Cleaning hacks for moving out of a rental property
Moving house is always a hassle. While a landlord can’t withhold your bond on the grounds that your house has not been cleaned, it is important that you leave the property reasonably clean and tidy. If you’ve got a few problem spots you’d like to fix, this round-up of cleaning hacks will help you get your place in tip-top shape in no time!
Walls
Check your walls thoroughly for any marks or scuffs. Most of the time these will come off quickly and easily, the CHUX Magic Eraser is a godsend if they’re a bit stubborn. If they won’t budge, try find an emulsion of the same colour.
The Fridge
It’s the one appliance that’s always working hard to keep food fresh and is often subject to spills, stains and sticky fingers. A clean fridge is a happy one, so see our guide on how to give it a deep and satisfying clean.
Tiles
Whether it’s your kitchen splashback or bathroom tiles, stubborn dirt and grime can be tough to remove. Follow these simple steps to find out how to get your surfaces sparkling!
Windows
Although you’re not required to clean your exterior, first impressions count and giving your windows a wash is always a good idea. If you’re wanting a thorough step-by-step guide
Cleaning when moving out
Moving out? We have made a list of things you must remember to clear and clean before moving out.
Clear
Remember to clear all your belongings before moving out. Your room/flat must be clear and tidy and must be up to the same standard it was when you moved in.
Bathroom: Remove all your belongings, including empty bottles and containers.
Kitchen: You will have to empty the kitchen cabinet that you used. Remember to empty your part of the refrigerator and freezer. Also, remember to empty the rubbish.
Wardrobe: remember to clear your wardrobe if you have a private one outside of your room. It is not allowed to leave private furniture in the residence.
Storage room: If you have access to a private storage room, remember to empty this before moving out. Also check out the common storage room if there is any. Do not forget your bike if you have one stored in the storage rooms.
If you wish leave kitchen utensils, food or other things behind to those you have shared a kitchen or bathroom with, it is a nice thought, but remember to ask your roommates first.
Clean
Before moving out, it is important to clean your residence well, so that the student moving in after you can move in to a clean and nice flat.
Moving Out
Expectations
The expectations of your vacancy is that the property will be left in the same move-in ready condition as when you moved in. This requires a DEEP CLEAN by you or a cleaning company. In order to facilitate this, you will need to spend many hours cleaning and completing your obligations per your lease and move out procedures. If you are hiring a cleaning company to deep clean the property for you, please make sure to provide them our cleaning checklist or have them email us with any questions. If they do not clean to our standards, charges will still be charged to you. Ultimately, it is up to you to make sure they clean to our standards.
Due to the Covid-19 virus, we will no longer be conducting any in-person pre-inspections. Additionally, tenants will not be allowed to be present inside the property during the final inspection because of the government issued social distancing requirements. For these reasons, it is even more important to follow the guidelines, checklists, and helpful videos we have provided to ensure you get the highest return of your security deposit. We will be sending a “pre-inspection” app to you in the days before your lease end date for you to complete to help you in the process of final checkout. Please be sure to check your email every few days for these helpful tips forth coming.
One Month Before Your Move-Out Day
Start cleaning the big items. Kitchens, bathrooms and lawn care (if applicable) require the most time. Starting in those areas weeks in advance will help minimize the time you spend cleaning when the final move-out time comes. The average 3-4 bedroom home takes 40-60 hours of cleaning to usually get it to our move-in ready standards. 1-2 bedroom apartments can be done in 15-20 hours typically. Don’t expect to start cleaning the night before your 9 AM move-out and be done in time.
Review the MOVE OUT GUIDE which includes a cleaning checklist and items needed to complete the job properly.
1 Week Before:
Mail – please provide the post office with a forwarding address.
Cable TV/Internet – Do not forget to return your TV/Internet equipment to the service providers unless it came with your property.
Review the email notification you were sent with your final inspection walk through time. It is not required that you are there for the final inspection, but you are welcome to do so if you’d like. (please see email being sent in April for 2020 move outs in regards to Corvid-19 procedures)
Review the move out/cleaning lists/videos on our website for helpful reminders to maximize your security return.
You should have all your personal belongs out of the property 1-2 days in advance so that you can deep clean properly.
Complete the Security Return Bank Form – this is so we can deposit any security return you have forthcoming.
2 Days Before:
Utilities – you can discontinue service to your utilities the day AFTER your move out. If your move out/end of lease is Friday, Saturday, Sunday or a holiday – you will need to turn your utilities off on the next business day. DO NOT DISCONNECT UTILITIES EARLY or you will be charged an early disconnect fee. DO NOT schedule the service to be shut off the day of your move-out or before.
Remove your personal belongings to allow time to deep clean.
Review our Move Out Packet with contains a cleaning checklist.
Vacuum thoroughly- TWICE. The carpets will be professionally cleaned after you move out as per your lease, so please do not steam clean/shampoo yourself. But, please remove all debris and vacuum thoroughly or additional charges may apply.
Dispose of non-household furniture at a proper location. Do not use the dumpster to discard any large items or furniture. Please bring all furniture/large items and recycling to Waste Management
Replace these items before you leave to avoid extra charges:
Burned out light bulbs – if ceilings are too high to replace, leave new bulbs on the kitchen counter. All bulbs must be of similar type and L.E.D.
Batteries (smoke alarms) – Missing or dead smoke/carbon monoxide detector batteries. If ceilings are too high to replace, leave the new batteries on the kitchen counter.
Batteries (thermostats) – All thermostats that require batteries and are under 50% at the time of vacancy are required to be changed by tenants.
Oven drip pans – that are size appropriate to the appliance.
Furnace Filter(s) – if you have a forced air furnace, and have access to it, you are required to replace the furnace filter at time of vacancy.
Moving Out
A tenant must move out by 1 p.m. on the last day of the tenancy (usually the last day of the month). A landlord and tenant may agree on another time or date – as long as it’s in writing and signed by both parties.
Overholding Tenants
A tenant who continues to occupy a rental unit after the tenant’s tenancy is ended is called an overholding tenant. The landlord continues to be entitled to payment for use and occupancy when a tenant overholds. In this case, the landlord may apply for dispute resolution seeking an order of possession and accept payment for use and occupancy while awaiting dispute resolution.
When accepting payment for use and occupancy, the landlord should state in writing that:
The payment for rent or utilities is being accepted for use and occupancy only – it does not cancel the notice to end tenancy
The tenant must still move out
Note: The “use and occupancy” arrangement is short-term—it allows use and occupancy only for the period of the payment and does not reinstate the tenancy. If, in a dispute resolution hearing, a party claims that tenancy has been reinstated, an arbitrator will consider all the circumstances including the intent of both parties when exchanging payment
Clean the Unit
A tenant should check their tenancy agreement and ensure they comply with any specific responsibilities for cleaning a unit, as set out in the agreement. A tenant is expected to clean the inside of their rental unit – even if it wasn’t clean at the beginning of the tenancy
How much does a professional move out cleaning cost?
People often ask how much a move out cleaning including a handover guarantee will cost. However, calculating the costs for the move out cleaning isn’t that easy, as various factors have to be considered. Therefore, there is no simple answer to this question, but we will do our best to explain how the costs are calculated.
What factors influence the price of a move out cleaning?
It is often assumed that the size of the apartment has the greatest impact on the cleaning price. However, this is rarely the case and the following factors influence the price the most.
KITCHEN
The kitchen requires a lot of time and effort as it’s the place where people cook. It is one of the most time-consuming rooms to clean and nowhere else, during the apartment handover, is paid as much attention to detail as in the kitchen. The standard kitchen move out cleaning routine involves: a thorough cleaning of the oven, dishwasher, stove as well as all cabinets and drawers. The inside of the extractor fan must be cleaned and the filter needs to be replaced. The floor must be cleaned and if you have with metal fittings, it’s important that they have been thoroughly descaled.
BATHROOM AND TOILET
Compared to other rooms, the bathroom also takes a lot of time to clean. The more toilets, bathtubs and showers your home has, the higher the price. Bathrooms (shower, bathtub), sinks and taps are particularly susceptible to lime. Due to increased humidity and lack of air circulation in the bathroom, mold may form in joints or corners. Therefore, the bathroom is checked very carefully during the handover, to see if everything has been cleaned properly.
WINDOWS AND LEDGES
Everyone knows the annoying subject of window cleaning. Windows need to be immaculately cleaned and no residue must be visible. Additionally, window frames must be cleaned inside and outside. It is also necessary to vacuum and clean between the rubber gaskets and the closing mechanisms of the windows. Lastly, any discolouration of the window ledges needs to be cleaned.