Getting your rental deposit back is a major concern when moving your house. It is hard to worry about your rental deposit when you are already worried about your packing and moving. Moving to a new place doesn’t only mean finding a new home but it also includes many tasks including packing and transporting your goods safely. You have to wrap up many things like utility services and getting back your rental deposit from your old house owner. Though it is normal to overlook the condition of your current home during a move, it is important to clean your old place before moving out to get your money back.
Here we present some tips to get your full rental deposit back:
Understand Your Lease Well
You can ensure getting back your deposit by reading your rent lease well. Though rent leases are very long, it is important to read every clause. Take some time out and read everything to know what you are responsible for. Some owners include addendums mentioning the tenant to clean the carpets, painting the walls to their original colour, and removing all extra nails from the walls at the time of moving out. All this may seem a little overwhelming while dealing with national moving companies for your next move but this is mandatory to get your security deposit back.
Take a Good Look at the Whole House
Make sure you look around and take note of any damages even before moving into the house. Take pictures of all the damages and send an email to your landlord explaining all the details and keep these pictures as evidence to show when the lease ends. Also, keep a record of your communication with your landlord. Often we see that landlords do not pay back your deposit in the name of damages and by keeping evidence of previous damages, you can save your deposit.
Give Timely Notice before Moving Out
Do not announce your move at the last minute. All rent leases have this column of the notice period that states you should inform your landlord at least 30 days before moving out. Not giving proper and timely notice may lead to loss of deposit and is a completely not-to-do thing under risk management criteria. You may have to pay an extra month’s rent just because you didn’t inform your landlord well in advance is a foolish mistake to make.
Deep Clean the House
Make sure your deep clean the house before leaving the place. Take pictures of the property after cleaning it thoroughly. Do not forget to clean the carpets and curtains too and also if there was any appliance. Deep clean the refrigerator and remove all the stuff properly. Clean each and every part of the house and even scrub if needed. Vacuum the carpets and curtains, mop the floor, and scrub all sinks and toilets well. Getting a thoroughly clean house will make your landlord happy and he will give you all your security deposit back happily.
Repair All the Damages
Check every corner of the house for any damages and discuss that with your landlord to understand what all repairs should be done by you before moving out. Remove any nails from the wall and patch them well. If you had changed the colour of the walls, you may have to get them repainted to their original colour. Make sure you check your house for any repairs before you leave. If you feel the paint is in the right condition, it is a good idea to clean them with soap to remove any dirt. Make sure you do all this work at least a month before your move to avoid any last-minute hassle.
Take Out All Your Stuff
Don’t leave anything behind because any item left by you will cost your landlord as he will have to pay to get them removed. Even if there is furniture that you do not want to take along with you, it is wise to get rid of those things by selling them or donating them before the move. The thing is, if your landlord will have to pay for anything, he will deduct it from your security deposit so make no mistake.
Call Your Landlord to Go-Through
It is wise to call your landlord to have a walk through your house before you take your things out. A pre-move walk-through will help you understand his expectations and you will be saved from any non-essential efforts. Calling your landlord for a pre-move inspection will show your responsible behaviour and you will most probably get your full deposit back.
Along with a pre-move inspection, a post-move inspection is equally important. Show your landlord that all the repairs have been taken care of and the house is deep-cleaned. Make sure you ask for your security deposit at the same time.
Hand-over the Keys
Once the final inspection is done by the landlord, make sure you hand over all house keys to him. It is very important to give back all sets of keys to all the doors and wardrobes that were given to you initially.
Sometimes even after doing everything right, some people make a fuss while giving back your deposit and in that case, make sure you know all your rights. Learn the tenant rights and laws and guidelines while dealing with such landlords.
