Move-out cleaning in Ottawa: the landlord checklist and how to get the deposit back
Updated
In Ontario the only rent deposit a landlord can hold is last month's rent, and it cannot be used for damage. What that means when you move out, what cleaning the law expects, and a room-by-room checklist.
What the deposit actually is in Ontario
Many people moving out of an Ottawa rental expect a damage deposit back. In Ontario that is usually the wrong frame.
According to the Landlord and Tenant Board, a landlord can collect a rent deposit of no more than one month's rent, or one week's rent if rent is paid weekly. It must be used as the rent for the last month or week of the tenancy. It cannot be used for anything else, such as paying for damage. The landlord must pay interest on it every year, at the same rate as the provincial rent increase guideline.
Ontario's guide to the standard lease is just as direct. A rent deposit cannot be used as a damage deposit, and lease terms that require deposits the Act does not allow, such as damage or pet deposits, are void. A refundable key deposit is allowed, and should come back when you return the keys.
So for most tenants the deposit has already been used up by the last month's rent. The practical question at move-out is whether the landlord will later claim you caused damage.
What the law expects when you leave
The Board's guide to the Residential Tenancies Act says a tenant must keep the unit clean to the standard most people would consider ordinary or normal cleanliness. A tenant must also repair, or pay to repair, damage caused by the tenant, their guests or anyone living with them. Normal wear and tear is not the tenant's responsibility.
That sets a reasonable bar. The landlord cannot demand a showroom finish. But leaving a greasy oven, a mouldy fridge or holes in the walls invites a dispute, and a landlord who wants to claim for damage has to prove it at the Board rather than keeping your deposit.
The room-by-room checklist
Kitchen: clean the oven inside, including racks and the glass. Clean the stovetop and under the burners. Empty, defrost and wipe out the fridge and freezer, and pull the fridge out to clean behind it if it is on rollers. Wash the range hood and its filter. Wipe out every cabinet and drawer, and clean the sink and faucet.
Bathroom: scrub the tub or shower, tiles and grout. Clean the toilet inside, outside and around the base. Wipe the mirror, vanity, cabinet and exhaust fan cover. Clear hair from the drains.
Every room: dust baseboards, door frames, light switches and outlet covers. Wipe the window sills and tracks. Empty and wipe the closets. Vacuum and wash the floors, including under where furniture stood.
Walls: wipe off scuffs. Fill nail holes only if your lease or landlord asks for it, and use a matching finish if you paint.
Outside the unit: clear the balcony, storage locker and parking spot. Remove everything you own, including garbage. Items left behind can become a charge.
Easy to miss: blinds, light fixtures, radiators and baseboard heaters, the dryer lint trap, the inside of the dishwasher and the top of the fridge. Landlords doing a walk-through tend to open appliances and look up.
Photos, walk-through and keys
Take date-stamped photos and a short video of every room once the unit is empty and clean. Compare them to your move-in photos if you have them.
Ask the landlord to do a walk-through with you before you hand over the keys, and note anything they raise in writing. Return all keys and fobs, and ask for the key deposit back at the same time.
If there is a disagreement later, your photos and written notes are what the Board will look at.
Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing. It is also the moment to check that you have received the interest owed on your rent deposit for each year of the tenancy.
Hiring a move-out clean
Indicative 2026 range from the price guide on this site: a move-in or move-out clean runs about $300 to $550 before tax. Size, the condition of the oven and fridge, and whether interior windows are included all change the price.
Month-end dates book up first, so arrange it early. Ask exactly what is included. Inside the oven and fridge, inside cabinets and baseboards should be on the list for a move-out. Book it for after the movers leave, since cleaning around boxes and furniture misses the parts landlords check.