Moving House Checklist for Queensland Renters

A useful moving house checklist does more than list boxes and cleaning. For a renter, the move must also fit the tenancy end date, the cash needed for two homes, the final evidence sequence and the RTA bond process.

Before day 30: lock down the legal dates

A tenancy agreement is legally binding and must end in a permitted way. A tenant generally gives a Notice of intention to leave (Form 13) when leaving by a specified date. For an ordinary departure without grounds, the current Form 13 page lists 14 days for a periodic general tenancy. For a fixed term, the handover date is the later of 14 days after notice or the agreement end date, unless the parties agree to an earlier date in writing.

Do not count the day the notice is given. If serving by post, allow delivery time. If the end of a statutory period falls on a weekend or public holiday, the RTA guidance explains when the next business day rule applies. For an early end, use the ground and period that actually apply, or get advice.

Build the moving budget before booking anything

The hardest cash-flow point can arrive before the old bond is returned. A new bond, rent in advance, overlapping rent, removal, cleaning and connection costs may all fall into the same week. Do not build a plan that assumes the old bond will fund the new tenancy by a particular date.

If you qualify for Queensland housing assistance, investigate bond loans and rental grants before signing or paying. Eligibility, evidence and timing apply, so treat assistance as a separate application rather than assumed cash. If both tenancies will overlap, count the actual calendar days and confirm which services must remain active at each address.

Days 30 to 22: collect the baseline and book scarce resources

1. Build the tenancy folder. Gather the agreement, Form 1a, entry photos, notices, repair correspondence, pet approval, bond number, rent ledger and receipts.
2. Compare room by room. Mark pre-existing condition, fair wear and tear, cleaning needs, tenant-caused damage and unresolved owner repairs as separate categories.
3. Book the move. Reserve removalists, vehicle, lifts, loading areas or building access. Confirm cancellation terms.
4. Plan services from evidence. Decide whether carpets, pest control or specialist cleaning are actually needed. Do not accept a nominated-provider demand without checking the rules.
5. Report unresolved repairs. Keep repair correspondence distinct from any damage you caused and intend to rectify.

If you do not have the entry report, request it now. Memory is a weak substitute for a dated record. The RTA recommends comparing the entry and exit reports and using photos to reduce end-of-tenancy disputes.

For a paid move, compare written quotes on the same scope. Queensland Office of Fair Trading guidance says to check where charging time starts and ends, packing and unpacking, delivery dates, storage charges, card surcharges, insurance and any upfront payment. Prepare an inventory and photograph existing marks on valuable items. Use the Brisbane and SEQ removalist quote guide to compare like with like.

Days 21 to 15: reduce the load and design the clean

1. Declutter safely. Donate, recycle or dispose of items through lawful channels. Do not leave goods beside bins or on common property.
2. Pack low-use rooms. Create clear access to walls, floors, cupboards and windows.
3. Make a room plan. Include windows and tracks, skirting boards, fans, vents and filters, cupboards, oven, balconies, gardens, lawns and rubbish removal where relevant.
4. Check fixtures and alterations. Review written agreements about hooks, fixtures, painting or structural changes before removing or restoring anything.
5. Confirm provider scope. If using a cleaner or tradesperson, state rooms, inclusions, result, price, access, insurance where relevant, and rectification terms in writing.

The RTA says a tenant may clean themselves, hire a professional, or combine the two. The outcome is compared with the starting condition, less fair wear and tear. A generic “bond clean” label does not replace that comparison.

Days 14 to 8: confirm the handover chain

1. Confirm key handover. Ask where, when and to whom all keys, remotes and access cards must be returned. Ask how receipt will be confirmed.
2. Confirm the vacate inspection process. Ask whether you may attend and how issues will be communicated. Entry frequency limits can apply after a notice to leave has been issued.
3. Schedule utilities. Arrange electricity, gas and internet disconnection for the last day. Keep services active for final cleaning and checks.
4. Check rent. Reconcile payments through the vacating date. Clarify discrepancies before cancelling any automatic payment.
5. Prepare Form 14a. Download the current Exit condition report and read every room and inclusion item, but complete the final condition only when the premises are ready.

Change of address and service transfer list

Use mail redirection as a safety net, not the only change. Update the organisations that can send time-sensitive or identity-related correspondence. The RTA specifically recommends keeping your address and contact details current when documents may be posted. Queensland licence holders must tell the Department of Transport and Main Roads of an address change within 14 days.

Schedule old-home electricity, gas and internet disconnection for the last day, not before the final clean and checks. Arrange the new connection early enough to confirm any appointment or access requirement. Keep final account confirmations and photograph relevant meters. See the Queensland utilities, internet and mail changeover guide for a dedicated sequence.

Days 7 to 3: empty, clean, inspect and rectify

• Move the bulk of possessions and check storage, garage, balcony, garden and common-area obligations.
• Clean from high to low and dry to wet, then finish floors after trades and removalists leave.
• Inspect provider work personally before any short rectification window closes.
• Compare each room with Form 1a and the entry images.
• Address dirt or damage you are responsible for, but do not alter pre-existing condition or owner repairs without authority.
• Keep invoices, receipts and written scope. Photograph completed specialist work.

If time becomes tight, prioritise safety, removal of possessions, the actual condition standard and a complete evidence record. Avoid undocumented cash agreements or repairs that require owner approval.

The final two days: produce the evidence set

1. Do the empty-property walk-through. Open every cupboard, check behind doors, test supplied items safely and inspect outdoor areas.
2. Complete Form 14a carefully. Mark clean, working and undamaged where applicable, add specific comments, initial each page and attach extra pages if needed.
3. Take structured photos. Use a wide, middle and detail sequence. Capture every room, inclusion, meter, key set and disputed area.
4. Back up the originals. Preserve original files and place a copy with the entry evidence, report, invoices and correspondence.
5. Pack the handover kit. Form 14a, all keys and copies, remotes, access cards, forwarding details, bond number and a handover receipt method.

The exit-photo evidence guide gives a shot list and filename convention. The goal is a clear comparison, not a huge stream of repetitive images.

Handover day: close the tenancy cleanly

• Finalise cleaning and any authorised repair.
• Remove every possession and all rubbish.
• Record the final water meter reading if you pay water consumption.
• Give the completed Form 14a to the owner or agent when returning the keys and keep a copy.
• Return all keys, remotes and access cards, including copies made during the tenancy.
• Obtain written proof of the date and time of handover and the items returned.
• Submit a bond refund request only on or after the vacate or handover date.

The RTA says the owner or agent inspects, adds comments where they disagree, initials the report and returns a signed copy to the tenant within three business days. Keep the version you submitted and the returned version.

After handover: watch the short deadlines

Keep your contact details current with the RTA and monitor email and post. In the online process, the parties generally have 48 hours to respond to a Fast Track request. If a Notice of claim is then issued and you disagree, the response period is generally 14 clear days. A disagreement at the earlier Fast Track step does not replace the need to respond to a later Notice of claim.

A managing party who makes a bond claim or disputes a bond request must provide supporting evidence to the tenant within 14 days of that claim or dispute. That evidence deadline does not extend the tenant's Notice of claim deadline. Preserve both dates in your calendar.

Do not count on a same-day bond payment to fund the new home. An agreed refund may move quickly, but the RTA allows time for processing and payment to an Australian bank account, and a disputed amount can be held while the dispute process continues. The Queensland bond refund guide explains the current online and paper routes.

Moving house master checklist

Use this final checklist for moving house as a control page. It covers the jobs most likely to create extra cost, a delayed handover or weak evidence.

The bottom line

The strongest moving home checklist works backwards from a valid handover date. Budget the cash overlap, book scarce services, create access, clean to the evidence, document the empty property, return every access item and then start the bond process without missing a notice.