Move-Out Cleaning Timeline: When to Book the Clean, Removals and Check-Out (London)

Book your end of tenancy clean for the afternoon the removal van leaves or the following day, then set the check-out inspection within 72 hours of the clean finishing. In that order the cleaners work in an empty flat, nobody undoes their work, and anything the clerk flags can still be put right before the deposit is settled.

The plan at a glance

• Two months or more before: give notice, then find your tenancy agreement and check-in report.
• Four to six weeks before: book removals, then the clean, then ask for the check-out date.
• Two to three weeks before: declutter, clean the rooms you have emptied and agree any repairs.
• Final week: run down the food, defrost the freezer and send access details to the cleaners.
• Moving day: van out, clean in, photos taken, property locked and left unused.
• Within 72 hours of the clean: check-out inspection, with time to fix anything raised.

Two months before: how much notice do you need to give?

On 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies in England became rolling assured periodic tenancies, so any end date in your agreement no longer applies (GOV.UK). The tenancy runs until you or the landlord end it. GOV.UK says your tenancy agreement should state how much notice you must give. The most a landlord can ask for is 2 months, and if the agreement says nothing, you need to give at least 2 months. Notice must be in writing, by letter, email or text, and the tenancy must end on a rent day or the day before (GOV.UK). If your tenancy started before 1 May 2026, the rules depend on your tenancy type, so check the guidance for older tenancies.

While you are giving notice, gather three documents:

• The tenancy agreement, for its cleaning clause and any notes on carpets, curtains or the garden.
• The check-in report, which sets the standard for the check-out. Look for anything described as professionally cleaned.
• Your deposit protection details, so you know which scheme holds the money if there is a dispute later.

Four to six weeks before: what should you book first?

Book the removal company first, because the clean and the check-out both depend on the day the van leaves. Then book the clean for that afternoon or the next morning, and ask the agent to fix the check-out inspection for a day or two after it.

• Clean after the van, never before. Carrying wardrobes, beds and boxes through a flat brings in grit and leaves dust where the furniture stood.
• Do not stay over after the clean. One evening of cooking and showering is enough to undo a kitchen and a bathroom.
• Keep the inspection close to the clean. If your cleaner offers a re-clean guarantee, check when its window starts and ends, because a check-out a week later can fall outside it.

London adds a few booking jobs of its own. If the van needs a parking space, apply to your council to suspend a bay, because each borough sets its own notice period. In a block of flats, tell the building manager or concierge the date and ask whether the lift can be reserved. If your tenancy ends at the end of a month, book early, because many other tenancies end on the same dates.

Two to three weeks before: what can you clean early?

You can clear and clean any room you have stopped using, and every job done now shortens the final day.

• Empty the loft, the spare room and the cupboard under the stairs, and clean each space as you clear it.
• Sell, donate or book a council bulky waste collection for furniture you are not taking. Collections are booked ahead, so do not leave it to the last week.
• Agree repairs in writing before you fill picture-hook holes or touch up paint. A mismatched patch can cost more than the hole.
• Read our room-by-room check-out checklist and mark anything your check-in report lists as professionally cleaned.
• If the carpets were cleaned before you moved in and are now marked, book carpet cleaning for the same day as the clean.

Short of space in a small flat? Our tips on decluttering smaller London flats help you clear rooms faster.

The final week: what needs doing before moving day?

• Run down the fridge and freezer from the start of the week, so there is little left to throw away.
• Defrost the freezer by switching it off the day before moving day, with towels on the floor to catch the water.
• Pack one last-day box with bin bags, a few cloths, washing-up liquid, toilet roll and the kettle.
• Send access details to the cleaning company: keys or key safe, entry codes, parking and which bins to use.
• Tell your energy, water and broadband suppliers and the council your moving date, and set up a post redirection.
• Confirm the check-out appointment with the agent, and ask whether you can attend.

Moving day: what is the right order?

1. Removals load. Walk every room once the van is full, opening cupboards, the loft and the meter cupboard.
2. Meter readings. Photograph each meter with the date showing and send the readings to your suppliers.
3. The clean. It starts once the flat is empty. If the van is loaded by lunchtime, an afternoon clean on moving day keeps everything to one day.
4. Your walk-through. When the cleaners finish, check each room against the checklist and take dated photos.
5. Lock up. Leave the keys as the agent asked, and do not go back in to use the flat.

Here is how the timing works in practice. Say the van leaves at noon on a Friday and the clean finishes at 6pm that evening. A 72-hour window from the end of the clean runs until 6pm on Monday, so a Monday morning check-out still leaves most of a day to report anything the clerk raises.

What happens in the 72 hours after the clean?

The clerk inspects the property against the check-in report and sends a check-out report, usually with photos, to the agent or landlord. Ask for a copy straight away, because the clock is running.

• Attend if you can. You can point out anything the check-in report already recorded, and see any problems for yourself.
• Act on cleaning points quickly. With SW Clean London, report them within 72 hours of the end of the clean and we come back to re-clean those points free of charge. The property must have been empty during the clean and unused afterwards.
• If the inspection is later, add our extended guarantee when you book. It moves the window to 7 days (168 hours) for £59.

After you move out: when should your deposit come back?

Once you and the landlord agree how much you get back, the deposit must be returned within 10 days (GOV.UK). If you disagree with a deduction, the scheme protecting your deposit runs a free dispute service. Our end of tenancy cleaning cost guide explains how deductions and disputes work, and what a professional clean costs by property size.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have the flat cleaned before the removal van comes?

It is better not to. Removals bring dirt in on boots and leave dust and marks where furniture stood, so a clean done first often needs repeating. If you must move out over two days, clean the rooms that are already empty and leave the rest until the van has gone.

Do I need to be there during the clean?

No. You can leave keys or a key safe code and come back at the end, or arrange for the keys to go straight to the agent. If you can be there for the last half hour, walk round with the cleaners and point out anything the check-in report mentions, such as the oven or a stained carpet, so it gets attention before you lock up.

What if my check-out inspection is a week after I move out?

Either move the clean closer to the inspection or extend the guarantee. If the flat is empty and nobody uses it, cleaning a day or two before the inspection is fine. If the clean has to happen on moving day, our extended guarantee covers 7 days (168 hours), so points raised at a later check-out can still be re-cleaned.

Moving out soon? Book your end of tenancy clean for the day your removals finish, see how our end of tenancy cleaning works, or read about moving out in Tower Hamlets.