Every rental contract eventually expires. If you don’t have the property, the odds are great you are going to move from the property sooner or later. Your responsibilities to your landlord are written from state law — California Civil Code Section 1950.5 — and your rental agreement. By following these rules, you increase your likelihood of getting your security deposit and avoiding additional cleaning charges.
Suitable Notice
You must provide appropriate notice to the landlord that you are moving from the house. The minimal requirement for note is the exact same number of days between lease payments. If you pay on a weekly basis, you must provide a week’s notice. If you pay monthly, then you need to provide 30 days notice. The exception to this rule is located on your rental agreement. Your rental agreement may state you provide additional notice such as 60 days before moving from the house or apartment. Failure to provide proper notice may result in additional lease charges.
Wash the Real Estate
Thoroughly wash the property before vacating the premises. Leave the property in as near move-in state as possible to maximize your chances of recovering your safety deposit. Replace any broken blinds or fixtures. Replace missing towel holders, light fixtures and switch covers. Take photographs before you leave should you need to prove the conditions in which you left the house. Note any typical wear-and-tear you notice.
Initial Inspection
Your landlord must provide a written notice advising you of your right to ask and be present during an initial inspection of the property. By being present, you might identify any particular regions of concern and address these areas before turning over ownership of the unit. You must ask the first inspection for the landlord to perform one. Throughout the inspection, ask that the landlord tackle any areas of concern in an itemized statement so that you might rectify them. You want this paperwork if the landlord attempt to unlawfully keep your safety deposit.
Fix Deficiencies
Address every field of concern in the itemized statement before turning over ownership of the unit to your landlord. Keep receipts from any third-party vendor you employ to wash the residence such as maid service, carpet cleaning painting and repairs services. Record this paperwork off with the itemized statement and supply a copy to the landlord when you leave your property.
Security Deposit
Once you vacate the property, the neighbor performs the official inspection. The landlord must return your security deposit within 21 days of your vacating the premises. He may keep all or part of your safety deposit to cover costs associated with unpaid rent, cleaning the unit, repair for damages or the cost of replacing furniture — even if the lease permits for it. He may only withhold amounts that are reasonably necessary to pay for the costs. He cannot use it to fix flaws present before your tenancy. The landlord must provide an itemized statement of any deductions that he took out of your security deposit together with any refund of your security deposit.