If moving house is on your agenda this month, you’re mind is probably boggled with finding a new rental place and packing up your home. But don’t forget the one important thing you need to make sure you get back – your security deposit.

Security deposits are usually half a month, or in some cases, a full month’s worth of rent, so unless you want to kiss hundreds of dollars goodbye, it’s important that you get it back. The security deposit is in place to cover any damage caused to the property and is usually retained by the landlord until you move out. Tenants are allowed a ‘normal wear and tear’ allowance, and unless you’ve completely destroyed your property, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting the full amount back.

To make sure you’re not out of pocket, here are a few things to consider to make sure you get your security deposit back when you move out of your rental property.

Read Your Lease

In the weeks coming up to your moving date, take a look at your rental agreement and check for any tenant requirements. Every lease has different clauses, so make sure you follow the requirements if you want to receive your full deposit.

Make Small Repairs

Try to repair or replace the easy and cheap things like light bulbs, patch holes, or noticeable paint scuffs. Accidents do happen and small bits of damage will probably fall within your ‘normal wear and tear’ limit, but it’s worth repairing any damage that you’ve caused to make sure you get your money back. If you’ve caused a significant amount of damage that your landlord will definitely notice, it’s better to be up-front and open about it as you may be able to work out an agreement.

Deep-Clean

If you think your landlord won’t dock your

deposit because your apartment is dirty, think again. Most agreements require your property to be ‘broom clean’, but it’s better to err on the side of caution and deep clean your place to ensure you get your full amount back. Don’t forget the hidden things like the inside of your oven, fridge and closets. If you haven’t got time to give your place a good clean, get in touch with us and we’ll happily take care of the cleaning for you!

Take Everything With You

As tempting as it is to leave your unwanted junk, you’ll probably end up paying for it in the form of your security deposit.  You may not lose all of it, but you’ll definitely irritate your landlord as they’ll only have to discard themselves or hire a removal company to do the work. Either way, you’ll end up getting billed for the extra work.

Keys

It’s important to hand back everything that came with the property, and that includes keys. If you’ve lost any keys during your tenancy, make sure to get them replaced or inform your landlord about it. Your tenancy agreement will outline what to do if you lose your keys and how much you may be charged if you don’t hand them all back.

Follow Up

Remember to follow up with your landlord about your security deposit and kindly ask when you will expect to receive it back. If they deduct money from your deposit, ask them for a breakdown of deductions and damage so you know exactly what you’re being charged for. If the worst case happens and your landlord refuses to return your deposit without any reasoning, you may want to take the case to your local civil court to reclaim your money (but hopefully that won’t happen)!

Don’t forget to take pictures of the place before you leave too so you’ve got proof of the state that you left the property in. We offer residential cleaning in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, so we’ll happily take care of your property cleaning for you so you can focus on moving into your new place!