Print this page

How Property Management Companies Can Make Move-Outs Less Stressful

Written by Posted On Friday, 12 July 2019 15:59
Tenants Moving out of a home Tenants Moving out of a home

How Property Managers Can Make Move-Out Easier

 

A tenant in a property just informed you they will not renew the lease. Upon hearing this, do you focus your energies on filling the vacancy or take a little more time to education the departing tenants on ways to make the move-out a success (for you and them)? The latter option can actually reduce your workload in the preperations of the apartment or rental home for the next tenant. Learn how making move-out easier for your tenants makes move-in easier for future renters and reduces your workload during the move-out, move-in cycle. 

 

The Advantages of Conducting Tenant Move-Out Education

If you are a property management company with a long track record in the management industry, quite likely you have at least one story of a move-out that went poorly or even disastrous. Common move-out problems with rental properties include: 

   -Tenants not leaving on time, causing a delay for the incoming tenants

   -Tenants taking communal property, which then needs to be replaced or returned after the move-out

   -Tenants leaving the apartment a mess, necessitating a call to the cleaners

 If any one of these situations happens upon move-out, it requires urgent action from you, the property manager. This can leave your stress level running high on move-out day. If you are turning over a lot of units on the same day, the process could quickly become chaotic when renters are left to interpret their move-out responsibilities without your guidance. 

 If you take the time to train tenants in their responsibilities on move-out day, it ensures that they know exactly what they have to do in order to receive a full security deposit refund. Tenants can follow your instructions to return the apartment in a clean state. As a property manager you can relax more knowing that the tenants and you are on the same page regarding what is to be expected. This will greatly decrease your chances of a misunderstanding. 

 

Using a Checklist For Tenant Move-Out

 It is a smart idea to use a checklist to guide tenant move-out. Create a checklist that shows every rule you have regarding move-out and every item to be inspected. Do not leave anything off the list that you assume is common-sense, as this leaves the checklist open for misunderstanding. If an action will affect the return of the security deposit, list it on the checklist. Additionally, if you mandate that tenants leave at a certain time on move-out day, list this in the checklist. 

 Make it easy for your tenants to move out successfully by sending them the checklist as soon as they give notice. This way, they can plan their move and accommodate your expectations for the apartment turnover. The advance notice also gives them time to review the list and ask any questions. 

 It may take time to draw up the initial checklist, but you may use it indefinitely once you have created it.

This little extra step goes a long way to smooth communication during a stressful time for all, while reducing your workload inspecting units and readying apartments for incoming renters. A checklist can also decrease the time apartments must remain empty for repairs by ensuring units are returned in a clean, ready-to-rent state. Property owners will appreciate the higher return on investment and may be more likely to continue working with you. All these advantages give this extra step a high return on investment.

It will also help you to decrease your stress and elimate unkown situations from happening that would increase your work load and your responsibility and liability as a property manager.

Rate this item
(0 votes)
Landon Murie

Landon is a former property management company owner who grew his business from 0-160 doors in under two years mainly from his property management website that he built and did all of the search engine optimization for. During this process, he found out that his true passion was marketing, not property management.

 

He now helps real estate agents and property management companies with thier online presence and marketing through various SEO and advertising strategies.

https://www.gaingoodjuju.com/

Latest from Landon Murie

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries