7 Reinstatement Mistakes That Cost Tenants Their Deposit

After thousands of handovers, the same mistakes cost tenants their deposits again and again. Here are the seven that do the most damage — and the simple fix for each.

1. Leaving it to the last minute

The single most expensive mistake. Late booking means rush premiums, no time for paint to cure, and a unit that fails inspection. Fix: start 4–6 weeks early.

2. DIY painting to "save money"

Uneven coverage, visible patches and missed prep get rejected — then the landlord charges for a professional redo. Fix: for any repaint that must pass inspection, use a professional.

3. Ignoring the reinstatement clause

Tenants who never read the clause guess at the scope — and guess wrong. Fix: read it early; know whether it's "original condition" or "bare shell" and what's mandatory.

4. No move-in record

Without a dated inventory, you can't prove what was already there — so pre-existing flaws become your bill. Fix: photograph everything at move-in (too late this tenancy? Document now and at move-out).

5. Over-doing the works

6. Repainting the wrong colour

Painting "a white" instead of the original white leaves a mismatch the landlord will spot — and charge to redo. Fix: match the original colour; check the inventory or ask the landlord.

7. Skipping the final clean

A perfectly reinstated unit still fails if it's dirty — most leases require it returned clean. Fix: include an end-of-tenancy clean (see cleaning vs reinstatement) and run a documented inspection.

The one habit that prevents all seven