How to Pass a Dexters Checkout Inspection
Dexters is one of London's largest independent letting agents — over 80 offices, a portfolio spanning prime central postcodes to the outer suburbs, and thousands of tenancies running at any given time. Their checkout process is built around independent inventory clerks, TDS deposit protection, and branch-managed coordination. The structure is consistent. That's actually useful: if you know how it works, you can prepare for exactly the right version of the inspection.
What the clerk compares against is your specific check-in report — not a general standard, not what Dexters thinks clean looks like, but whatever was documented when you moved in. That document is the only thing that matters. Everything in this guide flows from that fact.
Key differences from other major London agents
Deposit scheme: TDS (not mydeposits like Foxtons, not DPS like KFH) — the adjudication process and evidence requirements differ
No central portal — checkout reports and deductions are communicated by email or through your branch, not a single app
Management tier matters: full management vs rent management vs let-only changes how hands-on Dexters is at checkout
Keys must be physically returned to your local Dexters branch — confirm in writing when you hand them over
Regulated by RICS, ARLA Propertymark, and TPO — additional complaint routes if the agency's conduct is at issue
How the Dexters Checkout Works
Four stages. The same structure applies whether you're in Islington, Chiswick, or Hackney — but how Dexters is involved in stage three depends on your management tier.
Independent inventory clerk inspects the property
On the last day of your tenancy, an independent clerk carries out the checkout — not a Dexters employee. They compare the property condition against your check-in report, room by room. Attending is your right and your strongest protection: you can challenge descriptions in real time before they're locked in.
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Bring your check-in report. When the clerk notes something, cross-reference immediately. If it was already documented at check-in, say so — with the page number.Checkout report shared with you and your landlord
The report goes to both parties. Read it carefully as soon as you receive it — line by line against your check-in report. Any discrepancy you intend to contest should be noted in writing to Dexters immediately, while the details are fresh and before any deductions are formally proposed.
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Note the date you received it. If deductions are proposed outside the timeframes set out in your tenancy agreement, that matters.Dexters coordinates deduction proposals (landlord-driven)
If deductions are proposed, the landlord communicates them through Dexters. The management tier your landlord chose affects how involved Dexters is — fully managed means Dexters handles coordination; rent-managed means more direct landlord contact. Either way, the TDS dispute route is the same.
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Dexters is regulated by RICS, ARLA Propertymark, and The Property Ombudsman. If the agency's conduct during this process falls below professional standards, those are your escalation routes — separate from the deposit dispute itself.Agree, negotiate, or escalate to TDS
If you can't agree on deductions, the disputed amount is remitted to TDS for independent adjudication. The rest of your deposit is returned. TDS works from documents only — check-in report, checkout report, photographs, and receipts. No site visit. Your evidence is all that matters.
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Return all keys to your local Dexters branch in person and get written confirmation. A missing key is a deductible item — this is one of the most avoidable charges.How Your Management Tier Affects the Checkout
Dexters offers landlords different levels of service — and which tier your landlord chose affects how involved Dexters is in the checkout and deduction process. Select your situation below.
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Full Management
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Rent Management
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Let Only
Dexters handles all communication — maintenance requests, checkout coordination, deduction negotiations. Your primary contact is your Dexters property manager throughout. The checkout process is fully managed by the branch.
Dexters coordinates everything. Deductions are communicated through the branch. TDS is remitted by Dexters if agreement can't be reached.
If you're unsure which tier applies: Check your tenancy agreement — the management tier is usually specified. If it's unclear, call your Dexters branch and ask directly. Knowing this before the checkout means you contact the right person when deductions are proposed.
We clean to TDS evidence standard — with a re-clean guarantee
Every job is backed by a 72-hour re-clean guarantee. If anything is flagged at your Dexters checkout, we return at no cost.
What Dexters Tenants Get Caught On
These patterns come from tenant discussions on Trustpilot, allAgents, Reddit and MoneySavingExpert. They're not unique to Dexters — the same issues appear across London's lettings industry — but knowing them in advance means you can prepare for the right areas.
Tap any card to see what happened and what to do differently.
Cleaning
Very common
Deductions for cleaning that didn't match check-in standard
Tenant cleaned thoroughly — or hired a cleaner — but the checkout still flagged areas that didn't match the check-in description. The most common version: check-in said 'professionally cleaned throughout'; checkout noted grease in the oven base, limescale on taps, and extractor fan filters not cleaned. The gap between 'clean' and 'professionally clean' is where most deductions live.
Pull your check-in report before you do anything. If it says 'professionally cleaned,' that's your benchmark. Work through the Dexters cleaning spec (request it from your branch if it wasn't provided) room by room. Keep receipts if you hire a professional — evidence of spend supports your position if anything is contested.
Avoidable with preparation
Kitchen
Very common
Oven and behind-appliance deductions
The kitchen is the most scrutinised room at every London checkout, and Dexters is no exception. Oven interiors — specifically the base, back wall, door glass (both sides), and racks — are checked against the check-in photo record. Behind the fridge and under the washing machine are standard check points. Both are inaccessible until the appliances move.
Tackle the oven after everything else is packed. Apply cleaner, leave it to soak, come back to it. Pull out the fridge and washing machine before the removals team arrives — or ideally, clean behind them as part of the post-removal clean. See our guide on cleaning behind appliances: /end-of-tenancy-cleaning/guides/how-to-clean-behind-kitchen-appliances-before-moving-out See our guide on cleaning behind kitchen appliances.
Preventable with correct timing
Bathroom
Common
Mould and limescale in period conversions
North and West London — Dexters' core territory — has significant stock of Victorian and Edwardian conversions with limited bathroom ventilation. Mould on grout and sealant lines is a consistent checkout finding. The dispute usually centres on whether mould is a tenant lifestyle issue (no extractor fan use) or a structural ventilation deficiency (landlord responsibility).
Address mould before checkout — it's possible to remove even established mould with the right products. Our guide covers this in detail. If ventilation was always inadequate, you should have reported it in writing during the tenancy. A maintenance request trail makes the structural argument far stronger. See our guide on removing mould from a rented flat.
Often avoidable if addressed early
Inventory
Occasional
Charged for items tenants say were already damaged at move-in
Deductions proposed for fittings or items tenants believe were already damaged, stained, or missing when they moved in. Because the check-in inventory was accepted without amendment, the ability to dispute its accuracy months later is significantly limited. An unchallenged check-in report is effectively agreed evidence.
This is a move-in problem with checkout consequences. The moment you receive the check-in report, walk the property and raise everything you disagree with — in writing, with photographs — within the amendment window. What you don't challenge at check-in, you're likely responsible for at checkout.
Difficult to resolve at checkout — prevent at check-in
Walls
Common
Wall damage from fixings, TV brackets, and shelving
Rawlplug holes from shelves and TV brackets, incorrect filler shade, and visible patching marks were noted at checkout. Small picture hook pin holes are generally accepted as fair wear and tear — but anything requiring a Rawlplug is chargeable if not properly repaired. Wrong shade of white is worse than no repair at all.
Fill with appropriate filler, sand flush, and touch up with matching paint. If the property was freshly decorated at check-in, ask your landlord or Dexters for the paint specification — using the right shade matters. A visible white patch on a cream wall reads as unfinished to a checkout clerk.
DIY fixable before checkout
Your Dexters Pre-Checkout Checklist
Ordered by risk level — start with the check-in report review, then kitchen, then bathroom. Tick items as you complete them. Critical items are marked in red.
Dexters Pre-Checkout Checklist
Tick items as you complete them. Red circles = critical items — do these before anything else.📋
Before you clean a single thing
Do this first
Download and read your check-in report from start to finish — this is your cleaning benchmark, not a general standard
CRITICAL
Request the Dexters cleaning specification from your branch if it wasn't provided at the start of your tenancy
CRITICAL
Note exactly how cleanliness was described at check-in: 'professionally cleaned', 'domestically cleaned', or specific exceptions
CRITICAL
Note the position of every piece of inventory furniture — anything that has moved needs to be returned before checkout
Identify any check-in amendments you raised at move-in — these are your protection for pre-existing issues
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Kitchen — highest checkout risk
High risk
Oven interior: base, back wall, door glass (both sides, including the inner glass panel between them), racks, seals, and ceiling of the oven cavity
CRITICAL
Extractor fan: remove the filter, soak and clean. This is one of the most commonly overlooked items at checkout
CRITICAL
Behind the fridge and washing machine: pull both out, mop the floor underneath, wipe the wall and side panels
CRITICAL
Inside all cupboards and drawers: check for crumbs, grease, staining, sticky residue, any items left behind
Hob: degrease thoroughly including between burner rings, under the hob trim, and the control panel surround
Dishwasher and washing machine: clean drum, filter, and rubber door seals — these trap debris and develop odour
Sink and taps: limescale around chrome fittings, beneath the tap base, and inside the plughole
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Bathroom — second highest risk
High risk
Grout: scrub every tile line, especially around the bath or shower tray. Discolouration is one of the most noted bathroom findings
CRITICAL
Silicone sealant: treat any mould growth. If mould has penetrated deeply, consider replacing sealant before checkout
CRITICAL
Shower screen or curtain: limescale, soap scum, water marks. Compare against check-in photo
CRITICAL
Taps and showerhead: descale, particularly in North and West London hard-water areas (most of Dexters' core territory)
Toilet: limescale under the rim and inside the bowl, cistern exterior, and the base seal where the pan meets the floor
Extractor fan cover: remove, wash, refit. Grease and dust accumulate here and are specifically checked
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Walls, floors and fixtures
Medium risk
Rawlplug or screw holes from shelving and TV brackets: fill with appropriate filler, sand flush, paint to match — wrong shade is worse than unfilled
CRITICAL
Skirting boards: wipe the full length of every room including sections that were blocked by furniture
Scuff marks: try a magic eraser on light marks. Larger or darker marks may require touch-up paint
Light switches and plug sockets: wipe off finger marks and grime — particularly around the edges
Door handles and surround: marks collect around handles from years of use — clean both the handle and the surrounding paintwork
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Commonly missed — do these last
Often missed
Window tracks: run a cloth through every track in the property — accumulated debris is a standard checkout flag
CRITICAL
Light fittings and shades: dust inside pendant shades, check all bulbs are working and replace any that aren't
Cupboard tops: above kitchen wall units and above wardrobes — dust accumulates heavily and is often visible from the clerk's sightline
Radiators: top surface and behind where accessible — particularly in period properties with panel radiators
Remove all belongings: every cupboard, shelf, drawer, the loft if accessible, the garden shed, under the stairs
CRITICAL
Return keys to your local Dexters branch in person — get written confirmation of handover. Do not leave keys in the property
CRITICAL
Take dated, comprehensive photographs of every room, appliance, and surface before you leave
CRITICAL
Final step before leaving: Take dated photographs of every room, every appliance, and every surface. TDS adjudication is document-based — no site visits. Your photos are your evidence if anything is contested after you hand over the keys.
If Deductions Are Proposed
Don't accept automatically. Don't ignore them either. The deposit is your money until the landlord proves otherwise — and TDS gives you a structured, independent route to challenge anything you disagree with.
Compare checkout against check-in — line by line
If an issue was documented at check-in, it's not a valid deduction at checkout. Reference specific pages and items. This is the most powerful argument available to you and costs nothing to make.
Submit your photographs immediately
Date-stamped photos of the property after cleaning are your evidence. Submit them alongside your written response to the proposed deduction. The adjudicator works from documents only.
Challenge inflated cost claims with independent quotes
Deductions must reflect actual loss at actual market rates. If the proposed cost seems disproportionate, get an independent quote. See our pricing page for London end-of-tenancy cleaning rates as a reference. See our pricing page
Escalate to TDS if agreement can't be reached
The agreed portion of your deposit is returned immediately. The disputed amount goes to TDS for independent adjudication. Dexters is also regulated by RICS, ARLA, and TPO — if the agency's conduct during the process was improper, those are additional escalation routes. Understand the timeline for deposit return
What can landlords actually deduct? The Tenant Fees Act 2019 and deposit scheme rules set clear limits. See our guide on what landlords can legally deduct from your deposit for the full picture.
Dexters Areas — What to Watch For in Your Borough
Dexters has grown significantly across North, West and Central London. The checkout issues that come up most often vary by property type and area.
Related Pages
Renting through Dexters across London?
We cover every borough where Dexters operates — from Islington to Ealing, Hackney to Chiswick. Professional end-of-tenancy cleaning in London with a 72-hour re-clean guarantee on every job.
Deni is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in content marketing and vast knowledge in the cleaning business. He specializes in creating engaging content that drives growth and builds brand identity. Passionate about innovation, Deni believes in delivering value through impactful messaging and providing value to readers in a concise and comprehensive manner.
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