End of Lease Moving in Adelaide: Get Your Bond Back

End of lease moving in Adelaide comes down to getting 4 things right so your bond comes back in full: give the correct written notice, clean the property to the standard of the entry condition report, pass the exit inspection, and lodge the bond refund through Consumer and Business Services (CBS) SA. The proven approach is to work backwards from your handover date, book the exit clean and any carpet cleaning early, photograph everything against the ingoing inspection, and return the property in the same condition it was in when you moved in (fair wear and tear aside). Handle the SA tenancy and bond steps through Consumer and Business Services, track the wider move on the Adelaide moving house checklist, and update your details with the change of address checklist for SA. This guide walks the whole process.

Key takeaways

• Give correct written notice: 28 days is standard for a periodic tenancy in SA.
• The bond is held by CBS, not your agent, and the refund is lodged through CBS.
• Clean to the standard of the ingoing inspection report, not just "tidy".
• Photograph every room against the entry condition report before you hand back keys.
• Fair wear and tear cannot be deducted; genuine damage and uncleanliness can.
• Get matched with vetted Adelaide crews to move you out on time and hit your handover date.

Notice periods and giving notice

The move starts with notice, in writing, on time. Getting this wrong can cost you a fortnight's rent or your bond.

In South Australia, if you are on a periodic (rolling) tenancy, the standard notice to end the agreement is 28 days in writing. If you are on a fixed-term lease, you generally cannot leave early without cost, and you move out on the end date unless you have agreed otherwise. Put the notice in writing (email or letter), keep a dated copy, and confirm the agent has received it. The Consumer and Business Services renting pages set out the current notice rules and forms, and are the authority to check because tenancy rules do change.

Confirm the exact handover date and time with the agent, since your removalist booking and your final clean both have to land before that moment.

How the SA bond refund actually works

This is the part renters most often misunderstand. Your bond is not held by the agent or the landlord.

In SA, the bond is lodged with and held by Consumer and Business Services (CBS), a state government body. At the end of the tenancy, the refund is processed through CBS, and both parties have a say in how it is released. The practical implications:

• You can lodge a bond refund claim through CBS, and the agent or landlord can agree or dispute it.
• If everyone agrees, the refund is released to you quickly.
• If there is a dispute (over cleaning or damage), it can go to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) to decide.
• Deductions must be justified with evidence; a landlord cannot simply keep the bond.

Because CBS holds the money and requires evidence, your photos and the condition reports are what win a dispute. Read the process on the CBS renting and letting pages and via the broader sa.gov.au hub.

The exit clean

The standard is simple to state and easy to underestimate: return the property in the same condition as the ingoing inspection report, allowing for fair wear and tear.

Pull out your entry condition report and clean to match it, room by room:

• Kitchen: oven, grill, rangehood and filter, stovetop, inside all cupboards, benchtops and splashback.
• Bathrooms: shower screens, grout, tiles, toilet, exhaust fans and mirrors.
• Floors: vacuum and mop hard floors; if the lease required professional carpet cleaning at move-in, get carpets professionally cleaned and keep the receipt.
• Walls: remove marks and any picture hooks, and fill and touch up where the lease allows.
• Windows, tracks, sills, skirting boards, light fittings and fans.
• Outside: mow, weed, sweep paths, empty and clean bins, and clear the shed and garage.

Book the exit clean and carpet cleaning early, because good cleaners fill up around month-end when everyone is moving. Do the clean after the furniture is out, not around it.

The exit inspection and your evidence

The exit inspection compares the property now against the condition it was in when you moved in. Your evidence decides how it goes.

Before you hand back the keys, photograph and video every room, including inside cupboards, the oven and the carpets, with a timestamp. Compare each shot against the ingoing report. This is your protection: fair wear and tear (faded paint, minor scuffs, worn carpet from normal use) cannot be charged to you, but genuine damage and poor cleaning can. If you have the photos, an unfair deduction is hard to sustain at SACAT.

Attend the inspection if you can, note anything the agent flags, and address quick fixes on the spot where possible.

A clean exit, step by step

1. Give correct written notice and confirm the handover date.
2. Book vetted Adelaide crews early so your move-out lands before handover.
3. Book the exit clean and carpet cleaning for after the furniture is out.
4. Move out, then clean to the ingoing report standard.
5. Photograph and video every room against the entry report.
6. Attend the exit inspection and return all keys and remotes.
7. Lodge the bond refund through CBS and update your address via the change of address checklist for SA.

Time the move itself carefully, because a late truck can blow your handover. The moving day survival guide covers running the day to schedule.

Compare vetted Adelaide removalists

Hitting your handover date is non-negotiable when the bond is on the line, so book a crew you can rely on. ADL Removalists does not do the move itself; we connect you with vetted Adelaide crews so you can compare 3 free, no-obligation quotes on price, timing and reliability. Start on the house removals page or from the ADL Removalists home page.