At the end of a rental agreement.
Whether you’re moving to another rental elsewhere or into your own home, the end of a rental agreement involves a little preparation.
It requires you to tick off a series of boxes to ensure you’ve met all your obligations so you can then have your rental bond returned.
So, what exactly is involved and what do you need to do at the end of a rental agreement?
The exit date
Regardless of whether you or the owner gave notice the rental agreement would end, the process of exiting the property and getting your bond back revolves around a set vacate date.
By this date, you need to remove all your personal items from the property, clean it thoroughly and then hand back the keys to the property manager.
And this process can take a little planning to ensure the property is returned to its former condition and everything happens when it should.
In the interim, you need to make sure that the required rent is paid in full.
The removal
The removal is one of the biggest elements of exiting any rental and it should be planned well in advance.
Ideally, the removal happens at least a couple of days prior to your exit date, so you have enough time to clean the vacant property.
It’s also important to note, that even if you’re not taking something with you to your next home, it has to be removed from the residence.
A thorough clean
When you leave a rental property, it’s all about returning the home to the condition that you found it in, and that involves a top-to-bottom exit clean.
This includes:
- Wiping down the walls to remove any marks
- Cleaning out and wiping the interior of cupboards
- Thoroughly cleaning the bathroom and kitchen (including the oven and rangehood)
- Cleaning fans and air conditioners
- Cleaning the floors or having carpets cleaned
- Tidying the yard and property exterior
- Replacing any light globes that aren’t working
Fixing any damage
If there’s been any damage to the property, this will also need to be remedied. For example, if your pet has put a hole in the flywire, this will need to be replaced or fixed, or if there’s been a major knock to a wall, it will need to be professionally filled, sanded and painted.
When we talk about damage, we’re talking about issues at the property that go beyond fair wear and tear, which occurs as a property naturally ages and deteriorates over time.
As a handy tip, refer to your entry condition report during the vacate process as this allows you to return the property to the condition that you found it in.
A little administration
As part of the moving process, don’t forget to consider the administrative elements involved in shifting from one home to another.
For example:
- Have you organised your mail to be forwarded to the new address
- Have you notified your telephone/internet provider, electricity company, gas supplier so they can finalise your accounts for the property?
Getting your bond back
Once the property is vacant, clean and the keys have been handed back to the property manager, attention turns to organising the refund of your rental bond.
As part of this process, the property manager will inspect the residence to ensure it’s clean, tidy, empty and in its original condition.
If there are any issues, they’ll let you know prior to authorising the bond refund.
How we can help
Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.
We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.
Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.
