Getting Your Deposit Back: Move-out Cleaning Tips

The greatest advantage of not owning a property of your own is that you can always move when your financial situation changes. In these tricky times, economy-wise, not being burdened by a mortgage is an enormous stress reliever for some people. However, there are also some drawbacks of being a tenant. The most obvious one is that some landlords are not willing to give you your deposit money back when you decide to move out. Since getting the deposit is easier if you leave the place in a perfect condition, here are a few easy things to do before you move.

Make the appliances shine

Even if you have your own appliances and furniture items, they need a proper scrub before you move. If they are yours, it is unhygienic to transport them if they are dirty. On the other hand, if they belong to the property owner, it will show them that you are an honest person who wants to end up your housing contract in a fair way. Always move the furniture items and the appliances away from the walls and sweep the area behind them. This is extremely important in the kitchen and the bathroom. Even if you cleaned those obscure corners regularly, there are always food pieces (in the kitchen) and limescale buildups (in the bathroom) that might inspire your landlord not to give you back your deposit money.

Mind the outdoor area

What many tenants forget to do before they invite the landlord for the final inspection is to restore the outdoor area of the rented place to its original condition. Therefore, plan to leave some time for your own detailed check before you call the landlord. If you have balconies, empty them completely and scrub the flooring. Also, do not forget to clean the balcony railings. Moreover, if they were painted when you moved in and the paint has been damaged over the course of time, repaint them so that they look good as new.

If you were renting a house, you should pay attention to even more outdoor area, especially if there is a garden. Trees, shrubs, stone decorations, and pathways all require a thorough check and adequate repairs.

Unclog the drains

Leaving the drains clogged will leave an impression that you were a careless tenant, even if everything else is perfect. Before you sweep, mop, and wipe the floor, check all the drains and unclog them. If your budget allows for it, use a drain auger, also known as the snake, to free the drain passages. They are eco-friendly solutions, unlike drain-unclogging chemicals. Moreover, you can take it with you to your new place and keep it for your future unclogging needs.

One final floor scrub

When you have finally moved out all the items that belong to you, you should conduct one last floor cleaning. You have to remove any remains of dust and dirt, together with any other traces of the move-out process. Faced with a meticulously clean and perfectly maintained place, your landlord will not have any arguments that could justify keeping your money.

Start with the kitchen area and then move to bedrooms. The last item on your house cleaning checklist should be the floor areas in the living room and the bathroom. You should treat those areas with a good-smelling cleaning agent during the last cleaning session, so that the place also smells nice when the landlord comes to check it.

All these details should make the entire place shine like never before and should be enough to convince your landlord that you deserve your money back. However, protect yourself and take photos of the rented property after you clean it. They can serve as a proof if the landlord does not agree to return the deposit payment.