{"id":17226,"date":"2026-11-09T15:49:01","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T07:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelorry.com\/my\/?p=17226"},"modified":"2026-11-09T15:49:01","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T07:49:01","slug":"moving-out-rental-deposit-refund-malaysia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelorry.com\/my\/blog\/moving-out-rental-deposit-refund-malaysia\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving Out of a Rental in Malaysia: Deposit Refund, Final Inspection & Handover Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your tenancy is ending, the new place is sorted, and the boxes are starting to pile up. There is one more thing standing between you and a clean exit: getting your deposit back. For most tenants in Malaysia that is two or more months of rent sitting with the landlord, which is real money.<\/p>\n

Most deposit disputes don’t start on handover day. They start weeks earlier, with a notice period nobody checked, a final electricity bill that arrives late, or a wall scuff that no one photographed when you moved in. This guide walks through the whole move-out in order: what the law covers today, how deposits usually work, notice, cleaning and repairs, utilities, the joint inspection, chasing the refund and, if it comes to it, the small claims route.<\/p>\n

This is a practical guide, not legal advice, so keep your tenancy agreement next to you as you read.<\/p>\n

1. What the Law Says Today (and What It Doesn’t)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many tenants assume there is a law that tells the landlord how much deposit to take and how fast to return it. As of November 2026 there isn’t one.<\/p>\n

Malaysia’s planned Residential Tenancy Act is still a Bill<\/strong>, not an Act in force. As of our check on 9 November 2026<\/strong>, we found no report that it has been tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, passed, gazetted or brought into force (see also secondary coverage dated 29 October 2026). In August 2026 the Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister told the Dewan Negara that the ministry was finalising it, describing it as a way to balance the rights of tenants and owners and to offer “a quicker, easier and more affordable way to resolve disputes” (Sinar Daily \/ Bernama reporting<\/a>). An NGO also urged the government not to push tabling into 2027, noting the Bill had yet to be tabled (Free Malaysia Today, 12 Aug 2026<\/a>). Until it becomes law, your tenancy is still governed by your agreement and general contract law. For updates, watch the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT)<\/a> website and Parliament’s bills list.<\/p>\n

Until that changes, your move-out is governed by two things:<\/p>\n