End of Lease Make Good Sydney: A Practical Checklist for Office Tenants

Make good is not hard, it is just easy to mess up

Most Sydney office make good projects blow out for one reason, the tenant waits until the last minute. Then every small issue becomes urgent, expensive, and stressful.

Here is a checklist you can use to plan your make good properly, reduce downtime, and keep building management onside.

Step 1 - Read the lease and request the landlord scope

Your lease usually says what condition you must return the premises in. Some landlords want “base building condition”. Others want “as found” minus your branding and fitout changes. Do not guess.

Ask for:

• The landlord make good scope (in writing)

• Any base building drawings if available

• The inspection and handover process

• Any building rules about noisy works, lifts, and waste

If you are in the Sydney CBD, North Sydney, or Parramatta, building management processes can be strict. Get it early.

Step 2 - Walk the site and list everything you changed

Do a simple room by room walk:

• Reception and meeting rooms

• Work areas

• Kitchen, bathrooms (if inside your tenancy)

• Server room, comms cupboard

• Storage and back of house

List what you installed, removed, or modified:

• Partitions, glazing, doors

• Floor finishes

• Ceiling changes and lighting changes

• Joinery and built ins

• Signage, decals, branding paint

• Data cabling, power points, AV mounts

Then mark each item as:

• Remove and restore

• Keep (if landlord agrees)

• Repair and repaint

• Clean and detail

Step 3 - Decide if you need a strip out

Most make good projects include some level of de-fit or strip out. Typical office de-fit items:

• Workstations and shelving

• Kitchen joinery if it was tenant supplied

• Feature walls and timber battens

• Carpet tiles and underlay

• Ceiling rafts, feature lighting

If you need a strip out, plan it before repairs and painting. Demo first, then patch and paint, then clean.

Step 4 - Repairs and reinstatement checklist

Common landlord requirements in Sydney offices:

• Patch and paint walls to a neutral finish

• Remove signage and adhesive residue

• Repair holes from TV mounts, shelving, whiteboards

• Replace damaged ceiling tiles

• Restore lighting layout if it was changed

• Remove tenant cabling and leave neat termination points

• Ensure doors and hardware work properly

If you are not sure what is “base building”, ask. Arguing after the fact costs more than clarifying early.

Step 5 - Cleaning checklist for a proper handback

This is where many tenants get caught. A standard “office clean” is not enough for handover.

A make good clean usually includes:

• Detailed vacuum and mop of all floors

• Skirting boards, corners, edges, air vents dusted

• Windows and internal glazing cleaned

• Kitchen deep clean - cupboards, splashbacks, sinks

• Bathrooms deep clean - grout, fittings, mirrors

• Remove sticker residue and tape marks

• Spot clean marks on walls and doors

• Final dust removal after trades

If the site was recently stripped out, dust will settle again. Plan the final clean after all works are complete.

Step 6 - Waste removal and site presentation

Make good involves waste, sometimes a lot. Plan:

• Bins and waste runs

• Lift bookings

• Protection to common areas

• Daily tidy up so the site stays safe

A site that looks organised always inspects better.

Step 7 - Time your project backwards from your exit date

Start with your lease end date and inspection date, then work backwards:

• Final clean: 1 day

• Painting and repairs: 2 to 5 days depending on size

• Strip out: 2 to 7 days depending on fitout

• Approvals and bookings: 1 to 2 weeks lead time in many buildings

If you are in a high rise building, allow more time for approvals.

Step 8 - Get a handover pack ready

When the landlord or agent inspects, you want to be ready:

• Photos of before and after

• Scope of works completed

• Confirmation of waste removal

• Receipts for any specialist trades if required

It reduces the chance of “we need you back in to fix this” after you have already moved out.

Common make good mistakes to avoid

Leaving it late
Everything becomes expensive when it is urgent.

Not defining “clean”
A handover clean is detailed, not a quick wipe down.

Doing works in the wrong order
Demo first, then repair, then paint, then clean.

Ignoring building rules
Lift bookings and access windows are real constraints.