You’re moving out of your rental to a bigger and better place. Maybe you’re
moving to a larger apartment or you just bought your first house. But now you’re not sure
what you need to do as far as your current apartment is concerned. Start by reviewing
your lease well ahead of your expiration date, then use the Rental Checklist – Before
Moving Out for tips you can follow.
Review your lease 60 to 90 days before you plan to move out
Give notice to landlord per requirements in lease (number of days prior to end of lease)
Complete any cleaning required by the lease (condition property is to be returned to landlord, carpet cleaning required by tenant, holes filled where pictures were hung, etc.)
Schedule a walk-through inspection with the landlord for AFTER you have vacated the apartment (furniture and personal items have been removed)
At the scheduled walk-through, bring your original move-in report and photos that were signed by both parties
If landlord notices any repairs that need to be made:
Verify that this is not an item you indicated on your move-in list which was never repaired by landlord
If the repair is your responsibility, ask landlord to be specific on how the repair needs to be completed
Complete the repair and request a second walk-through prior to the last day of your lease
Tip: If possible leave a couple days between moving out and the end of your lease so that the walk-through and repairs can be completed
If everything is in order after the walk-through, ask landlord to sign and date that the inspection the property has been completed and no items needing repair were found
Provide landlord with a forwarding address and phone number
Ask landlord how long it will be before you will receive your security deposit
Tip: Most states have regulations on the return of security deposits – know your State’s regulation
If you had roommates, find out who will receive the security deposit
