The Proper Way to Handle a Rental Move-Out | Miami Property Management Expertise |
Posted: April 28, 2019 |
The best way to handle a move-out inspection is to have been prepared before your tenant ever moved in. Part of the move-in process is documenting the condition of the property with photos and videos of the interior. If you’re renting out a single family home, you’ll need to document the condition of the exterior as well.
When you finish moving a tenant in, share the pictures and videos you took with those tenants via email or some other digital file sharing service. That way, it will be dated and time-stamped. This will eliminate any doubt later on as to what the condition of the property was. If you do this before your tenant moves in, the physical inspection of the property when a tenant moves out should be a breeze.
Your lease should be specific in terms of move-out requirements. Your tenants should know what’s expected once they provide their end of lease notice. But, if it’s not specific, there are a few things you should be sure to look for. Remember that it’s not your tenant’s responsibility to leave the home turnkey ready so a new tenant can move right in. There are certain wear and tear items you cannot charge the tenants for. Here’s an example: if the tenants have not painted the property, you cannot charge them for scuff marks on the walls. But, if the tenants did paint the property a different color than what you provided, you can charge them for paint. Another example: you cannot charge for small nail holes in the walls, but you can charge for large holes that are bigger than a quarter. If the property is carpeted and there are wear marks from foot traffic, you cannot charge the security deposit. But, you can charge the tenants if they left the carpets dirty. Essentially, you cannot charge your tenants for anything that could have occurred with normal use of the property during their tenancy.
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