Guide · Renters in BC
What BC landlords actually check at a move-out inspection
The end-of-tenancy inspection is not a vibe check — it follows a form, and the same handful of things account for most withheld deposits. Here is the list, room by room.
At the end of a tenancy in British Columbia, the landlord and tenant are supposed to walk through the unit together and complete a condition inspection report. It gets compared against the one filled in when you moved in, and the difference between those two documents is what any deposit argument is actually about.
The legal standard is set out in the Residential Tenancy Act: a tenant must leave the rental “reasonably clean and undamaged”. That is a lower bar than spotless. It does not mean better than you found it, and it does not mean fixing ordinary wear and tear. It means an ordinary person walking in would call it clean.
Wear and tear is not your problem. Faded paint, worn carpet in a hallway, small nail holes from picture hooks and tired grout are the landlord's cost of doing business. Grease, soap scum, food residue and dirt are yours.
The kitchen — where most deposits are lost
Inspectors start here, because it is the hardest room to fake and the one tenants run out of time for.
- Inside the oven, including the racks and between the door glass. This is the single most commonly cited item.
- Inside the fridge and freezer — emptied, shelves washed, seals wiped, defrosted, and left switched on with the door ajar unless told otherwise
- Behind and under the fridge and stove, where they pull out
- Inside every cupboard and drawer — crumbs and liners
- Range hood and its filter, which collects grease invisibly for years
- Sink, taps and drain, descaled
- Dishwasher — filter emptied, door seal wiped
Bathrooms
- Toilet inside and out, including the base and the fixing bolts
- Shower and tub descaled; glass free of soap scum
- Grout scrubbed — discoloured grout is often ordinary wear, but a film of soap scum over it is not
- Extractor fan cover washed
- Inside vanities and medicine cabinets
- Mirrors, and behind the toilet
Every room
- Baseboards — washed by hand, not wiped in passing
- Door frames, doors and around the handles
- Light fittings, ceiling fans, cobwebs in corners
- Window sills, tracks and interior glass
- Switch plates and heating vents
- Closets emptied and vacuumed, including the shelf
- Floors vacuumed and washed everywhere, including behind doors
Outside, if it is yours
Balconies, patios, a garage or a storage locker are part of the tenancy if they were in the agreement. Sweep them, and take everything with you. Items left behind are one of the few things a landlord can charge removal for without much argument.
What your landlord can and cannot do with the deposit
This is where tenants most often assume the worst and give up money they were entitled to. In British Columbia:
- The landlord must return your deposit within 15 days of the tenancy ending and receiving your forwarding address in writing.
- Within that window they must either return it, or apply to the Residential Tenancy Branch for dispute resolution.
- They cannot simply deduct what they feel is fair and send you the rest — not without your written agreement or an RTB order.
- If they do neither, they can be ordered to pay double the deposit.
So give your forwarding address in writing, and keep a copy. It starts the clock.
Photograph everything on the day you leave. Empty rooms, open oven, open fridge, floors, bathrooms. Date-stamped photos of a clean, empty unit settle almost every dispute before it starts — and they cost nothing.
Doing it yourself, or not
A thorough move-out clean on a two-bedroom takes most people a full day, on the same day they are also loading a truck. That is why it so often gets half done.
If you would rather hand it over, move-out cleaning across Duncan and the Cowichan Valley is quoted flat — usually $250 to $700 depending on the unit — and it covers everything on this page. Ask for a dated receipt: proof of a professional clean carried out after you moved out is useful evidence if the condition of the unit is later disputed.
Common questions
What does “reasonably clean” mean in BC?
The Residential Tenancy Act requires a tenant to leave the rental reasonably clean and undamaged at the end of a tenancy. It does not mean spotless or better than when you arrived — it means an ordinary person would call it clean: no grease, no soap scum, no food residue, floors washed, appliances emptied and cleaned inside.
Can a landlord keep my deposit for cleaning in BC?
Only with your written agreement or an order from the Residential Tenancy Branch. A landlord cannot simply deduct a cleaning cost and keep the remainder. They must return the deposit within 15 days of the tenancy ending and receiving your forwarding address, or apply for dispute resolution. Keeping it without doing either can make them liable for double the amount.
Do I need to shampoo the carpets?
Only if the tenancy was long enough or the carpets are soiled beyond ordinary wear. Routine vacuuming is normally enough for a short tenancy. Landlords cannot require professional carpet cleaning as a blanket condition of every tenancy regardless of state.
What is the single most common reason deposits get held?
The oven, followed by the fridge and the bathroom. They are the first three things inspected because they are the hardest to fake, and they are also the three tenants most often run out of time for on moving day.
Should I be present at the move-out inspection?
Yes. The landlord must offer you at least two opportunities to attend, and being there lets you see and sign the condition inspection report. If you disagree with something on it, note that on the form rather than refusing to sign.
This guide is general information about cleaning standards at the end of a tenancy, not legal advice. For the authoritative rules and dispute process, see the BC Residential Tenancy Branch.