Thursday, 17 September 2026
Most people remember the excitement of moving into a new home.
Moving out is less romantic.
There are boxes everywhere, the broadband needs cancelling, somebody has lost a key and the new property wants money before the old deposit has been returned.
In the middle of all that, tenants can forget that ending a tenancy is a process rather than simply leaving the property on the final day.
The tenancy reforms introduced in May 2026 changed the structure of private assured tenancies in England, with most becoming periodic. Tenants can end qualifying periodic tenancies by giving the appropriate notice rather than waiting for an old-style fixed term to expire.
Getting the practical side right can make the final weeks considerably easier.
Start with the tenancy, not the removal company
Before booking a van, establish when the tenancy legally ends.
A tenant deciding to leave and a tenancy actually ending are not necessarily the same event.
Notice needs to comply with the applicable rules, and rent remains connected to the tenancy rather than to the date the tenant happens to carry their last suitcase out.
This is why tenants should communicate clearly and keep evidence of the notice they provide.
A phone conversation can be useful.
Written confirmation is considerably easier to refer back to later.
The inventory suddenly becomes interesting again
At move-in, an inventory can feel like paperwork standing between the tenant and the keys.
At move-out, it becomes much more important.
The check-in record establishes the property's starting condition.
Before leaving, tenants should compare the property with that record rather than relying on memory.
A mark that was already on the wall three years ago should ideally appear in the original evidence. So should existing damage to furniture, flooring or fittings.
Photographs taken at the end can provide a useful record of the condition in which the property was returned.
Cleaning is about condition, not creating a brand-new home
A tenant is generally expected to return the property in an appropriately clean condition, taking account of the condition at the beginning of the tenancy.
That does not mean a landlord can expect several years of ordinary use to vanish.
Fair wear and tear is different from damage.
A carpet naturally showing signs of ordinary use after years of occupation is not the same as a carpet with a large burn.
A slightly faded wall is different from a hole punched through it.
The age and expected lifespan of items can matter when deductions are considered.
Keys deserve more attention than they usually receive
Front-door keys are obvious.
Everything else is where problems begin.
Window keys. Postbox keys. Garage fobs. Building access cards. Parking permits. Bedroom keys in shared accommodation.
These should be gathered before check-out rather than discovered inside a drawer two weeks later.
The landlord or agent should also make clear how and when possession is being returned.
Handing over the keys is a small act with considerable practical significance.
Take the final readings
Where the tenant is responsible for utilities, final meter readings can help close accounts accurately.
Photographing the readings provides a simple record.
The same applies to council tax and other services connected to occupation.
Moving out should not leave the tenant paying for energy consumed after they have gone simply because nobody recorded the point at which responsibility changed.
Mail forwarding deserves attention too, particularly for financial and official correspondence.
The deposit does not have to become an argument
If the landlord proposes deductions, the tenant should be told what they relate to.
Where a protected deposit is involved and the parties cannot agree, the relevant tenancy deposit scheme provides a dispute process rather than requiring either side simply to accept the other's position.
The evidence from check-in and check-out becomes particularly important at that stage.
A good exit therefore begins on the first day of the tenancy.
That photograph you nearly didn't take three years ago may become surprisingly useful.
Leave the tenancy as carefully as you entered it
Moving out will always involve some chaos.
But the property side does not need to.
Correct notice, a review of the inventory, clear photographs, final meter readings, proper key return and organized communication can remove many of the disputes associated with tenancy endings.
The moving boxes will still be annoying.
At least the paperwork does not have to be.
***DISCLAIMER- THIS PHOTO HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM PINTEREST. ***