When you first move into a place you should make careful note of the condition of the premises as of the time of your moving in. Most property managers should have a written move-in checklist which will allow you to note the cleanliness, condition of the carpet, things that don't work, and any marks, chips, and blemishes. After you have been in residence for a few days you may notice additional defects which you did not see at first; for your protection, you would be wise to make written note of these and send a copy of them to the manager.
In most cases, your agreement with your manager is to return the property to him in the same condition in which you found it. Assuming that manager and tenant interpret this in a reasonable fashion, I provide this checklist of the things which should be done to recover your security deposit.
I have now had extensive experience with cleaning up rental housing after tenants. The cleanup which you do when you move out is more extensive than any cleanup you will do while you are living there. Usually the cleanup is done well. Sometimes, however, the tenant may have tried to clean up, but did not know how to do it. I here offer a list of things which must be done, a list of cleanup hints from Hildegarde.
Refrigerator: Clean inside, defrost, turn off and leave door open so mildew will not form. Clean the top, front, rear, and sides. Pull refrigerator away from wall (careful not to scratch the floor). Clean and wash floor beneath it. Clean back &emdash;vacuum dust etc. from coils and whatever else is accessible from the rear or from below after removing the kick plate.
Range: Clean top and below top. If range is gas, pull out the burner elements and clean them. Oven must be cleaned. Electric ovens: turn off electric power to the range (use the circuit breaker) &emdash;BE SURE OF THIS!! Clean all surfaces of oven. Some newer units have self-cleaning ovens; if yours does, then follow the instructions for self-cleaning. If crud is baked and burned on, you may need to use an oven cleaner, such as Easy Off. Do not use oven cleaners inside a self-cleaning oven. When using this and any other chemical, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's instructions; chemicals can be caustic and dangerous. Clean front and sides of range. Wash the range well inside and out. If there is a fan hood, wash all grease out the filter and off of the light bulbs. Clean splatter off walls behind and alongside of range, as well as floor around range.
Light Fixtures: Wash dirt, dust, flies, etc. off electrical light globes and fixtures inside and out. This may require you to remove the glass part of fixtures for cleaning. Handle breakable glass carefully, and don't lose the little washers and nuts.
Windows: Windows must be washed inside and outside. Aluminum sliding windows: the sliding part can sometimes be removed by lifting the partly open window and pulling the bottom toward you. Windex and a clean cloth will work, as will Windex and newspaper to wipe the glass.
Window Screens: These should be removed and washed. Usually shooting them with a hose (take off of window first) and a light brushing will be sufficient to remove the accumulated dust and dirt.
Carpet: All carpets must be professionally cleaned as you agreed when you rented. Be sure you get a receipt from anyone you hire and please leave a copy of it along with your keys and your forwarding address.
Painting or Patching Holes in Walls: Be careful with this. You would be wise to consult with the manager about paint colors. I can generally tell you what the color of your wall paint is so any touch up you do will not show. If you aren't careful to wipe or sand them off, your patching material will stand above the surface of the wall and each patched hole will show through the paint and the resulting "splotched" effect will necessitate further work.
Drapes and Curtains: All drapes, venetian blinds, and curtains must be cleaned. After occupancy of more than a few months, this usually means washing or dry cleaning (as is appropriate for the material). Then you must rehang them. Shades and blinds should be dusted, or wiped lightly with a damp cloth, or removed and washed with soapy water and a brush.
Vinyl and Linoleum Floors: These must be washed with soap and water. Places which are often very dirty on floors: around range, refrigerator, and sink in kitchens. Bath floors are frequently dirty around the toilet.
Tile Floors: Wash with soap and water, but do not soak the floor or let water stand on it. Do not wax ceramic tile floors.
Cabinets: All kitchen cabinets and bath cabinets should be washed with soap and water and then rinsed. This should be done inside, on shelf areas, in drawers, and on cabinet faces and doors. These will often be dirty from handprints. Do not soak cabinet interiors and drawers with lots of water. Do not use abrasive powders on finished wood surfaces. Wash with a damp (not wet) rag. Do not damage wooden cabinets by using excess water.
Electric Outlets and Switches: Switches and cover plates are often dirty and need wiping with a soapy cloth.
Walls: Plan to wash all walls in the kitchen, and possibly even the ceiling if dirty. Cooking splatter and vapors settle on the walls, as do food particles and cigarette smoke. Other walls must be washed where dirty. Look carefully at places near light switches, by door entrances, on doors, around windows. Also wash where people have rested their heads or feet or near floors andwhere furniture has marked walls.
Flat Surfaces: These need to be washed &emdash;tops of baseboards and mouldings; window frames and sills; tops of door frames and cabinet faces. Handrails on stairways also need to be wiped clean.
Fleas, Dog Hair, Pet Damages: Pets leave their hair embedded in carpets, drapes, and corners. Also they can bring in fleas from outside. Also pet excrement can damage and destroy carpets, drapes, walls, etc. Dogs have a tendency to leave fur and oily-dirty marks on walls and drapes at the height of their shoulders. In your clean up check those places where your pet likes to lie down. You are responsible for the damage done in your house. If carpets have to be replaced because your animal urinated on them, it will be at your expense. Have your carpet cleaner de-flea your carpets and certify that he has done this on his receipt.
Gardening & Landscaping: If you occupy a house, or if your rental contract makes it your responsibility, then you will be expected to maintain the landscaping: mow and edge the lawn, keep the weeds down, and water the plantings.
Driveways & Garage Floors: Sweep the concrete floors. If there are oil droppings from your vehicles, clean them up.
Final Things To Do: Have the gas or electrical service turned off. Leave inside your unit the following things: your forwarding address and telephone; your keys; a copy of the carpet cleaner's paid bill (showing de-fleaing if it was done).
WHAT YOUR MANAGER WILL DO: If the rental unit is not left in a clean condition, which includes the above items but is not limited to them, it will be cleaned at your expense (from your security deposit). A typical charge is $25 per working hour for whatever clean up has to be done.
If your manager needs to hire someone else to work for her, then you will be charged whatever is charged by this other worker, plus an hourly rate for time spent in locating and hiring this person and supervising the work. For example, if she needs to hire a carpet cleaner who charges $115 to clean your carpet, you will be charged $115 plus an hourly rate of $25 for time spent in finding and supervising the carpet cleaner.
Call us when you have vacated to let your manager know that your dwelling is ready to inspect.