1) Start 30 days out: line up your evidence

Read the contract again.  Flag sections on deposit deductions, notice period, professional cleaning, garden/balcony care, light bulbs, paintwork, and key return.  Many Gibraltar tenancies (especially via agents) mirror UK-style clauses - so precision matters.

Find your check-in inventory. You should have been given one at the beginning with photos.  If not, your own dated photos/videos are your best friend.  Create a shared folder and label everything by room.

Book your exit date early. If you’re using movers or cleaners, the Rock gets busy - especially around month-end and summer postings.  Booking early avoids last-minute premiums (and panic).

Create your “proof pack.” A single PDF or folder that includes:

• Check-in inventory

• Receipts (minor repairs, cleaning, appliance servicing)

• Your own photos/videos (before cleaning, during, and after)

• Any agreed permissions (e.g., if the landlord approved wall fixings, pets, or repainting)

2) Tackle Gibraltar-specific wear & tear

Humidity & Levante mould.  Gibraltar’s Levante can push humidity up quickly.  Even if mould is considered “wear and tear,” visible patches invite deductions.  Two weeks before you move:

• Run a dehumidifier (even overnight) to pull moisture.

• Treat spots with an anti-mould wash; repaint only if your lease permits.

• Ventilate bathrooms and kitchens; leave extractor fans running after showers.

Balconies & seagulls. Outdoor spaces collect salt spray and bird mess.

• Pressure wash or scrub balconies and railings (mind downstairs neighbors).

• Remove nests/debris humanely and clean droppings thoroughly.

• Wipe glass balustrades; polish handrails.

Marble & tile care. Many Gibraltar apartments use polished stone or high-gloss tiles that show streaks.

• Use pH-neutral stone cleaner; avoid vinegar/bleach on marble.

• Buff with a dry microfibre to prevent water spots.

Air-con filters.  Split units work hard in summer.  Clean or replace filters and wipe casings.  Dusty filters = “poor maintenance” deductions and cranky final inspections.

3) Fix the small stuff landlords love to charge for

Run a room-by-room mini-snag:

• Walls: Fill pinholes with a matching filler.  If you repainted a feature wall without permission, check the agreement - restoration may be required.

• Lights & batteries: Replace burnt bulbs and smoke-alarm batteries.

• Loose handles/hinges: Tighten with a screwdriver; add a drop of thread locker if needed.

• Silicone & grout: Re-silicone around sinks/showers where mildew is stubborn; it’s a cheap fix that looks “like new.”

• Shower screens & taps: Remove limescale with a safe descaler; polish chrome.

• Cupboards: Clean door tops and kickboards - commonly missed.

• Appliances: Empty, defrost, and deodorise the fridge/freezer; run a hot empty cycle with cleaner through the dishwasher and washing machine; clean the lint trap in the dryer.

4) Clean like an inspector will

Whether you hire pros or DIY, aim for “hotel-ready,” not “lived-in.”  A typical checkout in Gibraltar (especially new builds) expects:

• Kitchen: Degrease hood filters, oven (including racks and side walls), behind/under appliances, splashbacks, and kickboards.  Remove crumbs from drawers.  Clean rubber seals on fridges and washers.

• Bathrooms: Descale glass, polish chrome, scrub grout, disinfect toilet hinges, and detail extractor fan covers.

• Floors: Vacuum, then mop (twice for glossy tiles).  Edge-vac along skirting boards.

• Windows & tracks: Salt mist collects in tracks - brush, vacuum, wipe.

• Soft furnishings: Steam-clean curtains if stained and your lease requires it; fluff sofa cushions; spot-clean marks.

• Mattresses (if furnished): Vacuum faces and sides; remove toppers for separate cleaning.

Pro tip: Take high-resolution “after” photos in daylight and again at checkout with the agent.  Include close-ups of high-risk areas (oven, hob, bathrooms, balcony, inside fridge).

5) Meter readings and utilities (Rock-specific pointers)

On the day you hand over:

• Gibelec (electricity) & AquaGib (water): Photograph meters with the date visible (phone lock screen works).  Some apartments have cupboards in communal areas - ask concierge or management where yours are.

• Telecoms/internet: Return routers/TV boxes to the provider as instructed to avoid fees.

• Air-con timers/thermostats: Reset to default; leave remotes where you found them.

• Keys/fobs/garage remotes: Count everything.  Many buildings (e.g., in Ocean Village, Midtown, EuroCity, etc.) use multiple fobs - replace missing ones before handover or you’ll pay admin plus hardware.

Keep copies of your final bills and proof of payment/transfer to close accounts cleanly.

6) Gardens, balconies, and common-areas etiquette

• Balcony planters: Remove dead plants, sweep soil, and wipe trays to prevent stains.

• Outdoor furniture: Clean salt and sunscreen residue; tighten screws.

• Common areas: Don’t leave bulk rubbish by lifts or bin stores; check building rules for disposal or book collection.  Leaving items outside doors can breach house rules - and deductions can follow if management charges the landlord.

7) The pre-inspection walkthrough (and why it’s gold)

Ask your agent or landlord for a pre-checkout walkthrough a week before move-out.  You’ll get a punch list while there’s still time to fix things cheaply.  Bring:

• Your inventory and proof pack

• Notepad or phone notes

• A measuring tape (to show furniture spacing if marks are caused by normal use)

Confirm any agreements (e.g., “we’ll touch up paint instead of full repaint”) by email the same day.  Keep those emails in your proof pack.

8) Handover day: make it boring (that’s good)

• Arrive early with cleaning kit.  Do a final dust/mop after movers leave.

• Windows open briefly.  Let sea air freshen, then close to avoid humidity build-up.

• Final photos & video.  Start at the front door and walk every room, opening cupboards and appliances.  End at the door locking sequence to show keys left on the counter (if that’s the instruction).

• Sign the checkout report only if it matches reality.  If you disagree, note it in writing on the form (or in a follow-up email with photos) rather than arguing on the spot.

9) Disputes and deductions (keep it calm, keep it written)

If the landlord proposes deductions:

1. Ask for a breakdown with photos and invoices/quotes.

2. Compare with your inventory (check-in and check-out).  Distinguish wear & tear (landlord’s cost) from damage (your cost).  For example, traffic-lane carpet flattening is wear; iron burns are damage.

3. Offer pragmatic fixes.  Sometimes a small compromise (e.g., paying for oven racks rather than a whole “deep clean”) closes the issue fast.

4. Stay in email.  Gibraltar’s a small place; being civil and factual preserves your reference.

10) Your printable move-out checklist

• ☐ Re-read lease; highlight deposit clauses

• ☐ Locate check-in inventory & create proof pack

• ☐ Book movers/cleaners; schedule pre-checkout walkthrough

• ☐ Dehumidify; treat any mould and re-silicone if needed

• ☐ Balcony deep-clean; remove bird mess; polish glass

• ☐ Air-con: clean filters; dust units

• ☐ Minor repairs: fill holes, replace bulbs/batteries, tighten fittings

• ☐ Appliances: oven, hob, hood filters, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washer, dryer (lint!)

• ☐ Bathroom: descale, polish chrome, scrub grout, fan covers

• ☐ Windows & tracks; skirting; behind/under appliances

• ☐ Soft furnishings: spot clean; curtains if required

• ☐ Meter readings with photos (Gibelec/AquaGib); close accounts

• ☐ Return all keys/fobs/remotes; count them

• ☐ Final clean after movers; air rooms; take “after” photos & video

• ☐ Attend checkout; note any disagreements in writing

• ☐ Keep receipts and emails until the deposit is safely returned

A word on furnished vs. unfurnished

Furnished: Photograph each item (front, sides, and any serial numbers).  Remove stains from mattresses and upholstery; small professional cleaning bills are often cheaper than deductions.
Unfurnished: Focus on walls, floors, and appliances.  Empty every cupboard and drawer; leave manuals and spare tiles/paint where you found them.

Smart habits that prevent problems months earlier

• Run a dehumidifier a few nights a week in winter.

• Wipe shower glass after use; keep limescale at bay.

• Report leaks immediately - water marks left “too long” are classic deduction material.

• Keep original screws and fittings in a labelled bag when you remove anything (with permission!).

If you treat checkout like a mini project - plan it, document it, and polish the details - you’ll make the final inspection pleasantly uneventful.  In Gibraltar’s bright, salt-kissed apartments, a little extra attention to humidity, glass, and balconies goes a long way.  Do the small fixes, keep everything in writing, and hand back a place that looks as good as the day you moved in - then enjoy your full deposit landing back where it belongs: in your account.

Quick note: This is practical guidance, not legal advice.  Requirements can vary by lease and agent.  Always follow the exact terms in your tenancy agreement.