The stress of moving alone is enough to drive anyone over the
edge. When you add in the fact that you might be charged for damage
above and beyond your security deposit, the whole process can be
nerve-wracking. Here's how to prepare for a move-out inspection so
that you can get your deposit back and walk away without damage
fees.
Steps
- Visit your landlord or apartment complex office and obtain a
copy of your move-in inspection. If you did not do a move-in
inspection, ask for a copy of the move-out inspection form the
apartment complex uses to determine damage. Go through the list,
item by item, and check to see if you've incurred any additional
damages that weren't there when you moved in.
- Walk through the apartment again with the landlord or property
manager to confirm what needs to be cleaned or repaired in order
for you to get your deposit back and avoid damage or cleaning fees.
Write down what the person specifies and have him/her sign off on
it to verify that what you wrote down is all you're responsible for
and so you don't get any surprises when you hand in your keys.
- Repair the walls. Remove all staples and nails you have stuck
into the walls, ceilings, or doors of the apartment. Fill the holes
with hole filler (drywall or wood filler depending on which
material you need to fill). For tiny holes, you can also use white
toothpaste (NOT GEL). Let the filler dry (while you work on other
areas of the house). Lightly sand the filled holes so that they're
flush against the surface before you vacuum or mop the room. Using
the magic eraser, go through each room and remove any scuff marks
on the walls, floors, or doors. (Warning: Test the magic eraser
first, as it can clean some paints right off the wall.) If you will
be painting or priming, forgo the magic eraser and prime and paint
instead.
Clean the kitchen
- Fill the sink with warm water and add dish detergent to the
water.
- The refrigerator - Remove all of the shelves and drawers from
the refrigerator and freezer and place them in the dishwasher or
wash them by hand. Dip a sponge into the dishwater and wipe down
the interior of the refrigerator and freezer, being certain to
remove any food build-up. Don't forget the little compartments
where you kept the butter and eggs! Then wipe down all of the
shelves, dry the shelves, and place them back in the
refrigerator.
- The oven - While you can set the oven to self-clean if that
option is available, the better way would be to use one to two cans
(depending on whether you EVER cleaned the oven while you lived in
the apartment) of the best oven cleaner to get the oven really
clean. (Try Easy Off Heavy Duty.) Read the safety directions
carefully, many oven cleaners require protective equipment (gloves
& goggles) and strong ventilation. Do not ignore the
directions on the can. Place newspaper in front of the
oven, slightly underneath the door or drawer and extended out to
protect your floor from dripping cleaner. Evenly apply both cans to
the inside of the oven, the grates, the broiler sheets, etc. Throw
the drip pans from the stove in there and coat them too. Let sit
for 24 hours. Do not turn on oven! Using a sponge
and paper towels, wipe down all surfaces. Rinse with clean water.
Clean the vent above the stove and be certain that the light bulb
in the overhead hood is in working condition.
- The cabinets - Using a multi-purpose cleaner that is safe to
use on your cabinets, wipe down the interior and the exterior of
the cabinets.
- The light fixtures - You should then check to make sure the
light fixtures are clean and do not have any dead insects in them.
If there are glass fixture covers, give them a wipe. Think twice
before throwing them into the dishwasher, because thermal stresses
and harsh det
