear and tear into account.
Respond item by item
If an agent sends a cleaning list, answer by item. Attach the relevant exit photo and receipt where useful. If an item was already marked at entry, include that entry evidence.
A short table or ordered response is easier to assess than a long defensive email.
Sources checked
Reviewed 2026-06-26 against official Australian tenancy authority guidance. This article is general information, not legal advice.