Form 14a: Exit condition report

Who sends or completes it?

The tenant completes it and gives it to the property manager or owner when returning the keys.

When is it used?

At the end of a general tenancy, after belongings are removed and cleaning is complete.

Read the entire form, including its notes and timeframes. The correct next step can depend on your agreement type, the stated reason, how the document was delivered and what has already happened.

Complete it after belongings and cleaning are finished

Form 14a records the condition of a general tenancy at the end. Complete it after furniture, rubbish and personal property have been removed and after the final clean, but before the keys are handed over if the inspection arrangement allows. If a tradesperson is still finishing work, record that fact rather than pretending the room is complete.

Use the entry Form 1a as the comparison document. The question is generally whether the condition has changed beyond fair wear and tear, not whether every surface looks newly renovated. Mark the same rooms and inclusions in the same order so a later reader can compare like with like.

Photograph the details and the whole room

Take wide photographs from the doorway and close photographs of each disputed item. Include floors, walls, ceilings, cupboards, appliances, windows, bathrooms, outdoor areas and supplied furniture. A close picture without context can be hard to place; a wide picture without detail can hide a mark. Keep the original files and note the date and time.

Record meter readings, keys, remotes and access cards. Photograph the meter display and the key bundle when they are returned. If a reading is unavailable, say why. A complete handover record prevents a later argument that a room, device or utility was never returned.

Describe fair wear and tear separately from damage

Ordinary ageing can include gradual carpet wear, small paint changes or deterioration that comes from normal use. A broken fixture, large new stain, missing item or careless damage may be different. Use neutral descriptions and compare the entry evidence before deciding who should pay. Do not label every mark ‘damage’ just because it appears on the exit inspection list.

If you repaired or cleaned something, keep the receipt and a photograph of the result. An agent may still reasonably ask for more work if the result does not meet the starting standard, but the evidence shows what you attempted. Avoid a nominated cleaner demand unless the agreement or law actually supports it.

Give the report and keys with proof

The completed report should be given back through an agreed or reliable method. Save the sent copy, the time it was delivered and the person or system that received the keys. If an agent refuses to sign while you are present, send the report and photographs by email and state that the keys were returned at the recorded time.

Do not hand over the only copy of your photographs or condition report. The managing party may complete its own comparison, but your version records what you observed. Keep the agreement, Form 1a, Form 14a, handover receipt and bond correspondence together until the refund is resolved.

Respond to a proposed bond deduction with the comparison

If a deduction is raised, ask for the exact item, the entry and exit evidence, the repair or cleaning calculation and the amount claimed. Point to the relevant Form 1a comment and photograph where the issue pre-dated the tenancy. A clear item-by-item response is more useful than saying only that the final inspection was unfair.

If there is no agreement, follow the RTA bond process and the instructions on any Notice of claim. Keep communicating about the bond separately from any personal disagreement with the agent. QSTARS can help a renter understand the options when the evidence or amount is contested.