Moving Out of a Perth Rental With Kids: 9 Things to Do Before Returning the Keys

More than a quarter of occupied private dwellings in Greater Perth were rented at the 2021 Census, so rental handovers are a familiar part of moving for many Perth households. Children make it easy to overlook the small details during a move. The sticky mess from a high chair. A drawing on the wall at a child’s eye level. The cubby still sitting out the back. That makes the final handover easy to underestimate. Below is a list of things to check during the handover process, starting with the documentation and working through the clear-out, the move and the clean.

Rental Handover Facts

About 27 out of every 100 occupied private dwellings in Greater Perth (26.6%) were rented (2021 Census).

The landlord has 14 days after the tenancy ends to provide a copy of the final condition report to the tenant.

Tenants must be given a reasonable opportunity to attend the final inspection. Work commitments, for example FIFO or shift work, can be taken into account.

At the end of a tenancy, the dwelling should be left in a similar condition to the beginning of the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear.

1. Start with your condition report

While it’s important to know your rights, there are a few practical steps to take first. When it’s time to leave, you’ll want the condition report from when you moved in, as well as the pictures you took then. Those can help if there is a disagreement about the property’s condition at the end.

If the condition report says there was a crack in the wall or a stain on the carpet, that’s evidence it was already there when you moved in. However, you could still be responsible if it got worse during your tenancy. Going through the report can save you time on marks that were already there.

2. Look at things at a child’s eye level

Marks from drawing, stickers and toys are easy to miss because many sit below adult eye level. To see things at a child’s eye level, you’ll probably have to get down there too. A good place to check is along skirting boards, because scuffs and marks from stickers and drawing are easy to miss if you don’t check at that level.

Pay attention to:

· Drawing on walls and doors

· Marks on sliding doors and low windows

· Dirty switches and handles

· Residue from stickers and wall decals

· Marks from toys

When in doubt, go gently. A lot of rental paint is flat or low-sheen. Marks sometimes look better than the patch a melamine sponge or scrub leaves behind. Test whatever you’re going to clean with on a hidden area first to check for side effects.

3. Don’t confuse fair wear and tear with damage

The standard at the end of your tenancy is a similar condition to when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear. That doesn’t mean the property has to look new. A hallway wall or skirting board may pick up minor scuffs from normal use, but a fresh crayon mark may go beyond normal wear.

There’s no “official list” that determines whether a mark is considered “acceptable” or “unacceptable” damage. Many factors come into play, including the condition the property was in when the tenant moved in, how the property is normally used, and the types of changes or damage that occur during the tenancy. If a mark won’t come off, speak with your landlord or property manager before you reach for the paintbrush. Making minor wall repairs or covering marks with paint can sometimes make the problem worse.

4. Remove bulk items and rubbish first

Moving out of a rental usually comes down to three practical jobs: clearing what you’re leaving behind, moving what you’re keeping and cleaning the empty property. Start with the clear-out. This is especially important for a family with children. Children’s collections, including toys, games and clothes, can quickly build up over the years. When moving out, this clutter is often combined with other bulky and outgrown belongings, including large toys and children’s play equipment. Removing this clutter first can make the other moving-out tasks easier and less time-consuming.

The yard is included in the handover, so look out for:

· Items you put in during your tenancy (sandpits, cubby houses, trampolines and swing sets)

· Toys

· Signs of kids being creative (chalk on the paving, paint or texta on the fence)

· Items the kids outgrew (bikes, scooters)

Before you leave, make sure you have all your belongings, and check any written approval or agreement covering anything you installed or altered during your tenancy. Bulky items such as a cubby house or dismantled trampoline won’t fit in a normal wheelie bin. You could use your council’s bulk or verge collection service, do a run to the tip, or look at arranging a bulky rubbish collection through a home services marketplace that connects you with independent local providers.

Depending on your council, you may have to book a collection in advance, and collection dates don’t always line up with moving day, so check early.

5. Move the furniture before the final clean

Once the clutter’s gone, get the beds, couches, wardrobes and toy boxes out before the final clean so the floors, walls and skirting boards are fully accessible. If you are using house removalists in Perth, ask how they protect walls and door frames during the move. Heavy furniture can leave fresh scuffs just before the final inspection.

This checklist will help you identify potential issues before the inspector walks through your empty home.

· Look for stains on the floors from spilled food or drink.

· Look for stains from toilet-training accidents on the floors of the bedrooms and playroom.

· Look for play-dough, slime and glitter on the floors and in the carpet.

· Look behind large pieces of furniture for toys and food.

6. Do the vacate clean once the house is empty

Once the house is empty, the vacate clean can properly cover floors, skirting boards, kitchens, bathrooms and areas that were hidden behind furniture. Decide on your cleaning plan as early in the process as you can. During the school term, you have many other time-consuming activities to plan for. If you need to hire local vacate cleaners in Perth, check what services are included in the cost. Carpet steam cleaning may be priced separately and not included in the vacate clean.

Do a final walk-through of the yard and the house, focusing on the lower levels, to look for issues before you lock up.

7. Photograph the empty property

You may also want to take photos of the property to document its condition.

Take photos of each room. You want photos of the walls and floors of every room, including the kitchen and bathrooms. Photos of the yard are also important. Take these photos once the house is empty and clean, and date them. If anything is disputed later, these photos can sit alongside the condition reports as a record of how you left the property.

8. Try to attend the final inspection

The landlord must give you a reasonable opportunity to attend the final inspection, and what’s reasonable can take into account work commitments such as FIFO or shift work.

Whether or not you attend, the landlord must give you a copy of the final condition report within 14 days after the tenancy ends.

9. Understand the bond claim process

A landlord must provide evidence for any bond claim, such as a receipt where relevant. If a landlord is seeking to make a claim against your bond, you are entitled to ask to see the supporting evidence.

If the landlord’s agent contacts you about something minor that you could fix (for example, a spot the cleaners missed), you could ask the agent for permission to return to the premises and fix it before costs are claimed from your bond. The landlord’s agent is not required to give you permission.

The quickest and easiest way to have your bond returned is to reach agreement with your landlord or agent about the condition of the premises when you vacated. Don’t sign a blank bond release form, and don’t agree to amounts you dispute. Since the 2026 bond reforms, if a release application is disputed, or someone doesn’t respond in time, it’s automatically referred to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection for a decision. Bonds Administration continues to hold the bond during the 7-day appeal period after the Commissioner’s decision. Either side can appeal the decision to the Magistrates Court during that period.

Frequently asked questions

Is crayon on the walls fair wear and tear in WA?

It depends on the circumstances. Minor scuffs from normal use may be treated differently from crayon, pen or other marks. The condition the wall was in to start with, and how it’s been used over time, matter. The type of mark and how easily it can be removed matter too.

Can I fix something after the final inspection?

You can ask, but the landlord is allowed to refuse. Once the tenancy ends, you would need the landlord’s permission to re-enter the property.

Should the kids be home on cleaning day?

It’s easier if they aren’t. An empty house is easier to clean. It’s also safer because you don’t have to worry about kids running on wet floors or being near the cleaning products. Some families arrange for grandparents or other relatives to watch the kids while the house is cleaned.

Will the cleaner who does the vacate clean also clean the carpets?

Carpet cleaning is not always included in a vacate clean. Check whether your tenancy agreement mentions carpet cleaning, ask the cleaner whether their quote includes it, and get both answers in writing.