If you’re a landlord, you might (unfortunately) relate to this.
Once a bad tenant, always a bad tenant, especially when they disappear without notice and leave you a “farewell note” in the form of a dirty, smelly, damaged apartment. But when a tenant does the decent thing and gives you notice, there are steps you should take before they move out, to ensure that the apartment is ready for new renters.
Write a reminder to the tenant of his or her obligations, i.e., removing all PANDHE, properly disposing of trash and garbage, and cleaning out of the fridge, pantry and cabinets. Also remind them about transferring cable TV, phone, Internet, etc. to their new location.
Create a property inventory form for the tenant to fill out that will inform you of any damage they might have done to the place.
After they’re gone, put on your detective hat and look for clues to any broken rules. For instance, do you forbid pets and or smoking? Sniff around for evidence of cats or cigarettes. (If you smell pot and want to have some fun, breathe deeply. Just don’t tell anybody.) If it turns out you need professional odor removal, we’ll take care of it, and your former tenant will pay. If your building has decks in the back and you’ve forbidden the use of bird feeders, check for feathers and stains.
Remember that there’s such a thing as normal wear and tear, but then, there’s serious damage that the tenant could’ve prevented. Depending on the extent of any damage, you may need to call your lawyer, insurance agent or adjuster. And as always, call us. If you need to take action against a former tenant, we’ll help every step of the way.