5 things landlords always check at the move-out inspection
A move-out inspection is all about details. You may have vacuumed and mopped, but if the landlord finds grease on the extractor filter or limescale in the bathroom, it can mean a new inspection, a bill for extra cleaning or a deduction from your deposit. Most failed inspections are not about the main clean, but about the same five overlooked spots. Know them and you pass first time.
1. Panels and skirting boards
Skirting boards collect dust, hair and grime along the entire edge of the floor, and it is one of the first things an experienced landlord runs a finger across. Wipe all the panels with a damp cloth, and remember door frames and door faces, where greasy fingerprints and scuff marks settle. It is a simple task, but it is almost always missed because it is not visible when you are standing up.
2. Window sills and frames
Interior windows must be cleaned, but it is the sills and frames that give away a rushed job. Dead insects, dust in the corners and limescale spots on the glass draw the eye. Wipe the frames, clean the tracks where the window closes, and polish the glass streak-free. A clean window lets the light in and gives the whole room a cared-for look.
3. The extractor filter
The extractor hood grease filter is a classic trap point. It sits hidden, so it is forgotten, but a landlord always pulls it out and looks. A filter sticky with old grease is a sure sign of a surface clean. Most metal filters can be washed in the dishwasher or soaked in hot water with a degreasing dish soap.
4. The oven
The oven deserves its own place on the list because it carries a lot of weight. Burnt-on grease on the bottom and a sooty glass door are among the most frequently noted items on inspection reports. Spend time on it, perhaps with a gentle baking-soda paste overnight, and remember the racks, the baking trays and the inside of the glass door.
5. Limescale in the bathroom
The hard water in West Jutland leaves limescale on tiles, fixtures, shower heads and glass screens, and in towns like Skjern, Tarm and Ringkøbing it builds up quickly enough that we treat descaling as a standard step rather than an extra. Even a freshly cleaned bathroom looks sloppy with white limescale marks. Descale with a suitable product, polish the fixtures and wipe the glass screens completely clear. A limescale-free bathroom is often what makes the inspection go smoothly.
How to pass first time
Get the landlord's or housing association's checklist in advance if there is one, and follow it point by point. Work top to bottom so you do not drop dust on something you have just cleaned, and set aside more time than you think you will need. A failed inspection almost always costs more than the time a thorough clean takes.
The hidden spots beyond the top five
Once the five big items are handled, a few more details separate a pass from a borderline result. Light switches and power sockets gather greasy fingerprints that show up clearly against white plastic. Radiators collect dust on top and between the fins, where it is easy to forget. The inside and tops of kitchen cabinets, the rubber seal of the fridge, and the filter and drawer of the washing machine are all classic places an inspector reaches into. Behind and beneath appliances, where dust and crumbs gather over years of tenancy, is worth a final pass too. None of these take long on their own, but together they are the difference between a home that looks cleaned and one that looks genuinely cared for, which is the impression that gets a deposit returned in full.
Let us take the move-out cleaning
We are a fixed 2-person team based in Bork, and we do inspection-ready move-out cleaning approved by landlords in Varde, Esbjerg, Skjern, Tarm and Ringkøbing among others. We know the five points, we are happy to follow your landlord's checklist, and we make sure the home passes the inspection first time. Send us the address and square metres and get a fast quote.