“When will I get my (full) security deposit back?”
This is the #1 Question property
managers get asked when tenants vacate.
And this is the #1 opportunity to get the house back in the condition
you want. Make sure you take it!
Note: This is not a full-proof plan! Some tenants have a completely different view
of “clean” after they move out. As in, “Though
the carpets are stained now and the walls are marked up, it is in better
condition then when we moved in.” I get
it: people can be temporarily delusional to further their own interests. As in, “I didn’t know that the McDonald’s
coffee would be hot because it didn’t have a warning on the cup, I swear.”
When I hear the #1 Question through property manager ears,
it really sounds like they are asking, “What do I need to do to get my full
security deposit back as quickly as possible?”
Fortunately, that is precisely the question we want them to be asking!
Getting a house back from the tenant in great condition is a
win-win-win for all involved:
1. Tenants: They get
all of their security deposit back- yeah!
I root for all of our tenants to do this.
2. Owners: They get a
property that can immediately go back to market and requires minimal
cleaning/fix-up costs.
3. Property managers:
They don’t have to take a lot of pictures, document repairs, compute repair
costs, and then explain the damage costs to the tenants and owners.
So how is getting a house back in great condition facilitated? The bottom line: You get what you ask for! Ask the tenants (in specific terms) what you
want them to do so you can give them their full security deposit back. Examples include:
1. Steam clean the
carpets after vacating and leave the receipt as proof
2. Put clean air
filters in all the vents
3. Clean out all the
appliances, drawers, and cabinets
4. Don’t leave any
personal items in the house
5. Put new batteries
in the CO and smoke detectors
6. Leave all copies
of the keys, garage door openers, HOA passes, etc.
7. Fill in wall holes
and touch-up paint where appropriate
8. Make sure the
landscaping has been trimmed and the grass cut
If expectations are set, then (at least some of) the tenants
will follow them. And this will save
some of the “I can’t believe how the tenant left the house!” laments. And also cushion the tenant protests if some
of their security deposit is held back.
We can’t expect the tenants to leave a home in “good
condition”, when we don’t define what “good condition” means to us. It’s a subjective term.
When tenants ask the #1 Question, they are listening very
hard to your response. Give them the #1
Answer. Take this opportunity to detail
how you want the property left (and providing a check-off sheet in writing is
even better!) while they are focused.
Then add, “… so depending on how the property is left and how many repair
quotes we need, it could take up to 30 days.
If it is left in great shape, you could get it in a few days!”
The #1 Question is good; it shows the tenants care. Make sure you volley back the #1 Answer while
you have their full attention!
Brett Furniss is the President & Owner of BDF Realty (Charlotte Residential
Property Management), the trusted real estate advisor for Charlotte
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