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Cleaning Tips to Get Your Security Deposit Back

Mountain House Couple Moving out and CleaningIf you’re like most Mountain House renters, you don’t worry too much about how to clean your rental house when you move out. Which will remain to be until such time comes when you start thinking about how much you want to get your security deposit back. To get a full refund, most landlords expect you to leave the house as spotless as you can get it. However, doing so can be quite tricky. Nevertheless, by applying these five expert cleaning tips, you can greatly improve your odds of getting your security deposit back after you’ve moved out.

Tip #1: Read Your Lease

It could be taht your lease isn’t the first place you would typically go to find cleaning tips. However, 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 a lot of instances, you’ll be able to seek answers to questions like whether you need to have the carpets professionally cleaned, which parts of the property will be monitored, and so on.

Tip #2: Get (and Use) A Move-Out Checklist

Good landlords will typically send their tenants a move-out checklist around the time that their tenants give notice they are leaving. However, even if yours did not, you can find a lot of detailed cleaning checklists online. It’s vital to use a checklist as you clean to confirm that you don’t neglect things, both inside and out in the yard. Even small cleaning tasks missed might add up to big deductions on your security deposit, so it’s worth the effort.

Tip #3: Think Like a Landlord

One of the most reliable ways to get your entire security deposit back is to put yourself in your landlord’s shoes. Try to remember the condition the property was in when you moved in, and aim for that same level of cleanliness when you leave. If you have any questions, ask your landlord what their definition of “clean” is. You could also likewise bear in mind that the next tenant will probably wish to move into a clean house, so leaving it the way you would like it if you were moving in is a good rule of thumb.

Tip #4: Don’t Leave Stuff Behind

It’s all quite common for tenants to abandon personal property they no longer need or want in a rental house. But it’s not too much more effort to drag your unwanted junk to the curb or drop it off at a charity thrift shop. Plus, if you leave your things on the property, the landlord will likely charge you for clean-up and removal of the items. That spells a smaller security deposit coming back to you.

Tip #5: Go the Extra Mile

In the midst of moving out, it may be tempting to do the minimum amount of cleaning while cutting corners wherever you can. While that may work in some situations, in most cases, that approach will lead to deductions from your security deposit for cleaning and repairs. If you can, give yourself a little extra time to go over some of the 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 reasons not to give you your full security deposit back in regards to cleanliness.

Are you looking for a new rental? Real Property Management One has the perfect home for you. Check out our listings online or call us at 925-495-4953.

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