How to Get Your Deposit Back When Moving

Looking to move out of your apartment or rental this summer? If you’re looking at the state of your current place and are wondering how to make sure you get your deposit back from your landlord, there are a variety of steps you can take to keep your former apartment looking its best and to get money back in your pocket. 

After you do the initial walkthrough of your apartment to look at the state of it, try not to forget until the last minute to make the improvements or repairs you’ll need to get your money back as you should. This goes not only for rentals but for selling your home, as well! Always leave your things in the best possible condition for those who come after (or just to get your money back). 

Before packing up your household items, give yourself plenty of time to go get spackling or some new paint to cover up any holes or wall damage from pictures or frames that have occurred while you’ve lived there. These are the most common reasons for hits to your deposit, so make sure that they’re taken care of. 

Making sure you get your deposit back takes more than just spackling some walls, however. Get the top tips you need to know to get your deposit back below. 

What to Clean to Get Your Deposit Back

There’s no way around it – cleaning it is a pain. However, it’s, unfortunately, necessary to make sure you’re leaving your space the way you found it and to get your money back. Here are some of the most important things to pay attention to when moving. 

• Remove nails, push pins, etc. from your walls, and patch holes.

Don’t forget to remove any wall decorations and spackle over possible damage. 

• Look out for chipped paint. 

Though this goes beyond just your walls, you should go through your entire house and look for stray marks on your surfaces to touch up, or to just look for what needs cleaning. 

• Wipe down baseboards and all doors. 

Don’t forget to pay attention to the details. Wipe down baseboards and doors and check these surfaces for dirt or dust.

• Dust lights and lamps.

A lot of higher areas like lights or fans can easily get super dirty or dusty, as they’re easy to miss and often hard to clean. Go the extra mile and wipe down all of these fixtures.

• Deep clean all bathroom fixtures. 

This is one of the most important ones – always deep clean your bathroom’s shower, sink, toilets, and anything else that easily acquires grime or dirt. 

• Deep clean appliances.

This might not be your first thought, but always deep clean the inside and wipe down the outside of your freezer, fridge, dishwasher, oven, and more. 

• Take out the trash.

Don’t forget to take out any last trash you have, even if it’s last minute. Remember, anything your landlord has to do for you will be a hit to your deposit. 

• Double-check everywhere to make sure you haven’t left anything behind.

This goes for cabinets, closets, dishwashers, or just anywhere that can be easy to accidentally leave items in as you run around during a more. Pay special attention to these closed-off areas to make sure you don’t leave anything behind. 

If you’re heading out of your apartment or rental this summer, make sure you have Excel Moving & Storage on your side to make sure you’ll receive the best moving services at the best prices. Contact us today to learn more about our services.