It is amazing how quickly we can accumulate junk. As anyone who has ever moved in or out of a rental knows, a space can look “lived in” pretty easily. Moving is stressful enough for both the renter and the property owner, but being prepared on moving day can make things go a whole lot more smoothly and less stressfully. Try these easy tips to help make the transition as seamless as possible.
Notify the Property Owner Immediately
If you are renting month-to-month, it is important to look over your rental agreement and find out what needs to be done in order to terminate your lease. Most states allow renters to give a 30-day written notice, and after those 30 days are up, you are required to be fully moved out and you are no longer responsible for paying the rent or utilities. The key is to look over your individual responsibilities and know if there are exceptions or deviations to your specific contract that need to be followed. If you have a fixed-term lease, then you will likely need to pay the full amount of the year’s contract. Some leases allow tenants to sublet and others do not, so it is critical for you to know what your obligations are.
Clean the Rental from Head to Toe
You left a security deposit for a reason: it’s security that you will leave the rental in the same condition that you found it. If you want to recoup that deposit, the rental must be cleaned from head to toe. It isn’t enough to wipe off countertops and call it a day. A deep clean means that you erase all of the dirt that you left. Use this checklist as a guide!
- Vacuum and dust everything
- Clean the appliances in the kitchen, including the refrigerator and oven
- Ensure that the drains are working properly
- Remove everything; do not leave things behind that you don’t want. A landlord will charge you if they have to remove junk that you failed to take with you
- Wipe down baseboards
- Remove all wall coverings and make sure that no damage was done to the wall
- Wash windows
- Clean registers
The best way to make sure that the house is fully clean is to walk through the house with a fresh set of eyes after everything has been removed. Once you remove the furniture, dirt and debris will be more obvious to both you and the landlord.
Take Care of Final Payments
Most renters have to pay the first and last month’s rent plus a deposit. There is a difference between the security deposit and prepaying the last month’s rent. The security deposit is there to protect the rental property owner in the event that there is damage done to the rental. Last month’s rent will take care of the final 30 days of your rental. If you paid the last month’s rent then you will not owe rent, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t owe money from the security deposit if repairs are necessary.
Contact Utility Providers
You will want to contact utility providers before you move and tell them the exact date when you will no longer be responsible. You have to let all parties know so that you won’t be liable past the date that you move out. But make sure that you intend to move on the date you set, because otherwise you will be left without electricity and water.
Cancel Your Renters’ Insurance
Many renters take out rental insurance to make sure that they are covered if anything happens to their things while they occupy a rental property. You will want to call the insurance company to notify them of your move. Either you will have to transfer the renters’ insurance to your new rental, or you will have to terminate it if you no longer need it.
Take Photos After You Remove Your Items
If you aren’t able to schedule a walk-through with your rental property owner, make sure that you document the condition of the rental after you remove all of your things. You don’t want to get stuck paying for damages that you did not make, and the only way to prove what condition you left the rental in is to document the condition thoroughly.
Collect the Keys
Make sure that you collect all the keys that you were given to the rental property to return to the landlord. If you don’t return all of the keys that you were given, then you will probably have to pay for the locks to be changed. You will likely at least have to pay to have new keys made.
Hire a Junk Removal Service, If Necessary
If you have large items that you need to dispose of, make sure that you call a junk removal company. You can’t leave large items in the rental or at the curbside if they will not be picked up. Although it might be an expense, it is a necessary one. If you leave things behind and it is the rental property’s responsibility to rid the rental of it, they will charge you to have it removed along with a fee for the hassle of leaving it.
Moving out of a rental is usually not a simple thing to do, but doing it properly is necessary. The good news is that planning ahead can decrease chaos, stress, and expense. At Junk in the Box, we help renters and property owners with the move-out and move-in process to make it a much smoother one. Contact us today to plan for your moving date!