End-of-lease moving in the Inner West: how to get your full bond back

Inner West Removals · 23 June 2026 · 6 min read

Moving out at the end of a lease has one extra job riding on it that an owner’s move doesn’t: your bond. In NSW that’s usually four weeks’ rent sitting with the Rental Bond Board, and whether it comes back in full comes down to how you leave the place — and, in the Inner West, whether the move itself goes to plan. Here’s how the rules actually work, and how to run the move so nothing eats into your bond.

How do you get your full bond back in NSW?

The principle is simple: you have to return the property in the same condition as the start of the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear. The reference point isn’t the agent’s opinion on the day — it’s your entry condition report, the one you filled in when you moved in. Dig it out now, before move-out, because it’s your evidence.

To claim the bond back you’ll generally need to have:

• paid rent up to the end of your notice period (or your move-out date);
• returned the place to that entry-report standard, including its cleanliness;
• lodged the claim through Rental Bonds Online.

Once you claim, the landlord or agent has up to 14 days to accept. If everyone’s details line up in Rental Bonds Online, the money is usually back within about two business days of acceptance. If they dispute your claim, they have to apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) within 14 days and tell Fair Trading — they can’t simply hold the bond. (The current detail is on the NSW Government’s getting your bond back page — rules and timeframes do change, so check it when your move comes up.)

How much notice do you have to give?

Your notice depends on your agreement:

• End of a fixed-term lease: at least 14 days’ written notice.
• Periodic (rolling) agreement: at least 21 days’.

The practical point is to work backwards from the handover, not the move. You want to be fully out, cleaned and inspected before the tenancy ends — so book the truck with that buffer, not on the last legal day.

Why end-of-lease moves are trickier in the Inner West

Out in a driveway suburb you load the truck and the only deadline is your own energy. In the Inner West, two local realities can quietly put your bond at risk if you don’t plan for them.

Access eats time, and time is the bond. A Newtown terrace with a 760mm hallway, a Balmain street a full-size truck can’t get down, a Glebe staircase that fights every wardrobe — these slow a move down. If the move runs long, the final clean gets rushed, and a rushed clean is where bond money goes. The fix is to plan the access so the move finishes with the clean still ahead of you, not behind.

Apartments add a booking you can’t skip. Around Marrickville, Dulwich Hill and the newer blocks, move-out usually means a strata move-out window, a booked lift and a loading bay. Miss the window and the whole day stalls — which can push you past your handover. Check your building’s rules the moment you give notice.

And the carry itself matters: scuffed walls, a gouged floorboard or a chipped doorframe on the way out are exactly the kind of damage an agent will claim against. Protecting the path out of the property isn’t fussiness — it’s protecting the bond.

Your end-of-lease move-out checklist

1. Give written notice (14 or 21 days, per your agreement) and confirm your handover date.
2. Find your entry condition report — it’s the standard you’re being measured against.
3. Book the move with a buffer — a day or two before the inspection, not the morning of. In an apartment, book the lift/loading bay at the same time.
4. Move everything out first, protecting walls, floors and doorframes on the way.
5. Clean the empty property to the entry-report standard — it’s far easier with nothing in the way.
6. Photograph everything once it’s empty and clean, room by room, as your evidence.
7. Lodge your claim through Rental Bonds Online.

How the right move protects your bond

A move that’s planned around the access does three things for your bond: it finishes with time to spare so the clean is thorough, it avoids the exit damage that gets claimed against you, and it hits the date so you’re not paying extra rent or missing your inspection. That’s the whole reason we plan an Inner West move around the building, the parking and the carry before the day — for a renter, getting that right is worth four weeks’ rent.

If you’ve got a move-out coming up, tell us the addresses and your handover date and we’ll plan the day around your access at both ends — and around the deadline that actually matters.

Common questions

Can my landlord keep my bond for cleaning?

Only if the property isn't returned to the standard shown in your entry condition report — and normal fair wear and tear is specifically allowed for. If it's as clean as when you moved in, cleaning costs can't fairly be claimed. See NSW Fair Trading: getting your bond back.

How long does it take to get a bond back in NSW?

Your landlord or agent has up to 14 days to accept your claim. If you claim through Rental Bonds Online and the details match, the bond is usually back within about two business days of them accepting. If they dispute it, they must apply to NCAT within 14 days.

How much notice do I have to give to end my lease?

At the end of a fixed-term agreement, at least 14 days' written notice; on a periodic (rolling) agreement, at least 21 days'. Line your move date up so you're fully out and the place is clean before the tenancy actually ends.

Should I book the removalist before or after the final inspection?

Before — with a buffer. You want the furniture out so you can do the final clean on an empty place, then hand over. Book the move a day or two ahead of your inspection or handover, never the morning of.

Do I need a parking permit to move out of an Inner West terrace or apartment?

Inner West Council doesn't offer a quick removalist permit, so it's legal parking plus good timing — we scout the loading spot beforehand. If you're in an apartment, check your strata's move-out rules and book the lift or loading bay early; a missed window can stall the whole day.