Moving on Out

Hey all you tenants, landlords and property owners. We’re coming up on the cusp of decision season this time of year, when all across the land people are deciding whether or not to renew their lease, or to continue renting to a particular set of tenants. If you’re happy where you’re at, great for you! This post isn’t so much for you guys, but read it anyways and squirrel the information away for when it’s your turn. For the rest of you who’re thinking of breaking it off to go out in search of a new house, apartment, condo or duplex,  or a new set of tenants, don’t worry. Hometown Rant has the guide to make your move smooth.

If you’re a renter moving out of a house or apartment, hopefully you’ve still got a few weeks to get your affairs in order, because that’s our biggest piece of advice. Trust us, you have a lot more stuff than you think you do. You’ll need time to figure out where it’s all going to go. We should also point out that this is a good time in your life to have friends with places for you and/or your stuff.

Ideally you’d have a new rental property ready to move into as you move out of your old house or apartment, but the nature of finding places and signing leases tends to mean that you might have a waiting period before you can move in. If you don’t have a convenient place to go, you could contact your current landlord about extending your lease for a week or two (and perhaps paying a little extra) which could be a win/win for both of you. Just make sure that you ask with enough time to make backup plans if your landlord can’t accommodate you.

After you’ve figured out what to do with all your stuff, you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and do some cleaning if you ever want to see your security deposit again. Check your lease to figure out what exactly your landlord expects from you, and ask them if you have any confusion. Standard fare includes cleaning appliances, carpets, windows, etc, so even if you keep your house, apartment or condo neat, you’ll probably have to get a few things that you don’t normally touch. Refrigerator splash pans anyone?

On the other hand, all landlords and property owners: make sure you’re moving out guidelines are clear, and perhaps even make up a checklist to send to tenants so that they know what you expect from them. The condition of rental properties moving out and subsequent deductions from the security deposit are one of the most common causes of conflict between renters and landlords, so you want to do everything you can to make sure that everyone is on the same page beforehand.

Refer to our archive if you need more advice about cleaning or finding a new place to live or new tenants, and check the local postings on hometownrent.com to help get you into the dwelling of your dreams!

Do you have rental questions of your own? Comments? Concerns? Love letters? Hate mail? Get at us:  Hometownrant@hometownrent.com

 

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