Handing over your flat when moving out: a checklist for tenants

Check tenancy agreement, cosmetic repairs and move-in report

What you are required to do when moving out depends on your tenancy agreement and the condition of the flat when you moved in. Check the clauses on cosmetic repairs (Schönheitsreparaturen), removing tenant installations, filling drill holes and broom-clean handover, and keep your move-in inspection report to hand.

Not every standard redecoration clause in a German tenancy agreement is legally valid (for example if the flat was handed over unrenovated without compensation). If you are unsure, consult a tenants’ association (Mieterverein) or tenancy lawyer first. A brief pre-inspection with the landlord or property manager also clarifies what work is genuinely expected.

Plan backwards from the handover date

Work backwards from your agreed handover date: first clear the flat, cellar cage, loft and garage completely, then complete agreed repairs, filling and painting, and carry out the end-of-tenancy clean last. That prevents sanding dust or paint splashes from settling on freshly cleaned floors and windows.

Allow enough drying time for filler and wall paint as well as a buffer for surprises uncovered behind wardrobes. Because tradespeople, clearance teams and cleaning services book up fast at the end of the month, request appointments early.

• Clear the flat, cellar storage unit, loft, balcony and garage completely
• Fill drill holes, rawlplug holes and minor wall damage neatly
• Carry out painting and cosmetic repairs where agreed or required
• Complete a thorough end-of-tenancy clean as the final step

On handover day: inspection report, meter readings and keys

Walk through the empty flat in daylight room by room with the landlord or property manager. Record the condition in the written handover report (Übergabeprotokoll) and enter all meter readings for electricity, gas, cold and hot water and heating allocators together with their meter numbers. Both parties sign, and you keep a signed copy immediately – this is key for a smooth final utility billing and the return of your rental deposit (Kaution).

Take timestamped photos of every empty room, the meter displays and any pre-existing wear. Hand back all keys (front door, flat door, letterbox, cellar, bin store and any extra copies made) and have the exact number receipted in the handover report.

• Complete and sign the written handover report room by room
• Read and record all meters (electricity, gas, water, heating) with meter numbers
• Take dated photos of all empty rooms, details and meter readings
• Return every key and have the full count receipted in the report

End-of-tenancy cleaning: what landlords check most closely

Even when a contract specifies ‘broom-clean’ (besenrein), landlords and property managers look closely at the kitchen, bathroom, WC, windows and floors during the walk-through. Limescale on taps and shower screens, grease on the cooker hood or inside the oven, dust between radiator fins, streaks on window panes and dirt in window rebates are the most common points raised.

Only start the final clean once all furniture is out and all wall repairs are dry. A daylight check the day before quickly reveals whether skirting boards, door frames, switches or the cellar unit still need attention.

Clearance, renovation and final cleaning from one team in Riesa

When clearance, filling, painting and end-of-tenancy cleaning all have to be completed reliably by a fixed handover date, booking one coordinated team saves time and hassle. Tell us the size of the flat, your handover date and what has been agreed with the landlord.

TF Clean supports tenants, landlords and property managers across Riesa and the surrounding area with clearance, renovation and end-of-tenancy cleaning – individually or as a complete handover package.