24 Mar How to make sure you get your deposit back in full?
Moving out is an overwhelming process, with which comes along the uninvited stress. One such stress for renters is of making sure to get their deposit back in full. There are a lot of people, including my friends and relatives who have a firm perception that landlords don’t give full security deposits back or not all, or that they will do just about anything to keep however much they can. But this is not true in all scenarios, most landlords, and good one of course, wants to hand over your security deposit when you move out.
Trust me, landlords should rather give you your security deposit back rather than dealing with hiring cleaners, making repairs, and keeping an itemized list of deductions. It is a much simpler and faster process to just write a check for the full amount of security deposit and be done with it. But it is mainly up to the renter to make sure they leave the apartment in good shape after they move out.
For the knowledge and convenience of the readers, the present article has listed all the necessary steps below that you need to follow if you are moving out with Man and Van Battersea and want your landlord to submit your deposit back in full.
Please keep reading to know how to get your deposit back in full…
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How to get your security deposit back in full?
Please read the below steps for getting your deposit back in full.
Step 1: Read your Lease
The first and foremost thing to do as soon as you decide to move out is to go through your lease agreement. Every lease has a termination clause inserted, and you will need to follow the entire exact requirement if you wish to get the deposit back in full.
You need to figure out how much notice you must send your landlord and carefully look for any special requirements the landlord might have inserted in it. Most of the lease agreement asks you to drop off the keys, clean the apartment, and return any changes you have made to the original condition of the room.
Step 2: Notify your Landlord
You need to notify your landlord about your plan of moving out. Just keep it simple and state your move out plan, without going deep into the justification as to why you are moving. However, it is imperative to add a few details if your move is due to unattended repairs or any changes.
Then you need to mention your new address in the letter and remind your landlord that you are expecting him to forward the deposit to your new address. Also, include the date on the letter with your signature.
It is important that you keep a copy of the letter and keep it safely since bad landlords are ought to give excuses as they never received the letter so better make a copy, in case you need to later fight for your deposit in the court.
Step 3: Pay rent of last month
Often renters misinterpret to see their security deposit as their rent for the last month. However, unless it is explicitly mentioned in your contract, that thought may hurt you. If the property has been damaged or needs cleaning, for example, the landlord can keep the security deposit and sue you for the rent that has gone unpaid for a month. Put the rent of your last month on time and keep a copy of your check or request for a receipt as a proof and keep the copy in a safe place with your exit notice.
Step 4: Make Small Repairs
Making small repairs gradually with time before the final moving out date is considered as a wise balancing act. Not to mention, landlords often charge renters for more than usual in garb of fixing something that it adds cost to your budget, but do not overdo the repairs. Try to make those repairs that you can complete quickly and cheaply. For instance, do not fix anything that was already broken and don’t try to improve another person’ property for the sake of getting back your deposit.
Step 5: Clean, and clean again
By law, you only have to leave your rental “broom clean.” Since broom clean is a highly subjective term, it’s best to err on the side of caution and leave your rental “brand-spanking-new clean.” If possible, you can come back after moving out and clean the property to make sure that you leave it proper and clean. You should actually do a full, top to bottom cleaning of the property.
To start, you can dust off the ceiling fans and stop only when you are done mopping the floors. Please pay attention to the bathroom and the kitchen as they get dirtiest, and also don’t forget to clean small things like, the inside of appliances, blinds, and closets.
Pro Tip: If you’ve pets, you can sprinkle some baking soda on the house floors and counters and let it settle for an hour or more before vacuuming it up. The baking soda is efficient in absorbing some of the pet odor, making it less obvious for your landlord when he walks-through the property after you move out.
Step 6: Take your belongings with you
If you do not want to irritate your landlord, don’t leave the unwanted junk from your stuff behind. It happens more than usual that tenants leave their stuff into the vacant property which is just awful to see. You may easily see lots of broken appliances and bedroom sets. While it is advised you take all your important belongings with yourself, please keep in mind that when you leave anything behind, especially something big, the landlord will have to hire a professional like Man and Van Ilford to remove it, which will again be cut out of your security deposit. Therefore, take a double and triple check on the closets, drawers, storage areas, and cabinets before you leave it for the last time.
Step 7: Return apartment keys
While other steps are significant to be followed properly, many renters forget the step of returning the apartment keys to their landlords and it obviously give sufficient chance for the landlord to cut the money. So, when you are finally out of your property, contact your landlord, and set up a mutual time to drop off the keys. You need to make sure you deliver all the things you have of the landlord, including gate and mailbox keys. Otherwise, your landlord may charge you a replacement fee for every key you take with you.
Step 8: Follow Up
The laws governing landlords and their tenants are only there to protect the tenant’s right to get their security deposit back, if one requests it. If you just let it go, you may never receive your deposit, and the cruel truth is that some landlords get away with just not giving the deposit back or in full.
Typically, the law says that a landlord has at least 30 days of timeframe to issue a refund, but some even mention less than that time. To be clear, you must see the security deposit laws by the state. If you have not heard from your landlord even after 30 days, just don’t settle that you are not going to receive the deposit at all. Instead write a follow up letter to your landlord, requesting for your security deposit. Also, keep a copy of the follow-up letter in your “just in case” box.
If you still do not hear anything from him, after a couple of weeks, don’t hesitate to go to your local court and file a civil suit against the landlord. That way, a judge will decide how much you are entitled to receive back and will make sure you get it. Do not forget to bring all your documentation and certifications to the court of law.
Step 9: Additional Precautions along the way
In addition to the suggested steps above, there are other recommendations and tips to keep in mind throughout the term of your lease. Following the below outlined small steps can make moving out job and getting the security deposit back in full much easier.
- Read the lease agreement before making changes to the property: The most important part is that you are aware of the clauses in the lease agreement because the terms and conditions are going to govern even the security deposit terms. So, read if your landlord will allow you to paint or make any changes as you have requested, but don’t make any changes to the property without carefully reading the clauses of the lease.
- Move-In Inspection: Ask your landlord to inspect the property in your presence before you move into the apartment. While doing the walk-through of the property, keep a note of any damages you notice inspecting everything from top-to-bottom and then have the landlord sign off on your damages list.
- Move in Carefully: Take care when you are moving furniture in the apartment for the first time, and later you can easily rearrange the pieces. This is because bulky items are likely to give scratch on the floors, rip pain off of walls and ding door jambs. So, it is better that you move in carefully without damaging the property.
- Be careful with the walls: A lot of renters use expandable brackets to brace large pictures and furniture to the walls. But these brackets often leave large holes when you remove them later. If at all possible, find a less damaging way to display your decor.
- Keep property in good shape: Keep the rental property in good shape and condition, treating the space like your own property. Any damage while your stay may incur you additional costs while moving out or hamper your chance of getting the deposit back in full.
- Take Photos: Before you plan to move in your furniture to the house, take clear pictures of every room with a date stamp, including the outside areas as well as the closets. If you see any damages, take instant close-up photos of the same because a visual will help later prove the pre-existing damage in the apartment that the landlord should know beforehand.
- Pay your monthly rate on time: Make sure you have your rent check to your landlord by the due date each month. This is the single easiest way to get and stay in good graces with your landlord. He may also be more forgiving of small wear and tear you cause if you maintain a good relationship.
- Move-out Inspection: After you have moved out your stuff and cleaned the apartment, ask your landlord to complete a move-out inspection with you and have the landlord explain any damages if they have occurred. Accordingly you can offer to fix new damages by yourself or try to negotiate down the cost of deduction from your security deposit.
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Concluding Remarks
As long as you follow your lease agreement and the suggestions from Man and Van Brixton as outlined above, you should have no problem getting your security deposit back from your landlord in full amount.
Many renters struggle to come up with an entire month’s rent for a security deposit. While you may forget the pain of putting that much money down by the time you move out, you’re still entitled to your hard-earned money. If you are aware of your part, keep good records, and follow up, and you should have no problem getting the deposit for the apartment back. Getting your security deposit back should not give you stress anymore, as long as you are aware of the rule and regulations before you move out of your old house.
For any suggestion or to book a Supreme Man and Van Croydon, please reach out to us at https://suprememanvan.com/. And do not forget to make sure you read up on your new lease before signing after moving into a new home.
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