Mould in the Bathroom at Exit Inspection: What Counts as Cleaning vs Damage?
When mould crosses the line from "should have cleaned" to "tenant liable for property damage" is not always obvious. Here is how we read it — and how we treat it without losing your bond.
Mould is the most contested item on bathroom exit inspections. The tenant sees a cleaning issue; the agent sees property damage. The Residential Tenancies Act in both the ACT and Queensland has a clear test — but it takes a minute to explain. Here is how we read it on the ground.
The test: structural vs surface
Surface mould on tile grout, silicone, glass, or paint is a cleaning issue. It is tenant-responsible because regular ventilation and cleaning would have prevented it. Structural mould in the wall cavity, plasterboard, or timber framing is a building issue. It is landlord-responsible because it means the building envelope or ventilation system has failed.
What we can clean
- Black spots on tile grout lines
- Pink/orange bio-film in corners of shower
- Silicone staining around the bath edge (may require re-silicone if deep)
- Ceiling surface mould on painted plasterboard
- Exhaust fan grille mould
What we report rather than clean
- Mould that returns within 48 hours of cleaning (indicates a building leak)
- Soft spots in plasterboard where you can press a finger in
- Discoloured or bulging paint (moisture behind the coating)
- Visible mould inside the wall cavity (tile cracks, exposed studs)
Our treatment method
We use a fungicidal (not bleach) cleaner. Bleach kills the surface layer of mould but not the root — and it actually feeds the root on porous surfaces like grout. A fungicide breaks down the hyphae through the porous material. Then we re-silicone any section where the bead has absorbed dark staining. Silicone is $40 of material and saves a $300 bathroom tile regrout fee on the bond.