Moving out of a rental property involves a lot of preparation, including packing all your belongings, finalizing bills, and cleaning the place from top to bottom to meet the landlord’s cleaning requirements.
Unless you’re using a professional end of lease cleaning company, getting your full bond returned can be a challenge.
When vacating a property, the most important thing to remember is to leave it as close to its original condition as possible, minus the normal wear and tear. Usually your landlord will give you a cleaning checklist that contains the tasks you need to do to ensure that the property will be presentable to the next renter. If you leave the place looking like a mess, you might as well say goodbye to your deposit.
Here’s some useful tips to help you get your full bond or security deposit back.
During Your Lease
- Before you move in, take photos of the place – Be sure to include all rooms and walls in your documentation. This step is done to avoid incurring penalties for damages in the property that existed prior to your move in. If you find any damage within the place at the start of your lease, get in touch with your landlord immediately. Fixing any existing issue in the rental property is part of your landlord’s responsibility.
- Perform cleaning tasks right away – Stains and mould in your carpet need to be cleaned immediately as they can be difficult to remove when left untouched for an extended period. A simple remedy for spills and spots on the carpet is to blot the area and apply a cleaning solution afterwards. If you don’t have time to do a regular cleaning of the place, then a practical option is to seek the expertise of home cleaners to help you maintain cleanliness and prevent the buildup of dirt in the property.
- Try not to have pets in the property – Many rental properties prohibit pets from the building, as they can be destructive and untidy. Pets can also leave a foul odor on the place, and this can discourage new tenants who will be looking at your rented place when your lease ends.
- Study the terms of your lease – Many renters make the mistake of signing an apartment lease without reading through the terms and conditions outlined in the document. Studying the terms of your lease will allow you to negotiate changes and have any disagreeable terms removed.
- Get your landlord’s permission for any changes you intend to make within the property – Collect information on the improvements you want to make to the property, and schedule a face-to-face meeting with your landlord to discuss how a simple repainting of the walls or the addition of a built-in cabinet can positively impact the value of the property. Get your landlord’s approval in writing before proceeding with any changes and make sure to write out all the things that your landlord agreed on including the materials, cost of installing cabinets, and time frame for finishing the improvements.
End of Lease
- Broom clean the property prior to the final inspection – Broom clean condition means leaving the property free of any personal items and trash, sweeping the floors, and vacuuming the carpets. Landlords or real estate agents can be very strict with their cleaning requirements for renters who are about to move out. They want to make the property appealing to the next renter, while you want to get your full deposit back. To tackle the task of cleaning the place, consider hiring professional home cleaners who are familiar with the high standards of real estate agents when it comes to vacate cleaning.
- Scrub the bathrooms, tiles and sinks with a natural cleaner (better for you and the environment!) – Use a baking soda and water paste to ensure any grime and mould is cleaned from the grout, and the tiles are looking nice and shiny. Simply mix together a table spoon of baking soda and some water, then scrub the tiles and grout in between the tiles to have them looking like new in no time.
- Clean glass shower doors with vinegar, salt and baking soda – Use a vinegar, baking soda and salt mix to clean glass shower doors and easily remoive all the grime build up. First, spray the glass doors with white vinegar and let sit for a couple of minutes. While you’re waiting, mix together equal parts backing soda and salt. Using a damp sponge, rub this paste over the vinegar coated shower door and you’ll be amazed at how well this cleans up.
- Leave the vacuuming til the end – Floors can get dirty quickly, so to ensure that all your hard work doesn’t go astray, make sure you leave vacuuming the floors and carpet to the very last thing – freshly cleaned carpert always makes a home seem so much more fresh and clean – but if you’ve been walking back and forth across your vacuumed floor cleaning all day, you’ll lose that nice finish!
- Compare the photos you took at the beginning of the lease to the condition of the place at the end of your lease. Does it look like the place needs a facelift to make it presentable to the next renter? While you are not required to fix normal wear and tear, your landlord expects you to leave the place in good condition, and to fix any changes that he or she did not agree on.
If you follow these tips, you’re sure to give yourself the best opportunity of getting your whole bond back with no problems!
