Read Your Lease
This seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be shocked how many people skip this crucial step. Your lease should contain everything you need to know, including all of the do’s and don’ts while living there.
Check your lease to make sure you’re allowed to put holes in the walls to hang things or whether or not you can paint the walls.
Even if your lease tells you that you can hang things or paint, there may be stipulations included. It is not uncommon for them to require walls be painted back to their original color or nail holes filled prior to your departure.
Carpets may need to be cleaned before you move out. This may all seem like a pain for you but these small fixes will save you tremendously in the long run.
Paying attention to details and leaving the home in as good of condition as it was when you moved in are both necessary to be sure you get your deposit returned. Always keep a copy of your lease in a safe place that you can access whenever you have questions.
Do A Thorough Inspection of Your Own
Landlords will usually do a walk-through of the home before you move in. Sometimes they will even give you a document for you to record the condition of the home. If they don’t do this then you can ask them to record any issues that you see, or you can create a record of your own.
Put your phone to good use and record a video or take pictures of the home prior to you moving in. This will give you a time and date stamp showing exactly the condition that you found it in.
Pay attention to any scratches or stains on flooring, holes or dents in the walls, any appliances that aren’t working properly or any other issue that seems out of the ordinary.
Save these findings for yourself and also email a copy to your landlord. Keep these until you move out and get your security deposit back.
Assuming you have not caused any further damage, this will ensure you aren’t blamed for a prior tenant’s issue and receive your deposit back upon moving out.
Clean Up After Yourself
A little bit of scrubbing goes a long way! Spend a few hours giving your home a little TLC before you turn in your keys.
Leaving a home dirty can open the doors for cleaning fees and repair costs. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathroom where grime and grease tend to congregate the most.
Most ovens have a self-clean option that you can put on while you tend to the other areas that need a little elbow grease. Scrub the fridge, microwave, and inside pantries and cabinets.
Be sure to get the shower and scrub the grout to remove any mold or mildew. If you have never dusted your baseboards, now is the time!
Check under the kitchen and bathroom sinks for any stray items you may have missed. Renting a carpet shampooer from your local home improvement store is another good idea. These are usually pretty affordable, and they can help make the carpets look a lot more presentable in a short amount of time.
Repair small nail holes and don’t leave any of your belongings for the landlord to deal with. Take everything with you, including anything you may have had in storage like a garage or attic.
Try to leave the home better than you found it. Your landlord will thank you and you’ll be happy you put forth the extra effort when you get your security deposit back.
Take Pictures
Document the condition of the home once you move out just like you did when you moved in. This is especially important if you live with roommates and you have to move out before they do.
Document your room and everything you’ve done to keep the home in the condition you found it or any upgrades you may have done. Speaking of upgrades- always get permission from your landlord first.
Be present when your landlord does the final inspection if it’s possible. This will ensure that you can answer any questions they might have or dispute any discrepancies in their findings. Remember, document it or it didn’t happen.
Be A Nice Person
Just be a decent human being. It’s really simple! Remember that golden rule from when you were a kid? Treat others the way you want to be treated.
If you have been a good tenant and not given your landlord or neighbors any problems, then chances are you won’t have anything to worry about. Clean up after your pets, keep your music down, clean up after yourself and pay your rent on time. Courtesy and kindness go a long way.