An exit inspection in Auckland is not a quick walk through on the way to the next viewing. It is the record that decides the bond. Climber compares the property with the move-in report, photographs what we see and separates fair wear from damage. You decide the claim. We prepare the paperwork and follow it through if the tenant caused damage and will not agree.
When does the exit inspection happen?
At the end of the tenancy, once the tenant has moved out and the keys are back. We do not try to judge a house that is still full of boxes. The tenant should leave it clean and in the condition they took it, apart from fair wear and tear. They get move-out notes before that day so 'I did not know' is a weak excuse.
If they leave things behind or the place is not ready, we record that. We do not quietly fix it and forget to tell you. The cost of cleaning or removal only belongs in a bond claim if it is written down.
What do you compare it with?
The ingoing report and the inspection photos taken during the tenancy. Memory is useless at a bond dispute. A photo from the first week is not. This is why the routine inspections matter. If nobody photographed the carpet in 2024, you cannot prove the burn mark arrived in 2026.
- We walk the same rooms as the move-in report.
- We photograph damage, missing items and anything that is only dirty because it was left that way.
- We note fair wear separately so it does not get bundled into a claim.
- We price the real repairs, not a round number that will not survive a question.
What is fair wear and tear and what is damage?
Fair wear is what happens when someone lives in a house. Faded curtains, light scuffs, a carpet that has flattened in the hallway. Damage is what should not have happened. A hole in the wall, a broken window, stains that will not come out, smoke alarms pulled down, pets that were never approved.
Only the damage can come off the bond. Claiming for ordinary ageing is how owners lose at the Tenancy Tribunal and how tenants stop trusting the process. We would rather put a smaller claim that matches the photos than a long list that falls over.
What if the tenant caused damage and disputes it?
You see the photos, the notes and the cost. You choose what to claim. If the tenant agrees, we lodge the bond refund with Tenancy Services for the amount that is left. If they do not agree, the file is already in shape for the Tribunal: the ingoing report, the exit photos and the quotes. We do not ask you to assemble that on your own the week you are also trying to relet.
Sometimes the damage is also a maintenance issue for the next tenant. We separate 'fix this so it can be rented' from 'this comes off the bond'. Those are related and they are not the same invoice conversation.
Do the claim while the photos are fresh. A bond that sits for a month gets harder, because nobody remembers whether the mark was already there. We send you the comparison soon after the walk-through, with a plain recommendation. Agree, change a line or ask a question. If the next tenant is already lined up, the repair still has to be booked. The bond conversation and the relet can run at the same time. What cannot happen is a new tenancy moving into damage nobody has priced.
Keys come back on the last day, or they do not. If a set is missing we note it before anyone signs a bond form. A lost key is a lock change, not a shrug. The same goes for remotes, garage openers and the mailbox key. Small items get left off claims because they feel petty. They are still on the agreement and the next tenant will ask for them on day one.
Who at Climber handles the exit?
The inspection is done by the team that does inspections, not squeezed in by whoever answered the phone. The person managing the owner relationship explains the claim. If it needs to be pushed further, the same notes move with the file. One person being away does not mean the bond sits in a drawer.
There is a longer walk-through in our exit inspections guide. The part owners feel is simpler. You see what changed, you see what it costs and you are not guessing which marks were already there.
Questions landlords ask us
Can Climber take money from the bond without me?
No. We recommend the claim with photos and prices. You decide what is lodged.
What if there are no move-in photos?
The claim is weaker. We still record the exit. We will not pretend a missing ingoing report is solid evidence.
How is the bond actually refunded?
We submit the bond refund to Tenancy Services once the deductions are agreed or decided. The tenant receives what is left.
If you want this handled for a property in Auckland, talk to the Climber team or read how residential property management works with us.