Moving home can be a challenging time for anyone and for tenants who are vacating a property, there is the added concern about receiving your deposit back.
At Haslams, our goal is to let you know ahead of time how you can avoid any deposit dilapidations. Moving into rented accommodation is a commitment to taking care of the property you are living in and with the right steps you can minimise or rule out any issues when the time comes for your deposit to be returned.
One of the most important steps, is to keep your property manager informed of any issues in the property the moment they occur, to prevent possible damage to the property.
Review your inventory. Most Tenants during their time renting their home have forgotten what condition the property was handed to them. Make sure you review this so you can plan and budget in accordance with your responsibilities. Properties should be returned as they were at the start of a tenancy.
Plan your cleaning. If the property has been professionally cleaned make sure you also book a professional clean. It’s also worth reading the reviews on the cleaners to ensure they are suitable and reputable. Alternatively, reach out to your agent for recommendations.
Consider an overlap. Finances permitting, allowing for an overlap with the occupation of your home will give you ample time to move and finish off restoring the property back to it’s original state.
Fill the holes. If you have made any holes in the walls of your property, you must fill them. Unless told otherwise, it is the tenant responsibility.
Book a tip slot. Items that are rubbish or unwanted by the vacating tenant must be removed from the property, unless explicitly agreed by the landlord. You will need to remove all rubbish and refuse from the property.
Document the keys. When you hand the keys back, make sure you photograph which keys have been given back. You need to return the keys you had logged in your inventory.
Moving day. We recommend that you take photographs to confirm the condition of the property, once it has been emptied. If there is no professional check out then make sure you cover everything.
Garden. Gardening may form part of your responsibility, check your tenancy agreement to see if you need to make sure the garden is in “seasonal order”.
Check your obligations. Are you responsible for sweeping your chimney? Or topping up oil in the heaters? Each home is different, so even if you have rented before, there may be different requirements for your current property. Always check you documentation.
Lightbulbs. Ensuring the property has working lightbulbs may seem like a small thing, but if you consider that there is a cost to having a tradesperson replace these in the property, it would be cheaper to screw in the working bulbs yourself!
If you have any questions about a property you are moving into, speak to our lettings team: lettings@haslams.net