Tips for Moving Out of Your Apartment

As late spring comes upon us, so does the time of year when leases turnover.  People move for all sorts of reasons -- perhaps you are finishing school and leaving the area, you've gotten a new job or changed your family size.  Whatever the reason, you are packing up and changing addresses.

Here are some tips to avoid legal troubles after you move out of an apartment.

• You are generally required to leave the apartment in broom clean condition.  What that means is that you should leave the apartment in clean condition with no serious damage.  If there is damage, repair what you can.  If you cannot repair it, secure estimates for the cost of the work from a professional.  Make sure the apartment is empty.  Take out the trash, vacuum or wash the floors, clean the bathroom and defrost the refrigerator, empty it and leave it open.
• If you have an arrangement with the landlord or the new tenant to leave something, make sure you have it in writing, 
• Prepare a letter to the landlord that states the date and that the keys are enclosed,  If you have paid a security deposit, notify the landlord of an address where it should be sent. 
• Notify the landlord of your moving plans in writing and be clear.  You don't want the landlord to think you have left and clear out those last remaining items you had planned to come back for.
• Once you have moved everything out,  make a good record of the condition of the apartment. Have a friend who could testify in court come to your unit.  Bring a camera and take a complete set of photographs of the apartment.  Show the walls, the floors and the windows.  Take photos of the interior of the appliances.  Take photos of each room.  You can also take videos.  At least one colleague suggests having a newspaper with the date in each photo as confirmation that the photos could not have been taken earlier than the date of the newspaper.  
• Once you have finished with the photos, turn off all lights and leave the apartment. Immediately return the keys.  If your friend can accompany you, all the better.  Make sure you have that letter you prepared and deliver it to the office.  If you can, get a receipt for return of the keys from someone in the management office.  If you have to mail the keys, mail them in some sort of fashion that you can track the package.  If the landlord has instructed you to leave the keys, then take a photo of the keys.
• Keep a copy of all your correspondence with the landlord.

The return of a security deposit has specific rules.  If you do not get your security deposit back at all or feel that some of it was wrongfully withheld, give us a call and we can evaluate whether you have a claim against your landlord.