Checklist / template
Tenant exit (move-out) checklist
A step-by-step operational checklist for closing out a lease cleanly when a tenant moves out: confirming notice, running the outgoing inspection, calculating fair deductions, refunding the deposit plus interest, and reconciling the final account. It is built around the duties the Rental Housing Act places on landlords and agents, so nothing gets missed in the handover. Use it as a repeatable workflow for every move-out.
For South African managing agents, rental agents, landlords and trustees handling residential lease terminations.
1. Confirm notice and termination
- Confirm the termination notice is in writing and signed, and file it against the lease.
- Check the notice period given matches the lease and the Consumer Protection Act where it applies (typically 20 business days for cancellation).
- Confirm the agreed vacate date and time in writing with the tenant.
- Verify whether the lease is ending, being cancelled early, or not renewed, and flag any early-termination charges in the lease.
- Check for any pending lease-renewal correspondence so the exit is not processed in error.
- Update the tenant and unit status in your system so no further invoices auto-generate after the vacate date.
2. Schedule the outgoing inspection
- Book the outgoing (exit) inspection for on or just before the vacate date, while the tenant can attend.
- Invite the tenant in writing and record their acceptance or refusal to attend.
- Retrieve the incoming (ingoing) inspection report and photos to compare against.
- Use a consistent room-by-room inspection template covering walls, floors, fittings, appliances and the garden.
- Photograph and date every defect, distinguishing fair wear and tear from tenant-caused damage.
- Note meter readings (water, electricity, gas) and the prepaid balance where relevant.
- Have both parties sign the outgoing report, or record that the tenant declined to sign.
3. Assess deductions against the deposit
- List only damage beyond fair wear and tear, supported by the inspection comparison and photos.
- Obtain written quotes or invoices for each repair or cleaning item you intend to deduct.
- Add any arrear rent, unpaid utilities or agreed charges outstanding to the vacate date.
- Keep deductions reasonable and itemised; the Rental Housing Act requires costs to be documented and justifiable.
- Exclude pre-existing defects already recorded on the incoming inspection.
- Have repairs that need quotes scoped quickly so the refund timeline is not breached.
4. Refund the deposit and interest
- Calculate the interest earned on the deposit; the Rental Housing Act requires it to be held in an interest-bearing account and the interest paid to the tenant.
- Where no valid claim exists, refund the full deposit plus interest within the period set out in the Rental Housing Act after the lease ends.
- Where deductions apply, refund the balance plus interest within the longer period the Act allows once the inspection and repairs are settled.
- Provide the tenant with a written, itemised breakdown of every deduction with supporting documents.
- Confirm the tenant's banking details in writing before paying out, and watch for payment-redirection fraud.
- Process the refund from the correct trust account and confirm it reconciles to the cent.
- Record proof of payment and keep deposit and interest records in line with POPIA retention rules.
5. Recover keys, access and final account
- Collect all keys, remotes, access tags, fobs and parking discs and tick them against the issue list.
- Deactivate biometric or app-based access and complimentary visitor access for the unit.
- Produce a final statement showing rent to vacate date, deposit, interest, deductions and the net amount due.
- Reconcile the tenant ledger to a zero or clearly stated closing balance.
- Arrange transfer or final reading of municipal and utility accounts so the outgoing tenant is not billed past the vacate date.
- Notify the body corporate or HOA managing agent of the change of occupant where the unit sits in a scheme (STSMA / CSOS Act).
- Return the original lease file and inspection reports to long-term storage per your retention policy.
Run this checklist for every move-out and keep the signed outgoing inspection, deduction quotes and proof of refund together as one file — it is your evidence if a deposit dispute reaches the Rental Housing Tribunal.
A practical operational checklist, not legal, financial or tax advice — adapt it to your scheme/agency and seek professional advice where needed.