Leaving your Home in Good Condition

We want to make moving out of your home as easy as possible. Before your tenancy ends, it's important to make sure the property is left clean, clear, and in good condition. This helps avoid any extra charges and ensures a smooth handover for the next customer. 

This page explains exactly what you need to do, room by room and area by area, and includes a checklist to help you keep track. 

Leaving your home in good condition - a clean and tidy empty kitchen in a vacant property

If you're moving to another Platform home 

If you've applied to move to another Platform property, your Platform Officer will visit your current home before your move to check that everything meets our agreed standards. 

Officer inspecting a home before moving out - viewing a crack in the wall and noting against a checklist.

Your Platform Officer will:

  • Inspect your home and garden or outdoor space.
  • Let you know if anything needs attention before the move. 

Please note: If your current home does not meet the required standard, your housing application may not be successful. 

Checklist: What you need to do before you move out

Use the checklist below to make sure nothing is missed. If your home isn’t left in the condition outlined below, you will be recharged for any necessary work to make things right. 

  • Remove all furniture, appliances and personal items.
  • Empty and clean all cupboards, including kitchen units and loft spaces.
  • Remove any light fittings you installed (e.g. chandeliers, metal switches) and restore the original ones. This must be done safely by a qualified electrician.
  • Leave all light bulbs in place.
  • Repair any damage beyond normal wear and tear (e.g. doors, windows, banisters, walls).
  • Ensure walls and ceilings are finished in a neutral colour and cracks are filled.
  • Clean the entire property thoroughly.
  • Complete any repairs that are your responsibility.
  • Remove all curtains, blinds, carpets and floor coverings unless your Platform Officer agrees otherwise and you complete a Gifting Form.
  • Leave instruction manuals for any equipment (e.g. boiler, gas fire) in a visible place.
  • Pay all final utility bills and leave the smart meter remote unit behind (if applicable).
  • Return all keys (including windows and doors) as directed by your Platform Officer. 
  • Cut back grass, hedges and shrubs.
  • Remove all rubbish and personal belongings from gardens.
  • Repair any damage to fences or gates.
  • Clear up after pets.
  • Remove any outdoor electrical fittings and ensure they’re made safe by a qualified electrician.
  • Empty your wheelie bin and leave it out for the next tenant.
  • Remove any compost heaps or containers.
  • Empty and clean all sheds and outbuildings owned by Platform.
  • Remove any outbuildings, greenhouses, or sheds you installed unless gifted to the next customer and approved by your Platform Officer.
  • Fill in any garden ponds you installed and return the area to its original state. 
  • If you received written permission to make alterations and your Platform Officer confirms they are safe and suitable, you may leave them in place.
  • If the alteration was made without permission, you must restore the area to its original condition — unless your officer grants retroactive approval. 

Please don’t leave large or unwanted items behind. 

You can: 

  • Arrange disposal through your local council (check their website for details).
  • Donate good-quality furniture and appliances to the British Heart Foundation (call 0808 250 0240 or visit www.bhf.org.uk for free collection). 
View all FAQs

What are the potential Recharge Costs?

If your home is not left in the expected condition, you will be charged for any cleaning, repair, or replacement work. A 15% admin fee will also be added to all recharge costs. 

Here’s a summary of potential charges: 

  • 1 bed flat or bungalow: £989.33
  • 2 bed flat or bungalow: £1,180.62
  • 2 bed house: £1,520.10
  • 3 bed house: £1,711.40
  • Stripping wallpaper (per room): £313.53 
  • Internal doors: £237.59 - £244.08
  • Kitchen units: £102.68 - £223.61
  • Worktop (per metre): £47.22
  • Door/drawer replacement: £95.93 - £101.04 
  • Mortice lock: £56.76
  • Night latch: £35.33
  • Multipoint lock: £252.51
  • Euro lock: £34.13 
  • General clearance: £97.83 + skip (Mini: £181.13 | Large: £271.70)
  • Rubbish clearance: £104.28 + skip
  • Exceptionally dirty property: £305.36 + skip
  • Garage: £76.11
  • Shed: £52.77 
View all FAQs

Useful documents

Leaving Your Home Leaflet
Recharge Costs Leaflet
Gas Safety Leaflet