If you’re like most St Charles renters, you don’t worry too much about how to clean your rental house when you move out. That is until the moment comes, and you begin worrying about how much you like to get your security deposit back. To receive a full refund, most landlords expect you to leave the house as spotless as it can be. But in order to do that, you have to be patient. However, if you take these five expert cleaning tips, you can easily increase your chances of getting your security deposit back after you’ve moved out.
Tip #1: Read Your Lease
Probably your lease isn’t the primary place you would usually go to find cleaning tips. But as a renter, the chances are that your lease documents (including addenda, if any) include language that can help you understand what your landlord’s expectations are. In certain cases, you’ll find a response to things like if you want to have the carpets professionally cleaned, which portion of the house you need to check, etc.
Tip #2: Get (and Use) A Move-Out Checklist
Good landlords will typically send their tenants a move-out checklist when their tenants give notice that they want to leave. In case your landlord did not, you can still discover tons of complete cleaning checklists online. It’s recommended to use a checklist as you clean to ensure that you do not miss things, both inside and out in the yard. Even small cleaning tasks missed might add up to big deductions on your security deposit, so you have to be dedicated to your work.
Tip #3: Think Like a Landlord
Probably the ideal approach to get your entire security deposit back is to put yourself in your landlord’s shoes. Push yourself to remember the condition the property was in when you moved in, and aim for that same level of cleanliness once you decide to leave the house. If you want to make things clear, ask your landlord what their definition of “clean” is. You should also understand that the next tenant needs to live in a neat and tidy house, so it is necessary to leave it as though you were moving in is a good rule of thumb.
Tip #4: Don’t Leave Stuff Behind
It is not unusual for tenants to abandon personal property they no longer need or want in a rental house. But it’s not too much effort to drag your unwanted junk to the curb or drop it off at a charity thrift shop. Furthermore, if you abandon your things on the property, the landlord will likely charge you for clean-up and removal of the items. That means a smaller security deposit will return to you.
Tip #5: Go the Extra Mile
In the chaos of moving out, it may be tempting to do the minimum amount of cleaning while cutting corners wherever you can. Although this can work under some circumstances, in most cases, that method will lead to deductions from your security deposit for cleaning and repairs. If you can, take a little more time to discuss certain details. Fill nail holes with drywall putty, for example, or make sure you’ve cleaned interior windows and dusted the blinds and ceiling fans.
By following these move-out cleaning tips, you leave your landlord with very little to complain about and no excuses not to give you your full security deposit back in regards to cleanliness.
Are you looking for a new rental? Real Property Management Three Bridges has the perfect home for you. Check out our listings online or call us at 636-542-8852.
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