Moving into a new apartment or house is a stressful and time taking task. On top of that, it adds to the frustration if tenants confront dirty and unorganized apartments. Apart from demanding rent and signing the contracts, the landlord also has the responsibility of transferring a neat and clean apartment to the new residents.
Although cleanliness is different for every person, there should be clean floors, walls, and windows and properly maintained appliances when the tenant moves-in.
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The decision in a clean apartment
If the landlord is renting out his apartment to a new tenant, they have the right to get a clean and ready-to-use apartment.
Before transferring to a new flat or house, the tenant must visit the property to know the property’s exact condition. If they want a clean apartment, it is the landlord’s responsibility to offer him a clean house. Otherwise, they can move in without demanding any cleaning.
However, if the property was already rented, it is past tenants’ responsibility to do after cleaning before moving out. Tenants are required to hand out the property in the same condition as it was when they moved in.
As they prefer a spotless apartment, they should return the apartment in an excellent and clean condition. Though tenants must clean the apartment before moving out, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to check if the property is properly cleaned and set for the new tenants.
Here are the things that a landlord should take care of before new tenants move in:
Repair the damage
Before the tenants move in, it is the landlord’s responsibility to repair any property damage. It can be broken windows, holes in the wall, or leaking ceilings.
Moreover, he should confirm the security of the building. There should be two exits and smoke detectors in working conditions. Also, they have to pay special attention to lead-based paint hazards.
Repair the utilities
The landlord must make sure that all the utilities are in working condition. The heat should be working in all rooms, and no pipes should be clogged or leaking. The gas outlets and lights must be utterly operational without any electrical hazard.
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Change the door locks
Before the final move in, changing door locks is a must. Since the old tenants have the keys to your home locks, it is better to change them.
Even if they return the keys, there is no guarantee that they have given you all the keys. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure the tenant’s safety and protect the landlord from any liability.
Additional installments and arrangements to the clean apartment
Tenants may request the landlord to install something or make a special arrangement. In such a case, it depends on the landlord whether he would accept your request or not.
If you have requested a necessity, he may install or arrange it without any charges. If you have asked for something out of necessity, he may charge you extra and add it in the final contract as proof.
Final words
In case tenants face unhealthy and unclean conditions, every state has specific policies to repair the damages and clean the property. They can deduct the cost from the rent or withhold the rent until the landlord fixes the damages and cleans the apartment.
Before the tenants move in, the landlord should look over the checklist and write the complete details of the property’s actual condition. The tenant then signs and dates the checklist. The checklist helps them to compare the property condition before the resident moves-in and after a resident moves out.
Writer and content creator interested in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Jobs and landlord issues. I have a bachelor’s degree in Communication from the Andrés Bello Catholic University, VE, and I also studied at Chatham University, USA. In this blog I write and collect information of interest around agreements, property and mortgage.