What To Do When Leaving A Rental Property – 7 Important Steps For Renters

Have you found the perfect new home to rent, and you are waiting to move out of your currently rental property?

Fantastic! We LOVE when renters move to a better home; whether it’s one closer to the kid’s school, with more space for a growing family, or in a nicer area…

But there are some important things you should be aware of so you:

• Maintain a good relationship with your landlord,
• Reduce your stress during this potentially hectic time
• And ensure you get your full deposit back

In this blog, we will cover some top tips and explain:

What To Do When Leaving A Rental Property

• Allowing Access For Viewings

When leaving a rental property, your landlord will be looking to find a replacement tenant to take over the home once you’ve moved on.

As a renter, you should check your tenancy agreement to see whether you are required to allow access for viewings whilst you are still in the rental property.

If the tenancy agreements says that you need to allow viewings, then your landlord should always give you advance notice, and conduct viewings at a reasonable time.

If you have any concerns about the pandemic, or you need to self-isolate, you may be able to agree with your landlord to conduct virtual viewings using a mobile phone, tablet or laptop, however this is likely to be at the landlords discretion and unlikely to be detailed in your tenancy agreement.

• Allowing Inspections

Your landlord may want to inspect the rental property before you move out or on your leaving date, however this is not something that you can be charged a fee for.

If your landlord tries to charge you a fee for an inspection, you can report them to trading standards (you can get help with this through the Citizens Advice Bureau).

• Move Out On Time

If you have given your notice to end your tenancy, ensure that you move out on time as you will no longer have the right to live in the property once the tenancy has ended.

As well as causing an inconvenience for the landlord, and potentially the next tenants, you will probably have to pay additional rent until you can leave.

When giving your notice to your landlord, make sure to keep a written copy and stick to the agreed terms.

If a landlord has paid for a professional cleaning of your rental property before you moved in, you are not required to pay for a professional cleaning service when you leave; however, you are expected to leave the property in a similar condition to when you moved in.

A landlord cannot charge you for normal wear and tear, however any damage, or failing to clean the property is likely to incur charges which will reduce the amount of your deposit returned to you.

When you leave the property, you should:

• Take photographs or videos
• Take records of any repair problems with you
• Take inventory reports with you

This will give you evidence to refer back to, should the landlord retain some, or all of your deposit, and will give you a better chance of disputing the charges with the deposit scheme.

• Contact Utility Supports And The Council

To avoid any issues with your bills, ensure that your payments are up to date, and you have provided a forwarding address should anyone need to contact you.

Also, remember to take final meter readings (and take photographs or videos) on the day you move out so you can close your accounts.

• Find Out When You Will Get Your Deposit Back

Ask your landlord when they plan to return your deposit and ensure that you know which Deposit Protection Scheme your deposit is with, so you know who to contact in the event of a dispute.

Your landlord must return your deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you’ll get back.

• Return The Keys

It is important that you ensure the rental property is locked up and all keys are returned to the landlord. Keys are usually required back by the move out date (although you should check this with your landlord).

For the avoidance of any doubt, clearly label the keys with your name and the address of the rental property and ask your landlord for written confirmation of their return.

If you fail to return your keys by the required date, your landlord may deduct the cost of replacing the locks from your deposit.

How We Love Renters Can Help You

If you haven’t found your dream home yet, but you’re worried about the moving out process and concerned that your landlord will keep your deposits, we hope these top tips have been useful.

If you are unhappy in your current rental property, and wanting to move closer to your family and friends, looking for somewhere with a garden, or closer to work, then reach out to We Love Renters to find out what incredible rental properties we currently have.

We have affordable homes to rent in Hartlepool, so call Stacey on 01429 36 36 36 or visit click the link below:

Click Here To Complete Your VIP Tenant Application