Do You Do a Final Walk-Through With Tenants

This topic has been a thorn in my side for many years, but I suppose there are two sides to this coin.  If you walk through the unit with tenants before they move in and as they are moving out, a written record of each walk-through could be signed by both you and the tenants.  It is a good record (see Move-In/Move-Out Checklist at LandlordLifeline.com), but this is time consuming and frequently hard to schedule, so I don’t do it.

On the occasions in the past when I have done a move-out walk-through and pointed out things that still need cleaning, the majority of the time the cleaning was still not done.  This happened to me recently.  I gave in and did a walk-through and pointed out that cleaning under the kitchen appliances still needed to be done, as well as, cleaning the appliances better… you guessed it… they didn’t do any more cleaning and just moved out.  So my trying to be a nice lady was really just a waste of my time.

Now I have a situation where the parents of a college student to whom I rented are on the phone wanting the deposit back.  According to them I should have told their daughter what else to clean before moving out.  What I told their daughter was to read her Security Deposit Agreement and follow the detailed instructions.  She didn’t do that, so now the parents are upset with me. 

The word Landlord in Webster’s Dictionary: “land’lord, n. 1. Man from whom one rents.  2. Innkeeper.  Also, fem., land’la’dy.”  No mention of “babysitter!!“

My SOP, Standard Operating Procedure, is to provide a Move-in/Move-Out Checklist in the Tenant Move-In Packet.  At lease signing, I ask them to walk through before moving in, fill out the list then mail it to me.  After they move out I have a record for my inspection.  Most do not do the Move-In/Move-Out Checklist or mail it in. 

Several months ago new tnenats mailed in such a detailed list I thought about hiring them to do all of my walk-through checklists.  So for some tenants the list is a comfort that they will not be charged for minor damage that existed when they moved in.  The Move-In/Move-Out Checklist is a good PR move in these cases. 

If your state or municipality has ordinances or laws that require walk-throughs or documentation, you should know the details and abide by those regulations.

Do you have other methods for walk-through inspections and documentation that work for you?  Please send us you ideas.

Thanks,

B

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Art of Being a Landlord by admin