Final Inspection Rental Property Victoria: End-of-Tenancy Checklist for Landlords

The final inspection is where landlords either set themselves up for a clean bond settlement or create a dispute that drags on for months. Victoria has specific rules about when and how the inspection must happen, what you need to document, and how your evidence feeds into the RTBA bond claim.

When to Do the Final Inspection

You should complete the end-of-tenancy condition report as soon as practicably possible after regaining possession. Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, you must provide a copy of the completed condition report to the former renter within 10 days of regaining possession.

If you delay the inspection, you risk the renter arguing that damage occurred after they left or that you cannot prove the condition at handover. Ten days is the outer limit, but doing it on the day of vacancy is best practice.

What the Condition Report Must Cover

The end-of-tenancy condition report should be compared directly against the ingoing condition report that was prepared at the start of the tenancy. Walk through the property room by room and note:

• The condition of walls, floors, and ceilings (marks, holes, stains)
• Fixtures and fittings (door handles, window locks, blinds)
• Appliances and their working condition
• Garden and outdoor areas
• Keys and remote controls returned
• General cleanliness
• Any damage beyond fair wear and tear

Take date-stamped photographs of every item you record. These photographs are your primary evidence if you need to make a bond deduction claim.

Bond Claims Through the RTBA

The Residential Tenancies Bond Authority moved to a fully digital platform in December 2025. Paper forms, cheques, and physical lodgments are permanently discontinued. All bond claims and releases are handled through the online RTBA portal.

Under rules effective 13 October 2026, a landlord making a claim against the bond must:

1. Give the renter advance notice of the claim before lodging it with the RTBA
2. Upload supporting evidence to the portal — the condition report comparison, photographs, and receipts for any costs you are claiming

The October 2026 rules require the supporting evidence to be uploaded with the claim. The renter can dispute the claim through RDRV (Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria), which handles bond allocation disputes through conciliation. If conciliation fails, the dispute escalates to VCAT.

What You Can Deduct

Bond deductions must reflect actual loss, not a general cleaning fee or an estimate. Common legitimate deductions include:

• Repair costs for damage beyond fair wear and tear (with tradesperson invoices)
• Professional cleaning where the property was left substantially below the standard at move-in (with cleaning receipts and before/after photos)
• Replacement of lost keys (with locksmith receipts)
• Unpaid rent arrears

You cannot deduct for normal wear — faded paint, minor scuff marks on floors, or gradual carpet wear from ordinary use. The test is what the property looked like at the start of the tenancy versus what it looks like now, accounting for the passage of time.

Uncollected Goods

If the renter leaves personal property behind, Part 9 of the RTA governs what you must do:

• Personal documents (passports, identity cards, medical records, financial documents): store safely for a minimum of 90 days and make reasonable efforts to contact the renter
• General goods with monetary value: store securely for 28 days. After 28 days, you can apply to VCAT for an order to sell or dispose of them, with storage costs deductible from any sale proceeds
• Perishable items, hazardous materials, or goods of zero value: may be disposed of immediately

Throwing out a renter's belongings on the day of vacancy — before the statutory holding periods expire — creates liability.

Safety Check Records

If this is the last tenancy before you sell or re-let the property, make sure your two-yearly gas and electrical safety inspection records are in order. Under the October 2026 rules, you must maintain verifiable digital compliance records for all active tenancies. A safety-record gap does not automatically invalidate a fault-based notice to vacate, but it can expose you to regulatory fines and counter-claims at VCAT.

The Victoria Ending a Tenancy guide includes a structured end-of-tenancy compliance log that walks through the condition report, RTBA digital bond evidence, uncollected goods timelines, and safety check records — everything you need in one printable workflow.

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