One of the most important parts of a tenancy comes right at the very end of it with the return of the deposit. It’s often a bit of a worrying time as many tenants rely on their deposit being returned to them to help with their new home move. Over the years, possibly the biggest misconception that Property Managers face is that Letting Agents want to try and take money from a tenant’s deposit. In reality, there’s nothing that we love more than being able to tell tenants that their deposit has been returned in full. At that point, everyone is happy: Tenants can move on to their new home with their money back; landlords get their property back in good condition and Property Managers can spend time managing the many other issues that pop up day-to-day. Everyone’s a winner! So, with the aim of keeping everyone happy, here are five tips for tenants to get their deposit back.
- Clean, clean, clean! Then clean again! By far the biggest reason for deposit disputes is the standard of cleaning. At the start of every tenancy, the inventory will include a standard of cleaning rating, which we hope is ‘5- commercially clean’. This means that the expectation is that the property will be returned to the same standard. 1Let strongly recommends that you employ a cleaner to clean your property before you leave. It’s actually quite difficult, and very time-consuming, to clean a home to a commercial standard so why not get the professionals in?
- Check the Inventory. Everyone receives an inventory when they move in. It shows the condition of the property, with photos, before keys are even handed over. All tenants also have seven days at the start of their tenancy to comment or make amendments. If you’re about to move out, and can’t remember how things looked at the start, refer to your inventory. If you can’t find it, your 1Let Property Manager will be happy to send it on to you.
- Be upfront! Things can break- it’s just a fact of life and more often than not, they break by accident. At the end of tenancy check, Property Managers will check everything to make sure that it’s the same (taking reasonable wear and tear into account) as the inventory. If there’s a big mark on the floor, for example, covering it with a rug will definitely not make it disappear! It might be that there’s a way to get rid of the mark and it might not be as bad as you think so just let your Property Manager know when it happens, and we’ll always try to help.
- Bulbs! Being charged for things that are easily avoidable is incredibly frustrating. Bulbs that need to be changed are a prime example of this. It’s easy to change a bulb and they’re quite cheap. If an electrician has to do it, they’ll include a call-out charge so something that might cost a few pounds suddenly becomes much more expensive. It’s definitely best to do it yourself.
- It’s good to talk. Contact your Property Manager if you’re in any doubt about anything before you move out. If you’re in any doubt, it’s in everyone’s interest to help you get your deposit back so please just ask. Lots of tenants want to leave things that they don’t want to take with them to their new home. Rather than just leave it, always check first. If it has to be thrown away, it can lead to a cost that has to be claimed from the deposit. It can’t be stressed enough- if in doubt about anything, ask your Property Manager!
- Did we mention clean? Okay, we’ve sneaked a sixth tip in here but we can’t emphasise the importance of cleaning enough. If you haven’t arranged for a professional cleaner to clean your home, please remember to check these things:
- Skirting boards
- The oven, especially the oven door
- The washing machine tray and around the rim
- Windows
- Underneath beds and sofas
- Cupboards and drawers
- Everything in the bathroom- don’t forget the shower screen!
- Lightshades
- Empty the vacuum cleaner
Follow these tips, and you’ll definitely stand a better chance of getting your deposit back in full, and quickly.