CDA ColivingMove-Out Guide
Thank you for calling CDA home. Here's everything you need for a smooth departure, with your deposit intact.
Giving Your Move-Out Notice
Written notice, 4 weeks (28 days) in advance, whether you're ending a fixed term or you're on month-to-month.
If you're leaving because of location or lifestyle, we have properties across Sydney and beyond. Tell us what you're after before you finalise your move-out and we'll try to find you a room. And if there's anything about your stay you'd like to share, good or bad, we'd love to hear it.
You must always give written notice. In most cases the notice period is 4 weeks (28 days); check your Occupancy Agreement, which always takes precedence.
Notice Date Calculator
Enter the day you plan to move out and the day you'll send your notice to CDA. We'll check whether that gives the required 28 days, and if it doesn't, estimate the extra rent payable.
How to submit your notice
The preferred method is the Move-Out Form; email is the alternative. Notices via WhatsApp, phone or in person are not accepted.
Open the Move-Out Form ↗. It is the fastest and most reliable way to send your notice.
State a clear, specific move-out date. This becomes your official move-out date.
You'll receive a move-out confirmation with departure expectations and financial details closer to the date. Keep it, because it is your official record.
What happens after you give notice
We run on a skeleton staff over this period and in-person inspections aren't scheduled. You can still move out. If your plans are flexible, we recommend moving out outside this window; if they aren't, tell us early and we'll bring your inspection forward and keep your deposit moving.
Ending Your Agreement Early
Two situations where fees apply. Work out which one is yours.
Scenario 1: fixed term, leaving before the end date
Leaving before your agreement's end date incurs a break fee. That's separate from your notice: you still have to give four weeks' written notice and keep paying the occupancy fee through the notice period. If you leave early and give short notice, you are charged the greater of the two, never both added together.
Your Occupancy Agreement sets a sliding scale, so leaving near the end of your term costs far less than leaving at the start. We only charge what your agreement provides for, and never more than our actual loss. If the room is re-let sooner, you pay less.
Occupancy Agreement (room in a shared house):
| Portion of agreement elapsed | Break fee |
|---|---|
| Less than 25% | 2 weeks' occupancy fee |
| 25% – 50% | 1.5 weeks' occupancy fee |
| 50% – 75% | 1 week's occupancy fee |
| 75% or more | Half a week's occupancy fee |
Residential Tenancy Agreement (studio or whole house). The break fee follows the NSW sliding scale:
| Portion of lease elapsed | Break fee |
|---|---|
| Less than 25% | 4 weeks' rent |
| 25% – 50% | 3 weeks' rent |
| 50% – 75% | 2 weeks' rent |
| 75% or more | 1 week's rent |
Break Fee Estimator
This is the break fee only. If you also gave short notice, the greater of the two is what you're charged, settled against your deposit; unpaid rent and damage are separate. Estimate only; your final invoice and signed agreement prevail.
Avoiding the break fee: finding a replacement
- The replacement signs their own agreement with CDA
- They are approved by CDA as a suitable occupant
- They are not a current or former CDA resident
Even with a replacement: you must still give 4 weeks' written notice, submit the replacement's details for approval before departing, and keep paying the occupancy fee until they move in.
Scenario 2: leaving without giving the required notice
Whether fixed-term or month-to-month, leaving without proper written notice means you owe rent for the full notice period, or until a new resident moves in, whichever comes first. Vacating early doesn't release you.
You're charged the greater of the two: the break fee, or the occupancy fee for the unexpired portion of the notice period (or until a new occupant moves in, whichever is earlier). It's settled against your security deposit. Anything else you owe, meaning unpaid rent, damage or cleaning, is separate and charged on top.
Your Last Day & Rent
Checkout is 4:00 PM. Rent is charged up to and including your move-out date.
Contact CDA in advance to check availability, because the room may already be promised to the next resident. If approved, each additional day is charged at your daily rent rate.
Daily Rate Calculator
On move-out day, step by step
See the Deep Clean Checklist tab, and give yourself time. The day before is about right.
Every corner, surfaces, bathroom, kitchenette. This protects you in any dispute.
Occupancy Agreement: leave the keys on the bedside table, bedroom door closed but unlocked. Residential Tenancy Agreement: return the keys to CDA's mailbox. You'll get the instructions by email, and you need to send photo evidence of the key return.
Send your move-out photos and Australian bank account details to hello@cdacoliving.com so your deposit can be processed.
Deep Cleaning Checklist
A deep clean, not a quick tidy. Every item on this list is inspected. If the room isn't left to standard, the cost of the clean comes out of your deposit and we send you the invoice. Progress saves on this device.
Common charge reasons: dusty wardrobe tops, under-bed not vacuumed, stained mattresses, surfaces only superficially wiped. Every surface has to be clean: top, bottom, inside, outside and underneath.
Antibacterial spray · glass cleaner · toilet cleaner · floor cleaner · vacuum · mop & bucket · paper towels · disinfectant wipes · sugar soap (wall marks) · gloves
- Empty ALL rubbish, including every drawer, every corner and under the bed
- Vacuum and mop the floor, including under the bed and the furniture
- Wipe the TOP of the wardrobe. It gets inspected, and it has to be dust-free
- Wipe inside AND outside all wardrobe doors, shelves and rails
- Wipe the desk surface, drawers (inside and out) and legs
- Wipe the chair seat, backrest and legs
- Wipe the bed frame: headboard, side rails, footboard
- Clean underneath the bed, vacuuming or mopping the full area
- Wipe the bedside table: surface, drawer, legs
- Clean the window glass inside, with no smears or fingerprints
- Wipe the window sill and frame, dust and cobwebs included
- Wipe all skirting boards
- Clean the mirrors with glass cleaner, streak-free
- Replace burnt-out light bulbs
- Clean the walls, with sugar soap on stains, marks or scuffs
The mattress was delivered clean and must be returned that way. Remove the protector and inspect surface, sides and seams. Staining means the mattress is replaced at $300. A CDA-provided protector must be returned freshly laundered or replaced ($50).
- Remove your sheets, pillows and personal mattress protector
- CDA protector: leave it freshly laundered, or replace it
- Inspect the mattress for stains or damage, and report anything pre-existing
- Remove all your coat hangers
- Remove every personal item. Nothing left behind
- Return moved furniture to its original position
- Remove all your food from fridge, freezer and cupboards
- Remove toiletries and personal items from the bathroom
- Clear personal items from the living room and shared spaces
- Scrub inside/outside the toilet bowl and under the rim
- Wipe toilet seat, lid, cistern and base
- Scrub the sink, getting rid of scum, toothpaste and hair
- Clean tap and drain area
- Clean the mirror, streak-free
- Scrub the shower floor, soap scum and mould gone
- Clean the shower screen, with no water marks or residue
- Wipe shower walls and grout lines
- Empty the fridge and freezer, and wipe every internal surface
- Empty the pantry, and wipe the shelves inside and out
- Scrub the sink, with no food particles or residue in the drain
- Clean the bench tops and tiled walls, with no oil, grease, dust or hair
- Clean the electric cooktop, with no grease or burnt residue
- Clean microwave inside and out
- Clean the kettle inside and out
- Fix any damage you caused, or report it through the Maintenance Form before the inspection
- Return keys: Occupancy Agreement → bedside table · Residential Tenancy Agreement → CDA's mailbox (instructions by email; send photo evidence)
- Close the bedroom door and leave it unlocked (Occupancy Agreement)
- Take detailed photos: floor, walls, wardrobe top, bathroom, under bed
- Email photos + your Australian bank details to hello@cdacoliving.com
Please take everything with you. Anything of value we'll set aside and contact you about. Rubbish is thrown out, and the removal fee, around $150, covers clearing it. Items that came with the room stay with the room; if they're missing we charge the replacement cost.
Security Deposit Return
Refunded within 14 days of your move-out. Here's how to get all of it back.
What can be deducted
- Cleaning if the room isn't left in acceptable condition ($100)
- Repairs for damage you caused (beyond fair wear and tear)
- Unpaid rent or outstanding charges
- Replacing locks or security devices altered without consent ($150)
- Removal fee for belongings left behind ($150)
- Break fee if you departed before your agreement end date
Standard charges reflect what CDA actually pays suppliers and contractors. You may request the supporting invoice or receipt for any charge after departure.
How to protect your full deposit
4 weeks' written notice avoids extra rent liability.
Follow the full checklist and avoid the $100 fee.
Repair minor damage before your inspection.
Lost key = $70; call-outs and lock changes cost more.
Photographic evidence protects you in any dispute.
The deposit can never be your last rent payment.
No refund within 14 days? Email hello@cdacoliving.com for a status update. Disagree with a deduction? Tell us within 14 days and we'll review it before it's final. If that doesn't work, either party can take it to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
Charge Schedule
Standard cost-recovery charges if items aren't left clean or undamaged. Supporting invoices available on request. Fair wear and tear is never charged.
These figures come from Annexure 3 of your Occupancy Agreement and are maximums. Where the actual cost is lower, the lower amount is what you're charged. The full schedule, including appliances and pest control, is in the House Rules.
The charges you're most likely to see
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Room cleaning, where the room isn't left to standard | $100 |
| Carpet cleaning | $120 |
| Dirty curtains / blinds | $120 |
| Fridge space cleaning | $100 |
| Room deodorisation | $200 – $600 |
| Personal items left behind | $150 |
| Lost room key | $70 |
| Mattress protector | $50 |
| Mattress | $300 |
Furnishings, appliances, building damage and pest control are all listed in the House Rules, and that is the version we keep up to date. Annexure 3 of your signed agreement is the authority; if anything differs, your agreement prevails.