Part of owning and operating a rental home is communicating effectively to your tenants about move out expectations and policies. At lease signing, you should tell your tenant that you expect the home to look as good as it did when they first moved in. Then remind them again of your agreement as it gets closer to their move out date. It’s normal for the property to show normal wear and tear, but any other type of damage is the tenant’s responsibility. At Real Property Management Southern Connecticut, we make Fairfield residential property management easier. We give landlords trusted advice and a comprehensive move-out checklist for their tenants to follow. Here are tenants’ move out expectations.
Remove All Personal Items
Nothing says, “Welcome Home!” to a new tenant moving into your rental home like a stinky shoe left in the garage. Be sure your tenant takes all their items with them and gets rid of any trash inside the house or in the yard. It is not your job as the landlord to take out their garbage or take their stuff to the local thrift store.
Clean the Property Thoroughly
Even though most Fairfield residential property management owners will hire a team of professionals to clean the property after a tenant leaves, tenants still need to do their part to clean it as best as they can at move out. Tenants should clean:
- Cobwebs inside and outside the property
- All appliances, including the oven, range hood, inside and outside of the refrigerator, and the microwave
- All sinks, cabinets, drawers
- The carpet! They can rent a professional carpet cleaner if they need to. All non-carpeted floors must also be washed, and any stains or marks removed.
- Walls, baseboards, and hallways
- Windows, making sure to secure all screens
- The bathrooms, paying particular attention to any mildew build up or grubby corners.
Fairfield Residential Property Management: Last Minute Items
If your tenant had a pet who caused any damage to the unit, they need to have that repaired. It’s not unfair; it’s just smart real estate management! The lawn should also be mowed before a tenant moves out, and all debris removed from the yard. Usually, during a move-out, the trash that is generated is substantially more than normal. Tell your tenant all their trash needs to be picked up or disposed of before their garbage service is discontinued.
On The Final Day of a Tenant’s Lease Agreement
A tenant should do all of the following:
- Schedule all utilities to be taken out of their name
- Vacate the property with their belongings
- Turn keys in at the office by noon on the final day
After your tenant has completed all of the above items, they will most likely want their security deposit back! Be sure that all the terms of the security deposit outlined in the leasing agreement have been met before you give it back to your tenant. If your tenant casually mentions an outstanding maintenance issue to you on their final day, explain to them that they were responsible for telling you about maintenance issues at the time they occurred. Any lasting damage done to the property because of negligence on their part will be their responsibility. They will also be charged for accidental damage if it’s not repaired when they move out. Real Property Management Southern Connecticut wants to make your real estate management experience a great one. Find out why we’re the number one choice in Fairfield residential property management! Give us a call today to put our expertise and proven processes to the test.
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