Guide
End-of-lease moving checklist for renters in Ireland
Updated
The short answer
Give the right notice in writing, book your van for a day before the keys are due back, take dated photos and meter readings on the way out, clean properly, and return every key. Most deposit disputes come down to condition and cleaning, so photos are your best evidence.
Four weeks or more before
Start early, because the end of the month is when everyone else is moving too.
- Check the notice period in your lease and on rtb.ie, and give notice in writing
- Book the van for a day or two before the keys are due back, not the last day
- Sort what's yours and what belongs to the landlord
- Start using up food and selling or giving away what you won't take
The week before
- Pack everything that isn't daily use, and label boxes by room
- Book or confirm parking and lift access at both ends
- Arrange broadband and utilities at the new place
- Take beds and furniture apart if you're doing that yourself
Moving day
- Take dated photos of every room once it's empty
- Read and photograph the electricity and gas meters
- Check presses, the attic, the shed and behind doors for anything left
- Return every key and get a note that you've done it
Getting the deposit back
Clean as if you were the next tenant: the oven, the fridge, the bathroom and the floors. Report any damage honestly. If there's a dispute about the deposit that you can't resolve with the landlord, the Residential Tenancies Board can help.
Questions
What day of the month should I move?
If you can, avoid the last day and the first day of the month. Book a day or two earlier, while you still have the keys to both places if possible.