Your PM spent 15 minutes on exit? That’s not management, that’s comedy

Tired of “good enough” exit reports that lead to bond disputes, frustrated tenants, and falling asset value? We pull back the curtain on how thorough exit condition reports protect owners, respect tenants, and set the next lease up for success, without excuses or shortcuts. From verifying cleaning and distinguishing fair wear from grime, to setting clear outdoor standards and documenting maintenance and safety, we walk through a practical framework that keeps properties clean, functional, and ahead of the market.

We talk candidly about the rise of rushed, 15 minute exits and why that habit is costing landlords! You’ll hear how to assess cleaning against the original entry standard, why an invoice isn’t proof of quality, and how to insist on re cleans when work falls short. 

Expect clear, actionable steps for owners and property managers who want better outcomes: ask for full photo reports, compare against entry, log even minor defects, test appliances, and close the loop with follow up. 

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If you have any questions or scenarios you would like us to discuss on an upcoming episode, please email samantha.eason@exclusivelymanaged.com.au or visit https://www.exclusivelymanaged.com.au/

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Chapters

• 0:00 Why Exit Reports Matter
• 3:43 The Cost of Lazy Management
• 5:23 Cleaning vs Fair Wear Explained
• 7:00 Lawns, Gardens, Outdoor Standards
• 8:18 Maintenance, Safety, Evidence
• 10:00 Standards Shape Tenant Behaviour
• 12:25 Owner Oversight and Accountability
• 13:58 Market Reality and Expectations
• 15:35 Professionalism and Clear Summary

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 1:00

Welcome to Real Talk for Property Investors. I'm Samantha Eason, Principal of Exclusively Managed, and today we're diving into something that separates the professionals from the pretenders. Exit condition reports. This episode isn't about ticking boxes or filling in forms. To be honest, it's about accountability, standards, and what happens when property managers get lazy. Because I'm gonna be completely honest, right now across Queensland, too many are. So the exit condition report, what it's meant to be. In summary, an exit condition report is a formal, legal, and professional comparison between how a property was handed over to a tenant and how it's been returned. It's not a quick walkthrough. This report protects both the owner and the tenant, but when property managers rush it, skip areas, or accept substandard cleaning, that protection disappears. The purpose of an exit is to hold the tenancy to account, to make sure the property is returned as close as possible to its entry condition, and of course, minus any fair wear and tear. Yet what I'm seeing more and more is property managers spending 15 minutes or so on site, taking a handful of photos and calling it done. And that's not management, that's neglect. If your property manager can't tell you exactly what they checked, what they compared it to, and what they followed up on, they haven't done their job. And let's be honest about the elephant in the room. The industry has become lazy. Property management used to mean something. You had to know legislation, understand wear and tear, document condition thoroughly and communicate properly. Now too many agencies are volume driven, undertrained, and treating exit reports like it's a chore rather than a professional responsibility. Some skip cleaning checks because it's too hard to argue with the tenant. Others don't bother chasing repairs before releasing. Some property managers rely entirely on cleaners or trades instead of verifying the work themselves. And that's been happening for years. And the cost of that laziness doesn't land on the property manager, it lands on the landlord. You pay the price and deterioration, additional maintenance, reduce rent, and loss of trust. So if your PM is dismissing cleaning concerns, saying it's good enough, or that it's fair wear and tear, or they are constantly passing the buck, that's not professional, that's complacency. The truth is an exit condition report should take time. It should involve comparison, documentation, communication, and most importantly, follow-up. It's the difference between reactive management and proactive management. And it could very well be why your property isn't achieving the results that you're expecting. One of the most misunderstood parts of an exit inspection is cleaning and fair wear and tear. So I'm gonna clear this up once and for all. Cleaning, whether internal or external, unless it's a two-story house, is not wear and tear. That includes eaves, patio ceilings, glass inside and out, fans, range hoods, skirtings, walls, flooring, you name it. If it wasn't dirty on entry, it shouldn't be dirty on exit. Too many property managers dismiss cleaning issues because the tenant used a preferred cleaner. But using the agency's cleaner doesn't mean the job is up to standard. If the cleaner missed something, the PM needs to contact them directly, arrange a reclean, and confirm that the work meets expectations. If the tenant left dust, dirt, grime or residue needs to be addressed before the bond is finalized. Stop allowing the excuses. The standard is simple. The property must be returned as clean as it was handed over to the tenant, accounting only for reasonable aging, not dirt, not grime, and not mess. A lazy approach here leads to long-term deterioration. Once grime builds up, it becomes harder to clean each tenancy and the property slowly loses its standard. So we'll jump into lawns, gardens, and outdoor standards. And it's easily another area where laziness shows. Lawn should be mowed, edged, and tidy on the provision that they were handed over in that way to the tenants when they moved in. Garden beds should be weed free, hedges trimmed, paths swept. If weeds weren't present on the entry, they shouldn't be there on the exit. It's that simple. Dead patches of grass can sometimes be weather related, maybe due to heat, rain, or water restrictions, but overall presentation still matters. I often recommend tenants apply weed and feed a few weeks before vacating. Sometimes we drop them off, like a bottle off to the tenants. Sometimes we recommend to the owner that we will weed and feed it or they can weed and feed it if they're going to the property. This helps keep the lawn healthy and helps the owner also meet their obligations for the next tenant. These outdoor areas create the first impression for the next tenant. When they're ignored, the property starts off on the wrong foot before the lease even begins. An exit condition report isn't just about cleanliness, lawns, and gardens, it's about maintenance and safety. Any damage or deterioration identified must be logged immediately. That includes chipped paint, cracked tiles, missing doorstops or minor leaks. This isn't just tenant accountability, it's about being proactive before a new tenancy begins. A proactive manager looks at the property as a whole. What needs repaired now to avoid bigger issues later? If there's a walled, the PM should compare it with entry photos. If it's new, it's obviously tenant damage. If it's old and previously missed, it should be communicated with the owner. Maybe it's on an entry wall or a feature wall. Hey, look, I know when you guys moved out, this mark was here. I recommend that we get it rectified so that we can keep your property up to a really good standard. And this happens often. Many issues that we see at new entries were actually missed at old exits. That's how properties slowly degrade through years of half-done exit reports. And how a property is handed over to a new tenant sets the tone for the entire tenancy. When a property is clean, maintained, and well presented, it sends a message. That affects how tenants treat your home, how they communicate with your agency, and even how they think about you as the owner. But when a property is handed over dirty or unkept, tenants often think no one cares, and if no one cares, I don't care, and the standard of care drops too. This is where relationships come in. Property management is not just about compliance and paperwork, it's people. The stronger your relationships, the better your results. When tenants feel respected, when they see you've gone thorough, fair, and consistent, they mirror that respect in how they look after the home. Every handover, every inspection sets a tone. So make it count. And it could be that, you know, like a lot of property managers are complaining at the moment that, you know, they're being spoken to poorly or that they're doing more work than what they had to previously, like in previous years. But if you treat your tenants with respect, if you move them into a property that's well presented, nice, clean, everything's working, you might find that that respect will change, that you will be respected by your tenants, they will care, they will communicate with you more. It's a very big difference. Like, yes, I understand that the general public at the moment are are holding on to a lot of weight. And I've seen it when I'm at the shops, people are more frustrated and they do take it out on other people. But in our line of work, you as the property manager is that person that your tenants communicate to. You also communicate to that property manager. So listen next time, see what they're actually saying, seeing how they say it. And you know, if they're throwing things into the too hard basket, it's probably not the right property manager for you. If you're a landlord, ask for your full entry and exit reports with photos. Don't accept short summaries, compare them yourself, look for new marks, miscleaning, neglected maintenance. Ask your property manager direct questions. If they get defensive or if they get dismissive, that is a concern. A good property manager welcomes accountability. They'll explain their decisions, back them with evidence, and take responsibility if something's being missed. Remember, you're not being difficult, you're protecting your investment. We need to raise the standard. The industry needs to lift its standards because the reason you have so many disgruntled tenants and frustrated owners is simple. Property managers aren't doing their job properly. Tenants aren't angry because they're difficult, they're angry because they're moving into homes where appliances don't work, cleaning's been overlooked, and basic maintenance hasn't been checked or completed. That's not fair and it's not professional. Some property managers are inexperienced, others are purposely negligent. Either way, it's costing everyone, financially and emotionally. How would you feel if you moved into a property with two out of four appliances not working? Would you be happy paying the full amount of rent for that? Of course not. Yet, so many PEMs that I've come across expect tenants to just accept it. They assume it's fine or we'll fix it later. But it this isn't 2015 anymore. The rental market has changed so much. Tenants are paying double in most areas, and with that comes high expectations, and to be honest, rightly so. If you want good tenants who pay on time and treat the property with respect, you need to give them a well-maintained functional home from day one. Agencies and property managers that take shortcuts at exits, at entries, and skip maintenance and rush through handovers are creating their own problems. They're breeding frustration, mistrust, and turnover. It's time to stop blaming tenants for being upset and start taking responsibility for the standard of management. Professional property managers don't avoid accountability. We welcome it. Because high standards protect everyone, the owner, the tenant, and the reputation of the agency. So it is a quick episode today, but I'll summarize. An exit report done properly is more than a checklist. It's about professionalism, pride, and prevention. How you hand over a property does matter. It shapes the next tenancy, impacts a property's long-term value, and reflects your agency's integrity or your property manager's integrity. Lazy management costs money. Proactive management builds value. There's a difference. So if you're a property manager, take the time to do the job properly. Document everything. And most importantly, follow up. If you're a landlord, you need to expect your property manager to do all of that as a minimum. Because near enough isn't good enough when it comes to your most valuable asset. For more on accountability standards and professional property management across Brisbane and the Morten Bay region, visit exclusively managed.com.au. Until next time, stay informed, stay confident, and stay exclusively managed. Thank you for listening. I'm Samantha Eason.