Landlord Quick Tip

Tip #239: Make it Easy on Yourself

 Even the best tenants can lose it in the end, and deliver the rental property back to you in poor condition.

Poor planning on their part costs you time and money, both in restoring the property for a new lease, and in pursuing the former tenant for reimbursement.

Fortunately, there’s an easy to way to avoid this problem in many cases.  It’s as simple as planning ahead, and providing the exiting tenant with a move-out letter.

Served in ample time before the move-out date, this letter will remind tenants about their obligations, including:

The last month’s rent must be paid in full, and not deducted from the deposit;

How and when the deposit will be returned; and,

Detailed instructions regarding cleaning and removal of trash and other items from the property.

The letter should also set a time for the move-out inspections,  and encourage tenants to be present.  This  final meeting can prevent legal disputes over security deposit deductions, and save you the trouble of picking up after the tenant.

See last week’s Landlord Quick Tip.

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