Things to Do Before Checking Out of Your Apartment (So You Get Your Deposit Back)
A handyman's checklist for Amsterdam renters: what to fix, in which order, and how long before the final inspection to start.
Hi, I'm Tom. A big part of my work as a handyman in Amsterdam is what I call pre-checkout restoration: renters call me a week or two before their final inspection, and together we bring the apartment back to the state their landlord expects. I've seen what makes landlords withhold deposits — and how little it usually takes to prevent it. Here's my checklist.
Start two to three weeks before the inspection
The single biggest mistake I see is leaving everything to the last weekend. Filler needs time to dry before you can sand and paint it, paint needs a second coat more often than you'd think, and if something turns out to be a bigger job, you want room to deal with it. Two to three weeks before your check-out date, walk through the apartment with fresh eyes — or better, with the check-in report and photos from when you moved in.
Re-read your check-in report first
In the Netherlands, your landlord can only charge you for damage beyond normal wear and tear (normale slijtage) — and they have to prove the apartment was in better condition when you moved in. Your check-in report (opleveringsrapport) is the reference for that. Anything already noted in it is not your problem. Anything not in it, you'll want to put right. If you never got a check-in report, the law is generally on your side, but don't count on a dispute going smoothly — fixing small things is cheaper than arguing.
Fill every hole in the walls
This is the number one deposit killer, and the most satisfying one to fix. Every plug, screw and nail comes out, every hole gets filled, sanded flush, and touched up with paint. Two things Amsterdam renters consistently underestimate: old brick walls crumble around plugs when you pull them out, leaving a bigger crater than you expect, and hollow (plasterboard) walls need a different filler technique so the patch doesn't sink. Do a test spot first — and if a patch keeps showing through the paint, that's usually a priming problem, not a paint problem.
Touch up — or repaint — the walls
Landlords look at walls first. Scuff marks near door handles, furniture rub lines, and the shadow left behind where pictures hung all read as "needs repainting" to an inspector. Small marks often come off with a damp melamine sponge. For anything bigger, paint over it — but here's the catch: white paint that's five years old on the wall will not match fresh white paint from the can. If touch-up spots stand out, painting the whole wall corner-to-corner is the only way it looks right. It's more work, but a patchy wall can cost you more in deposit deductions than a tin of paint.
If you painted a wall a color during your stay, check your contract: in most Dutch rentals you're expected to return walls to neutral white unless the landlord agreed otherwise in writing.
Fix the small stuff you've stopped noticing
After a few years somewhere, you go blind to the little defects. Walk through like a stranger: a loose door handle, a toilet seat that's cracked, a missing lightbulb, silicone in the shower that's gone black, a cabinet hinge that sags, limescale on the taps. Individually these are five-minute fixes; on an inspection report they add up to "poorly maintained", and that's the mindset you don't want your inspector in.
Return the apartment to its move-in layout
If you removed doors, took down curtain rails, swapped light fixtures, or moved anything that was attached — put it back. Keep the original fixtures during your tenancy for exactly this moment. A missing ceiling lamp that was there at check-in is a deduction; rehanging the original takes ten minutes.
Clean like it's a viewing
A professionally clean apartment makes an inspector generous; a grimy one makes them look harder at everything else. Prioritize the kitchen (degrease the extractor hood and oven), the bathroom (limescale and grout), windows, and floors. If you're short on time, this is the easiest task to outsource — end-of-tenancy cleaners in Amsterdam are cheap compared to a deposit deduction.
Document everything at handover
On the day itself: take date-stamped photos of every room, every wall, and the meter readings, ideally with the landlord present. Get the check-out report signed on the spot, and don't sign anything that lists damage you disagree with. Under Dutch law your deposit should be returned within a reasonable period — typically within one month when there are no justified deductions.
When to call in help
Be honest about your skills and your calendar. If it's a few nail holes and a scuffed wall, you can do it in a weekend. If it's dozens of holes in old brick, walls that need full repainting, or repairs you're not sure how to do properly — a botched DIY fix can look worse at inspection than the original damage. This is my daily work: I do pre-checkout restoration across Amsterdam for a transparent call-out fee, and one visit typically costs far less than what it saves in deposit deductions. Get in touch or estimate the cost with my fee calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my deposit can a landlord keep for wall holes?
There's no fixed rate, but repainting a wall professionally in Amsterdam easily runs €150–€300 per wall, and landlords pass that on. Filling and touching up the holes yourself, or paying a handyman for an hour or two, is almost always cheaper.
Is repainting my responsibility or the landlord's?
Normal fading and wear is the landlord's problem. Damage, marks, colors you added, and holes are yours. The check-in report decides where the line is.
How long before check-out should I book a handyman?
One to two weeks ahead is ideal — filler and paint need drying time, and good dates fill up around the end of the month when most tenancies end.