Moving out of a rental? The garden is part of the final inspection. In WA you need to leave the home in a similar condition to when you moved in, and for most rentals that includes the lawn, the garden beds and the yard. Here’s what’s yours to do, what’s the landlord’s, and a checklist to work through before you hand back the keys.
What WA rules say about the garden
Consumer Protection WA’s guidance splits the garden work like this:
| Usually the tenant’s job | Usually the landlord’s job |
|---|---|
| Watering on your rostered days | Tree lopping |
| Mowing and edging the lawn | Cutting back overhanging branches, such as near power lines |
| Weeding | Keeping the reticulation working |
| Light pruning | Firebreaks, where the property needs them |
| Removing rubbish from the yard |
Your tenancy agreement can change this. Some landlords pay for regular gardening, so check the special conditions in your lease.
When you move out, you need to have left the home in a similar condition to when you moved in, and repaired or paid for any damage beyond fair wear and tear. Fair wear and tear is what happens through ordinary use. Damage from negligence doesn’t count.
Start with your ingoing condition report
Your ingoing property condition report is the benchmark, because the final inspection compares the garden with it. Dig it out, along with any photos you took when you moved in.
You’re aiming for the condition in the report, not something better. If the lawn was patchy on day one, you don’t have to hand back a bowling green. But if the beds were weeded and the edges were crisp, that’s the standard to get back to.
The end of lease garden checklist
Lawns
- Mow a day or two before the inspection, not a fortnight before.
- Edge along paths, the driveway and garden beds, and sweep up the clippings.
- Fill any holes, especially if the dog’s been digging.
Garden beds
- Weed every bed, including under shrubs and along the fence line.
- Clear out fallen leaves and anything that’s died.
- Take your own pot plants with you.
Hedges and shrubs
- Give hedges and shrubs a light trim so they’re clear of paths, windows and the letterbox.
- Leave trees and big branches to the landlord. If a tree needs work, tell them in writing well before you move out.
Paths and paving
- Pull weeds from between pavers and along the edges.
- Sweep or blow off the paths, the driveway and the patio.
Rubbish and green waste
- Remove all rubbish from the yard, including behind the shed and down the side of the house.
- Get green waste off the property. If you have a lime-green bin, it takes clippings and small prunings. Bigger piles need a tip run, a skip or a pick-up, and our green waste cost guide compares the options.
- Don’t leave a pile on the verge and hope. Unless your council’s collection is booked or due, it’ll still be there at the inspection.
Watering and reticulation
- Keep watering on your rostered days right up to the end. Sprinklers are switched off in Perth from 1 June to 31 August, so hand-water in winter if the garden needs it.
- Check the sprinklers work. Keeping the reticulation working is the landlord’s job, but you should report faults and leaks. Do it in writing and keep a copy.
Pets
- Pick up droppings, fill holes and fix any damage your pet caused. Consumer Protection WA says tenants must clean up pet mess inside and outside the home.
When to do it
A week out: book any big jobs, like a hedge trim, a green waste removal or a proper weed-out, so there’s time to fix anything missed.
A day or two out: mow, edge, sweep and take dated photos of the finished garden. If there’s a question about the bond later, photos help.
What happens after you move out
The landlord or property manager has to do a final inspection and an outgoing condition report within 14 days after the tenancy ends, and give you a reasonable chance to be there. Go if you can.
Anyone named on the bond can start the bond release. If it’s disputed, the Commissioner for Consumer Protection decides. The bond release form has its own “garden repair and maintenance” category, covering lawns, garden beds and cleaning up the yard, so the garden does come up in bond claims.
Short on time?
That’s what our end of lease garden tidy is for: lawns, edges, weeding, hedge tidies and green waste removal, timed to your inspection, with photos when we’re done. We don’t do inside cleaning or repairs, and we can’t promise anything about your bond (that’s your property manager’s call), but we can take the garden off your list.
Send us a photo of the yard and we’ll quote from it. Call 0422 337 609 or get a free quote.
Managing rentals? See our garden maintenance for property managers.
End of lease garden questions
Do tenants have to mow the lawn in WA?
Usually, yes. Consumer Protection WA lists watering, weeding, mowing and edging as the tenant’s job, unless your agreement says the landlord pays for gardening.
Who looks after trees in a WA rental?
The landlord. Major tree lopping and cutting back overhanging branches are the landlord’s responsibility. Tenants do light pruning.
Can the landlord claim bond for the garden?
Yes, if the garden isn’t left in a similar condition to when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear. The bond release form has a garden category, and if the release is disputed, the Commissioner for Consumer Protection decides.
Who fixes broken reticulation?
The landlord has to keep the reticulation working. Report faults and leaks in writing as soon as you notice them, and hand-water where it’s reasonable in the meantime.
My lawn went brown over summer. Will I lose bond?
There’s no specific rule about brown lawns. What counts is how the garden compares with your ingoing report and whether you did your part: watering on your rostered days, mowing and weeding. If the reticulation broke, your written report to the landlord matters.
How soon after I move out is the final inspection?
Within 14 days after the tenancy ends. The landlord has to give you a reasonable chance to be there.
General information, not legal advice. Your tenancy agreement and Consumer Protection WA have the final word. Rules checked September 2026.
