Handing back the keys to a rented room, apartment or condo in Thailand goes faster when the room is clean and your evidence is ready. This checklist covers what Thai law expects, what to prepare, how to clean room by room, how to use cleaning products safely and what to do on inspection day, with notes for foreign tenants.
How clean is clean enough?
The aim is not to make the room brand new but to return it in the condition you received it, apart from normal wear and tear. Thailand's Civil and Commercial Code sets the basic rules:
- Section 553: the tenant must look after the rented property as carefully as a prudent person looks after their own, and must maintain it and carry out minor repairs.
- Section 562: the tenant is liable for loss or damage caused by their own fault, by people living with them or by a subtenant, but not for wear that comes from proper use of the property.
- Section 561: if there is no written condition record signed by both sides, the tenant is presumed to have received the property in good repair and must return it in that condition.
If your landlord rents out 3 or more residential units (dormitories under Thailand's Dormitory Act and hotels are excluded), the Contract Committee's Notification on residential leases as a controlled-contract business, B.E. 2568 (2025), has also applied since 04/09/2025. Under it, a lease cannot make you liable for normal wear and tear, and the deposit must be returned immediately when the lease ends. If the landlord needs to inspect the room first, the deadline is 7 days when there is no damage, or 14 days when there is damage you are liable for, and only the repair cost may be deducted. A condo owner who rents out a single unit is outside this notification; your lease and the Civil and Commercial Code apply instead. More in Rental Deposits in Thailand: How Much, How Fast It Comes Back, What Can Be Deducted.
A thorough clean before the inspection makes it easier to tell normal wear from real damage, because dust and grime can hide marks that were already there. If your lease mentions cleaning, air-conditioner servicing or move-out charges, read that clause and ask the landlord before you start.
Before move-out day
- Re-read your lease for the notice period, how the room must be returned and how the deposit comes back. Give notice as the lease requires and keep proof that you did.
- Open your move-in photos and condition report to see the existing marks, the items that came with the room and where the furniture stood.
- Book the inspection with the landlord or building manager in daylight, and leave time to clean after everything has been moved out.
- Do not leave belongings behind. Ask the building manager where large items can be thrown away.
- Cancel or move services you set up yourself, such as home internet, and update your delivery address.
- Leaving Thailand? Before you hand back the keys, agree in writing on when and to which account the deposit will be returned, and leave the landlord a way to reach you.
Room-by-room cleaning checklist
Clean once the room is empty: it is quicker, and you can see the hidden spots. Work from top to bottom and dust before you wipe with water, so dust does not fall on a floor you have already mopped.
Walls and doors
- Remove adhesive hooks, tape and stickers slowly, following the instructions on the package, so the paint does not come off with them (see Make a Small Rental Room Look Bigger Without Drilling).
- Wipe hand and shoe marks with a damp cloth after testing on a hidden spot.
- Do not fill holes or repaint yourself without asking, because the paint or material may not match. Tell the landlord and agree first.
- Wipe doors, handles, light switches and socket covers, using a dry cloth on switches and sockets.
Air conditioner, fans and lights
- Clean the air-conditioner filter: switch the unit off, remove the filter as the manual for that model shows, wash it with clean water and let it dry completely in the air before putting it back.
- Do not take other parts apart. If the lease requires a professional clean, or the unit drips, talk to the landlord about a technician.
- Wipe the fan blades and lamps, check that every light works and ask the landlord whether you should replace bulbs that failed during your stay.
Bathroom
- Scrub the toilet, basin, taps and shower, then wipe the mirror and shelves.
- Pull hair out of the floor drain, check that water drains quickly and scrub the floor and the grout.
- Use one bathroom cleaner at a time and read the label first (see the safety section below).
Kitchen corner and appliances
- Clean the sink and wipe grease off the wall and counter.
- Empty and wipe the room's fridge, including the door seal. If it needs defrosting, ask the landlord whether to unplug it, and catch the water.
- Wipe the microwave or kettle that came with the room, inside and out, and take every bag of rubbish out.
Windows, balcony, floor and furniture
- Wipe the glass, window tracks and insect screens; sweep the balcony and make sure its drain is clear.
- Ask before taking down curtains that came with the room for washing, and follow the care label.
- Empty and wipe every drawer and cupboard, check under the bed and lift (do not drag) the furniture back to where it stood on move-in day.
- Sweep and mop last, from the far end of the room towards the door.
Use cleaning products safely
Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) warns never to mix laundry bleach with toilet cleaner, pour them together or use the two at the same time. Bleach contains sodium hypochlorite; with the hydrochloric acid in toilet cleaners it produces chlorine gas, which is highly toxic. It can cause burning, coughing and chest tightness, and severe cases can be life-threatening.
- Read the label and follow it strictly, and use one product at a time.
- Wear rubber gloves, and wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.
- If you breathe in fumes and feel unwell, move to fresh air at once. If a product gets in your eyes, rinse with plenty of clean water. For a medical emergency, call 1669.
Inspection day and handing back the keys
- Photograph and film the clean room from the same angles as on move-in day, starting with the room number, and keep the original files until the deposit is back.
- Photograph the electricity and water meters so the final bill can be checked.
- Walk through the room with the landlord, comparing it with the move-in report and photos.
- Return every key, key card and remote and ask for written confirmation; a chat message is fine.
- Send your account details for the deposit in writing and ask when it will be paid.
- If anything is deducted, ask for an itemised list with photos or repair receipts.
If the deposit is late, send a written reminder with the move-out date, the amount and the deadline. If you still cannot agree, you can complain to the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) on hotline 1166. For how to photograph the room and write a condition report, see Move-In Day in a Thai Rental; use the same angles when you move out.
Moving to another address in Thailand? The house owner or landlord of your new place must report your stay on form TM30 within 24 hours of you moving in. What to hand over and what to keep: TM30 in Thailand for Tenants.
Find your next place on RentKrub
- Search on map: drop a pin at your office or campus and pick a radius of 1–5 km.
- Rooms near rail stations (BTS, MRT and ARL) and rooms near universities.
- Daily rooms for a short stay between two leases, by province, station or university.
- Compare properties: tap the scale button on up to 4 listings and see them side by side.
This article is a general summary. For your own case, rely on the law, the notification and your lease; the notification and the standard lease form (in Thai) are on the OCPB website.
