Deposits are rarely lost to damage. They are lost to notice — given late, given verbally, or not given at all. Leaving a shared room cleanly is a process, and it is short.
Give notice in writing, a month ahead
A month is the standard notice period for shared accommodation. Two things matter:
- In writing. A message is fine. A conversation is not, because in six weeks neither of you will remember the date the same way.
- A month before the date you leave, not a month before the end of the month.
Say plainly: "I am giving notice today, [date], and will leave on [date]." That is the whole message.
On Qozey, tenants can give notice directly from their portal, which timestamps it and tells the operator immediately — so the date is never in dispute.
Photograph the room as you leave
The mirror image of your move-in photographs, and just as important. Every wall, the bathroom, the mattress, the wardrobe — after you have cleared and cleaned, before you hand back the keys.
Several angles beat one. If a deduction is later proposed for something, these photographs are the answer.
Leave it as you found it
- Clear everything of yours, including from shared cupboards and the fridge.
- Clean the room properly, not superficially.
- Take the bins out.
- Return every key.
None of this is about being virtuous. Cleaning is the most commonly deducted item, and it is entirely within your control.
Ask three questions before you go
- "When will the deposit be returned, and how?"
- "Is there anything you intend to deduct?" — ask this while you are standing in the room, not afterwards.
- "Can you confirm in writing that the room was handed back in good condition?"
If something is deducted
Ask for it itemised, in writing, with what it is for. Compare it to your move-in photographs. Most deductions dissolve at that point, because most are honest disagreements about what was already there.
The single thing that decides it
Photographs on the day you arrive, and photographs on the day you leave. Everything else is negotiation; those are evidence.
Related: how much deposit is normal and what to do on day one.