Move-out cleaning: what landlords in BC actually inspect
7 min read · December 4, 2025
A room-by-room list of the spots that decide whether your damage deposit comes back in full.
Under BC's Residential Tenancy Act you are required to leave a rental 'reasonably clean'. In practice, deposit disputes come down to a predictable short list of places inspectors always check.
Kitchen: the deposit decider
More deposits are lost in the kitchen than every other room combined.
- Inside the oven, including the door glass and racks
- Under and behind the fridge and stove
- Inside every cabinet and drawer, including the toe kicks
- Range hood filter degreased or replaced
- Dishwasher filter and door gasket
Bathrooms
Mineral scale on taps and shower glass, mould at the silicone seams, the exhaust fan cover, and behind the toilet base. Inspectors always look behind the toilet.
Everywhere else
Window tracks and sills, closet shelving, baseboards, light fixtures with dead insects, wall scuffs at switch height, and the balcony or patio if you have one. Remove all hooks and nails and fill the holes.
Documentation matters as much as cleaning
Photograph every room after cleaning, timestamped, and keep the invoice from your cleaning company. A professional move-out invoice is strong evidence at a dispute hearing.
Kitchen appliances, bathroom scale and window tracks decide most deposits. Clean them, then photograph everything.