As a landlord, one of the most significant responsibilities that you may not realize you have is to ensure that your tenants have a smooth move-in and move-out process. The less stress and frustration your tenant experiences during the move-in, the more likely they are to trust you. It’s an excellent opportunity to begin and develop a meaningful and professional landlord/tenant relationship. From that, you can expect on-time rental payments, help maintaining your home, and a lease renewal that helps you avoid turnover and vacancy costs.
The less stress and frustration your tenant experiences during the move-out, the more likely they are to give you positive reviews. Keeping a good relationship intact is also important.
Moving a tenant in and moving that same tenant out later can easily affect the tenant experience and your reputation as a landlord. Not having a defined and clear process in place can result in misunderstandings, conflicts, and even legal disputes.
Avoid all of that with a clear and well-communicated plan in advance that outlines all the details and expectations of a move-in and move-out.
We’re professional property managers, so we have a lot of experience moving tenants into properties and moving them out. We’re sharing some of our best tips and strategies for making this as seamless and efficient as possible.
Communicate with Tenants Early and Clearly
Effective communication is perhaps the most important part of ensuring there’s a smooth move-in and move-out process. You will want to coordinate with your tenants about their desired move-in date as soon as they sign the lease and pay the move-in funds. Make sure it provides you with enough time to change the locks, clean the home, and have it ready for them to take occupancy.
At the end of the lease term, you’ll want to know from your tenants as soon as possible that they’re planning to move out. Your lease agreement likely sets a required amount of time; usually 30 or 60 days of notice. Make sure your tenants understand how you expect to receive their Notice to Vacate. Do you want it emailed or send through the regular mail? Clear communication between both parties can help manage expectations and avoid misunderstandings. There may be questions that your tenant has as the move-in date approaches. Be responsive. When your tenant calls or messages after moving out to ask about their security deposit, make sure you respond in a timely manner.
Develop a Move-In/Move-Out Checklist to Share with Tenants
Creating a checklist can keep you organized during these periods, and it can also help guide your tenants through the entire process and ensure that everything gets completed. The checklist at move-in should include:
- A confirmed statement of the property’s condition before the tenant moves in. You’ll want to conduct a thorough inspection and take a lot of photos. Then, leave that inspection report with your tenant. They’ll sign off on the property’s condition after they’ve had a chance to conduct their own inspection.
- A list of keys or remotes that are in the tenant’s possession once they move into the property.
- Instructions or information on how to use appliances, set the thermostat, and when to take out the trash.
The move-out checklist will include:
- A reminder that the home must be returned in the same condition that it was received, outside of general and normal wear and tear.
- What’s expected of the tenant in terms of repairs and cleaning.
- How the keys should be returned before leaving.
- The importance of sharing a forwarding address so the tenant can quickly get their security deposit back.
Any information that you think might be valuable to the tenants when they’re moving in or moving out should be shared in advance.
Schedule and Complete Inspections
At the time of the move-in/move-out, it’s necessary to complete a walk-through inspection of the property. During the move-in process, you’ll be looking for anything that needs to be done before your tenant takes possession of the property. If something needs to be fixed or cleaned, you’ll want to take care of it as soon as possible.
The move-out inspection will allow you to compare the condition of that property at that time to the way the rental home looked before the tenants moved in. This will help you deduct any damage for which you might want to hold your tenants accountable.
Moving Out: Make Repairs and Cleaning Requirements Clear
Cleaning and repairs are an essential part of the move-out process, and you must make them clear to your tenants. You should have specific guidelines to ensure that the property you’re renting out is returned in as close to move-in ready condition as possible.
Provide your tenants with a cleaning and repair checklist that outlines all the essential items that need to be cleaned and/or repaired before the move-out. Making it clear what is expected from your tenants ensures no last-minute surprises or disputes.
Security Deposit Collection and Return
During the move-in process, you’ll collect a security deposit from your tenant.
During the move-out process, you’ll return it after you’ve conducted your inspection and made any necessary repairs that you plan to pay for with the deposit. In Georgia, you have 30 days to return the deposit as well as an itemized list of any deductions that were made.
A smooth move-in and move-out process is critical for both tenants and landlords. By following these tips, you can create structure and clarity in the moving process, avoid misunderstandings, and develop a good relationship with your tenants.
To be an effective landlord, you want your tenants to feel comfortable and at ease during the moving process, whether they’re transitioning into your property or out of it. By developing a plan and following the checklist, you can create a positive moving experience for all parties involved.
Please contact us at Silas Frazier Realty, LLC if you need any additional help with your move-in and move-out processes in DeKalb County. We lease, manage, and maintain investment properties in Atlanta, Snellville, Stone Mountain, Lilburn, Conyers, Smyrna, Marietta, Lithonia, Jonesboro, McDonough, Vinings, Brookhaven, Tucker, and the surrounding areas.
