End of tenancy: the outdoor jobs that cost tenants their bond

Everyone cleans inside. The outside is where it goes wrong

Come moving week, the oven gets scrubbed, the carpets get done, and the section gets forgotten until the final inspection. Tenancy agreements generally expect a property to be left reasonably clean and tidy, and outdoor areas count. Overgrown lawns, weedy beds and a garage full of what you did not want to move are the usual culprits.

The outdoor list

• Lawns mowed and edged, right before you hand back the keys, not a fortnight earlier.
• Garden beds weeded and looking maintained rather than merely alive.
• Hedges and shrubs back to roughly the size they were when you arrived.
• Paths and drive swept, with oil stains dealt with if you can.
• Gutters clear, especially if that was in your agreement.
• Garage, shed and under the house emptied. Anything left behind becomes someone else's problem and often your deduction.
• Rubbish gone, including the green waste pile behind the shed and the bins themselves.

The ones people genuinely forget

Behind the shed. The side path nobody walks down. The compost heap. The trailer-load of prunings from that burst of enthusiasm last spring. And the big one, the garage: a garage full of leftovers is the single most common end-of-tenancy deduction, because the landlord has to pay someone to remove it, and they charge accordingly.

For landlords and property managers

The counter-move is simple: get the outdoor reset done fast between tenants so the property lists well and the next tenancy starts clean. Andy does exactly this across Christchurch under rental property maintenance, usually within days of the keys coming back, with photos for the property file. Note this is general guidance rather than legal advice. For what is actually required in a specific tenancy, check your agreement and Tenancy Services.

Moving out, or turning a rental around? Andy clears and tidies outdoor areas fast: property cleaning, yard cleanups and tip runs. Call or text 027 787 3246.

Related briefings

• Healthy Homes: the outdoor items landlords keep missing
• Tip run vs hiring a skip in Christchurch: which works out cheaper?
• How often should you mow your lawn in Christchurch?

← All briefings from the General