Moving out of a Queensland rental

Work backwards from the end date

Confirm whether the agreement is fixed or periodic, why it is ending, the correct form and the minimum notice. Form 13 is commonly used when the tenant gives notice; Form 12 is used when the lessor or agent gives notice.

Check the latest RTA information before serving a form. A wrong ground, date or version can create a dispute.

Make the handover provable

Take a complete set of dated photos after cleaning and before leaving. Complete Form 14a, keep a copy, and record the exact time and method used to return all keys, remotes and access devices.

First establish how and when the agreement ends

A moving date and a legal handover date are not necessarily the same. Identify whether the agreement is fixed term or periodic, who is ending it and the legal ground. A tenant commonly uses Form 13, while a lessor or agent commonly uses Form 12, but the required notice and permitted end date depend on the ground and agreement type.

Use the current RTA notice-period table and form notes rather than copying a date from an old email or another renter's situation. Keep the signed notice and proof of service. If the parties agree to a different ending arrangement, put the exact handover date, rent position, keys and any costs in writing rather than relying on a verbal promise.

Build a handover plan backwards from the final day

List the jobs that depend on the end date: final rent, removalists, cleaning, utility disconnection, meter readings, the exit report, photographs, key return and the bond request. Book services with enough time for you to inspect the result yourself. Keep tenancy records accessible instead of packing the agreement and entry report into an unlabelled box.

Ask how the vacate inspection will work and where every key must be returned. After a Form 12 or Form 13 has been issued, limits can apply to entry frequency for viewings, so keep proposed and actual entries on a calendar. Cooperate with lawful entry while still requiring the correct notice and a reasonable time.

Return the property to the evidence-backed standard

The benchmark is generally the condition at the start, allowing for fair wear and tear—not a brand-new version of an older property. Compare each room and inclusion with the entry condition report and photographs. Deal with tenant-caused damage, remove belongings and clean methodically, but do not accept a demand to improve pre-existing damage or ordinary ageing.

An agent cannot simply require a renter to use a particular cleaner, pay a fixed cleaning fee or leave the property better than it began. Carpet cleaning or pest treatment depends on the starting condition, circumstances and any lawful special or pet-approval term. Keep invoices where you use a service, but the evidence of actual condition remains central.

Complete the exit condition report properly

For a general tenancy, complete the current Form 14a after belongings are removed and cleaning is finished. Work room by room, include every item and record the final water meter reading where relevant. Take wide photographs showing the whole area and close photographs of disputed details. Preserve the original files with their dates.

Give the report to the property manager or owner when returning the keys and keep a copy. If the parties complete it separately, the RTA says the managing party should review, add comments and send the completed copy to the tenant at the new address within three business days. The managing party must retain the signed report for at least one year after the tenancy ends.

Make the key return and final account provable

Gather all door, window, mailbox and shed keys plus fobs, access cards and remotes, including copies made during the tenancy. Use an agreed handover method and obtain a timestamped receipt, email acknowledgement or photograph of a secure drop. Merely moving your furniture out does not prove vacant possession or stop rent if the agreed handover has not occurred.

Pay rent to the vacating date and reconcile the ledger before cancelling any automatic payment. Record final utility and water readings, and keep the disconnection confirmations. Do not let an unissued future water bill become a guessed deduction from the bond; the partial-period water rules require a supportable reading, rate and calculation.

Keep the bond process separate

An ordinary bond refund request should not be lodged before the tenancy has ended and the ending notice has expired. Once handover is complete, either side can begin the RTA refund process. Check the RTA's contact details for you, use Australian bank details and read every proposed deduction before agreeing or signing.

If a claim is disputed, ask for an itemised amount and supporting evidence. The managing party must provide supporting evidence to the renter within the required period when claiming or disputing a refund, and the RTA notice starts a short dispute deadline. Keep the notice, condition reports, key receipt, ledger, photos and correspondence together so you can respond promptly.