How to Pass a Knight Frank Checkout Inspection
The Wealth Report on the coffee table at the viewing. The quarterly rent payments. The landlord who lives in Dubai and communicates exclusively through a property manager. If you've rented through Knight Frank, your tenancy probably doesn't look like most. Over 125 years in business, offices in more than 50 countries, and a rent roll exceeding half a billion pounds a year — Knight Frank isn't a high-street agency. Their portfolio stretches from one-bedroom flats near Islington to super-prime townhouses in Belgravia. And a significant proportion of their tenancies — particularly corporate and international lets — aren't standard ASTs. That single fact changes your deposit protection, your dispute route, and potentially your checkout fees.
The fundamentals are the same as any checkout: you're being compared against your check-in report — not a generic standard, not what Knight Frank thinks clean looks like, but whatever was documented when you moved in. Match the start, photograph your work, attend the inspection. But in a Knight Frank property, that comparison runs at a higher resolution — and knowing your tenancy type before you start is the most important first step this guide can give you.
First: Know Your Tenancy Type
Knight Frank handles a high proportion of non-AST tenancies — particularly corporate lets and tenancies where the annual rent exceeds £100,000. The type of tenancy you signed determines your deposit protection, your rights to statutory dispute resolution, and whether a checkout arrangement fee applies. Select yours below.
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AST
Assured Shorthold Tenancy📑
Non-AST
Non-Assured Shorthold Tenancy📄 Assured Shorthold Tenancy
Standard residential tenants. Required by law for most private rentals in England where annual rent is below £100,000.5 weeks' rent (6 weeks if annual rent exceeds £50,000)
Mandatory government-backed scheme — TDS, DPS, or mydeposits
None — the Tenant Fees Act prohibits checkout fees
Statutory TDS adjudication — free, independent, evidence-based
What is the Schedule of Dilapidations?
This is Knight Frank's terminology for the checkout comparison document — the formal record of how the property's condition at checkout compares against the check-in inventory. Other agencies call it the checkout report or condition report. The content is the same; the language signals something about how Knight Frank positions the process.
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What it is
A formal comparison of checkout condition against check-in. Prepared by the independent inventory clerk.
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Non-AST fee
£60 inc. VAT checkout arrangement fee for non-AST tenancies. This covers Knight Frank's role in organising and preparing the Schedule.
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AST tenancies
No checkout fee under the Tenant Fees Act. The same comparison document is produced — just called something different.
Zero Deposit: Knight Frank has partnered with Zero Deposit as an alternative to a traditional held deposit. If your tenancy uses this arrangement, any claim at checkout is made against the guarantee rather than a held sum. The standard of proof is identical — a claim that would succeed with a traditional deposit succeeds with Zero Deposit. Your check-in/checkout comparison and photographic evidence remain the same tools either way.
What Your Property Spec Means for Checkout
Knight Frank manages everything from standard one-beds to super-prime furnished townhouses. The checkout expectations — and the risks — scale with the property specification. Select the tier that matches your property.
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Standard residential
One or two-bedroom flat, standard modern fittings🏛️
Premium conversion
Period property, high-spec kitchen, quality finishes🏰
Super-prime / furnished
Luxury or fully furnished property, bespoke interiorsSelect a property tier above to see tailored checkout guidance
Professional cleaning built for premium property stock
72-hour re-clean guarantee on every job. If anything is flagged at your Knight Frank checkout, we return at no cost.
What Knight Frank Tenants Get Caught On
These patterns come from tenant discussions on Trustpilot, allAgents, and property forums. Knight Frank's 4.8 Trustpilot score reflects strong overall communication — but that doesn't mean checkout disputes don't happen. Premium properties have higher-resolution check-in reports and more detailed checkouts.
Tap any card to see what happened and what to do differently.
Cleaning standard
Very common
Cleaning didn't match the 'professionally cleaned' check-in description
Tenant cleaned to a high domestic standard — or hired a general cleaner — but deductions were proposed because the check-in report described the property as 'professionally cleaned throughout' and areas like the oven interior, marble worktops, or bathroom sealant lines didn't reach that standard. In a high-specification property, the difference is more visible.
Match what's documented, not what you think is clean. If the check-in says professionally cleaned, that's the required standard — see our guide on professional end-of-tenancy cleaning. Keep your receipt: it's evidence. For premium finishes, the materials matter as much as the effort. Wrong products on marble or natural stone can cause damage that isn't your fault to clean.
Avoidable — match the check-in description
Period features
Specific to period stock
Damage to original features from incorrect cleaning methods
Tenant cleaned original Victorian tiles with bleach (causing discolouration), used an abrasive pad on antique brass fittings (causing scratches), or applied standard window cleaner to wooden shutters (causing warping). The damage didn't exist at check-in. It was caused by the cleaning process, not the tenancy.
Before cleaning any original or heritage feature, check what product is appropriate. Original tiles: mild soap solution, no bleach. Brass: specialist brass cleaner or gentle polishing cloth. Wooden shutters: barely damp cloth, dried immediately. Marble and stone: pH-neutral cleaner only — no vinegar, no citrus, no bleach. If in doubt, ask your Knight Frank property manager before the checkout.
Prevent by checking before cleaning
Furnished inventory
Common in furnished lets
Items moved between rooms, or soft furnishing condition
Furniture had migrated from its check-in position — a dining chair in the bedroom, a lamp relocated to the study, cushions redistributed between rooms. The inventory has photographs of where every item was. Moving things between rooms without returning them before checkout is a flagged discrepancy. Separately, upholstery staining beyond what was noted at check-in generated deductions.
Pull up the check-in inventory photographs and physically walk through the property with them. Every photographed item in every photographed position. For soft furnishings with any staining: treat with appropriate upholstery cleaner before the checkout, then photograph after treatment. If a stain existed at check-in, it should have been documented — check the inventory.
Entirely preventable with 30 minutes of inventory review
Garden
Common in houses and garden flats
Overgrown garden or outdoor space not returned to check-in condition
Check-in described the garden as 'well-maintained with lawn cut and borders tended.' Checkout found the lawn overgrown, borders untended, and garden furniture not cleaned. The landlord claimed for professional garden maintenance. Outdoor space is part of the inventory and held to the same standard as interior rooms.
Treat the garden like any other room — return it to the condition documented at check-in. Mow the lawn, clear the borders, wash down paving and garden furniture. If you never used the garden and it's deteriorated from neglect rather than use, that's still your responsibility. Check whether the check-in report includes the garden explicitly — most Knight Frank reports do for houses and ground-floor flats.
Preventable — include garden in checkout preparation
Walls
Common in premium properties
Paint-specific repairs needed for designer or unusual paint colours
TV bracket holes filled with standard white filler, then painted over in a mismatched shade. The original walls were Farrow & Ball 'Mole's Breath' — the repair attempt was clearly visible. In a standard property, this would be minor. In a premium property where walls are specifically decorated, a patch of the wrong white on a bespoke-painted wall is a documented issue.
Before attempting any wall repair in a Knight Frank property, check the check-in inventory for paint references. If the walls are Farrow & Ball or a specific designer colour — 'Elephant's Breath', 'Mole's Breath', or similar — that specification may be in your tenancy documents or held by the property manager. Contact Knight Frank's team and ask directly before you paint anything. A visible patch of standard white on a bespoke-painted wall is worse than an unfilled hole in the context of a detailed checkout report.
Ask before repainting — getting the shade right matters more than speed
Your Knight Frank Pre-Checkout Checklist
Adapted for KF's portfolio — starts with the essential tenancy type check, then works through premium property priorities. Tick items as you complete them.
Knight Frank Pre-Checkout Checklist
Adapted for KF's premium and furnished property stock. Red circles = critical items — cover these first.📑
Know your tenancy type first
Do this before anything else
Check your tenancy agreement — is it an AST or non-AST? This determines deposit protection, dispute routes, and whether any checkout fees apply
CRITICAL
Log in to My Knight Frank — download your check-in inventory and any tenancy documents from the portal
CRITICAL
Confirm with your property manager whether your property uses Zero Deposit guarantee or a traditional deposit hold
If non-AST: re-read your tenancy agreement's dispute resolution clause — this is your route if deductions can't be agreed
CRITICAL
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Read the check-in report — properly
Critical step
Read the full inventory — for a furnished Knight Frank property this can run to 80+ pages with photographs. Skim reading isn't enough
CRITICAL
Note how cleanliness was described: 'professionally cleaned throughout' vs any specific exceptions. This is your benchmark
CRITICAL
Identify the position of every piece of furniture in photographs — return each item to its documented position before checkout
CRITICAL
Note any paint references or decorator's specifications listed for walls — you'll need this if you need to repair any fixings
Garden: check if outdoor space is in the inventory and how its condition was described — treat it as a room that needs matching
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Kitchen — adapt to your property spec
High risk
Oven interior: base, ceiling, door glass (both inner and outer panels), racks, seals. For AEG/Miele/Wolf ovens, check the brand's recommended cleaning method
CRITICAL
Extractor fan: filter removed, soaked and cleaned. In premium kitchens, the housing unit underneath is also checked
CRITICAL
Stone or quartz worktops: pH-neutral cleaner only — no vinegar, no citrus, no standard kitchen spray. Check the surface type before cleaning
CRITICAL
Behind the fridge and under the dishwasher: pull out and clean before or immediately after removals
CRITICAL
Inside all cupboards: wipe down every shelf including hinges and door interiors — premium kitchens are inspected thoroughly
Integrated appliances: follow the brand's cleaning guidance, especially for pyrolytic ovens which have specific self-clean settings
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Bathrooms and period features
High risk
Grout: scrub every line. In period properties with original tiling, use a mild soap solution — avoid bleach which can damage original glazed grout
CRITICAL
Silicone sealant: treat mould. For period properties with original sealant, check whether it's replaceable or a specialist repair job
CRITICAL
Marble or stone surfaces: pH-neutral only. Etch marks from acidic cleaners are chargeable damage — use the right product
CRITICAL
Brass or chrome fittings: appropriate metal cleaner, no abrasives. Original brass in period properties can be damaged by standard chrome cleaner
Freestanding bath (if applicable): underneath and around the base, not just the interior surfaces
Wooden shutters or window frames: barely damp cloth, dried immediately — no spray or streaming water
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Walls, fixings and paint
High risk in premium properties
Any Rawlplug holes or bracket fixings: contact Knight Frank before filling — ask for the paint specification. Matching the shade matters in premium-decorated properties
CRITICAL
Use the correct filler, sand flush, then prime if needed before painting — a visible patch is worse than an unfilled hole in many cases
Picture hook pin holes: typically accepted as fair wear and tear — but check the check-in report to confirm the walls were noted as undamaged at the start
Skirting boards: wipe the full length of every room — especially those that were behind furniture
Cornicing and ceiling roses: dust carefully — these are often original period features and are inspected closely in listed or heritage properties
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Furnished inventory and outdoor spaces
KF-specific — don't skip
Walk every room with the inventory photographs open — physically return every item to its documented position
CRITICAL
Upholstery: treat any new staining with appropriate cleaner before the inspection and photograph after treatment
CRITICAL
Curtains: check condition (no new stains, hanging correctly, all rings or hooks present)
Lampshades: dust inside — silk or fabric shades require a soft brush, not a damp cloth
Garden and terrace: mow lawn, clear borders, wash down paving, clean garden furniture — return to check-in condition
CRITICAL
Return all keys to your Knight Frank office in person and confirm in writing. Provide your forwarding address for deposit return
CRITICAL
Comprehensive dated photographs of every room, surface, appliance, and piece of furniture before leaving
CRITICAL
After cleaning: Photograph everything — every room, every item of furniture in position, every appliance, every surface. For furnished lets, this is your asset-by-asset record. TDS adjudication (for AST tenancies) works from documents only. For non-ASTs, your photographs are still the primary evidence in any contractual dispute.
If Deductions Are Proposed
Your route depends on your tenancy type. For ASTs, TDS handles the dispute. For non-ASTs, your contract governs it. Either way, the evidence framework is the same.
📄 AST tenancies — TDS route
Compare checkout against check-in. Submit your photographs and any receipts. If costs seem disproportionate, get independent quotes. TDS adjudication is free, independent, and evidence-based. The deposit can not be used for deductions until the landlord proves their case and proves something is causing these deductions. See also: what landlords can legally deduct.
📑 Non-AST tenancies — contract route
Re-read your tenancy agreement's dispute clause before the checkout. Same evidence framework applies — check-in vs checkout, your photographs, and independent quotes for inflated costs. Knight Frank is regulated by RICS and a member of The Property Ombudsman (TPO) — additional escalation routes if the agency's conduct was improper.
On cleaning costs: If a deduction proposes premium cleaning rates for a premium property, an independent quote is your most practical challenge. See our London end-of-tenancy cleaning pricing for reference. The standard for comparison is a reasonable market rate for the work required — not whatever the landlord's preferred contractor charges.
Knight Frank Areas — What to Know for Your Borough
Knight Frank's London portfolio concentrates heavily in prime SW, W and Central London — but extends into select North London and City-fringe locations.
Related Pages
Renting through Knight Frank across London?
We cover Knight Frank's full London patch — Chelsea to Islington, Hampstead to Fulham. Professional end-of-tenancy cleaning in London, backed by a 72-hour re-clean guarantee.
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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