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How to Get Your Deposit Back When You Move Out

Posted on the 06 August 2020 by Kiril Natov

Finally bought your own home and put an end to your rental life! Or maybe you like the idea of ​​renting a house, or you just want to change the apartment or replace it with a spacious house because you are expecting a baby, or just moving your job to another city. In all of these situations, you have a difficult process - moving.

It is associated with many expectations and hopes for a better life, as well as a bunch of tasks:

  • EOT
  • Transporting things
  • Booking and buying plane and bus tickets
  • Planning the whole route
  • Administrative tasks
  • Preparing the family
  • Searching and establishing a new home…

Honestly, this is by no means an exhaustive list of everything you are about to encounter. 

How to Get Your Deposit Back When You Move Out
But be calm. The most important thing is to maintain your composure and introduce order and discipline throughout the relocation process. A good start is to make a plan. Plan each task well, follow your own deadlines, under no circumstances should you do everything yourself, but ask for help from other family members, as well as from family and friends. And everything will be tip-top! 

And while it's time, let's not forget, plan well with your entire removal budget. Moving will take some money and any savings - when adequate and reasonable - will be of  great help.

On the other hand, what if we told you that you could make money along the move? Are you crazy? Well,  it's not just about making money, it's about getting money that was actually yours, and now you have the opportunity to pay it back.

Yes, that's right, we're talking about the deposit. What matters most to you right now is how to get it back in your own pocket. These are all the topics in our useful material today. 

What is an end of tenancy deposit? 

end of tenancy deposit
A tenancy deposit, as the name implies is a deposit that is linked to the rental relationship. It is provided by the tenant to the landlord in connection with the lease of a dwelling - apartment or house irrespective of their specific area, always due, but of course, its value varies. The deposit is usually settled in the lease. It lists both his amount and the terms of his return, as well as the goals he fulfills.

Generally speaking, a tenancy deposit is a type of protection for the landlord. By renting out the property to other people for use, the landlord runs the risk of not seeing the property as it was before renting it out. In the event of serious damage, this deposit will cover partial or full cost. In addition to damages, the deposit is also a guarantee that the tenancy agreement will be strictly observed by the tenant.

Typically, a tenancy deposit is given with the first down payment. The return may be extended slightly over time, but it is about the transfer of the property key from the tenant to the landlord. However, this  is not formal.

An inspection of the dwelling for damage is carried out. If everything in the apartment or house is in good condition and you were a conscientious tenant, you can rest assured that you will get your tenancy deposit back once you move out. If not ... Controversy and nerves are possible, and even court proceedings. We will not go into detail about them because we sincerely hope you do not go that far. 

Prerequisites for the return of your tenancy deposit

Unfortunately, they are not one or two, but on the other hand their implementation is not that complicated. When you are informed about the tenancy deposit and its specifics, as well as when you act conscientiously on the property that you have rented for a certain period of time and its owner, everything will go to plan for you. At the end of the tenancy the landlord will refund your deposit accordingly.

Here's what you need to do:

  • Pay your rent on time and according to the terms and conditions you have agreed with the landlord. If you do not pay the last rent before leaving the property, be assured that the amount will be deducted from your tenancy deposit. On the other hand, you may also pay fines for late payments in the form of a partial non-refund of a tenancy deposit. 
  • Tell your landlord in advance that you are leaving the home. For the time limits you are entitled to do, you can read specifically about your case in your rental agreement. Keep in mind that some rental agreements - mainly term contracts - may have  penalties.  if you leave the home before a certain date or in a specific way. This penalty will be deducted from the tenancy deposit. 
  • Read your rental agreement carefully. This is an obligation that everyone must fulfill while signing the contract. And we're not just talking about you, the tenants, but also the landlords. Often there are unnecessary disputes and annoyances between the two parties when the contract was formed and presented by the rental agency and the landlord did not bother to read it end-to-end. In a tenancy deposit the tenancy deposit is always strictly defined and explained in detail, including in the part for its return. 
  • Complete your EOT task. Inadequate EOT is the most common reason for a tenant not to receive his/her  tenancy deposit back. According to statistics, 74% of the cases of non-return of a deposit are related precisely because of bad or no End of Tenancy Cleaning London Service carried out. Therefore, dear tenants, you will have to roll up your sleeves and literally shine the home. Your goal in this case is to bring it back into its original form. Fortunately, if you are anything but good at removing stains, wiping the floor and cleaning surfaces, you can always trust a professional End of Tenancy Cleaning service. 
  • You have almost 100% guarantee that you will get your tenancy deposit back if you use the End of Tenancy Cleaning Service. We say this not only because we think expert cleaners will do better with cleaning and restoring hygiene, but because this service always comes with a special guarantee. According to the cleaning service, the client has a fixed term (usually two days) within which to request re-cleaning if the inventory check has not been successfully completed. This check is done personally by the landlord or his or her representative, and believe us, while it lasts, sofas will be raised to look for hidden spots on the floor and check that the cabinets are cleaned from the inside. In other words, End of Tenancy Cleaning  is a serious business and it depends on you whether you will get your tenancy deposit back. If something happens during the inspection and your landlord is not satisfied, the cleaning company will retry its service free of charge within the warranty period. And you will then get your tenancy deposit back. 
  • Check for damage and repair if any. If you see a crack in the wall, tell your landlord about it and not seek compensation when you move out. If you forget to take this security measure or you are guilty of damage, you will have to repair it yourself. Conscientious tenants rarely have problems with getting their  tenancy deposit back, but accidents do occur, so there is no guarantee. You may need to do little repair work at the home in the name of the tenancy deposit return. 
  • In addition to damaged items, loose or discarded items, they will also be deducted from your tenancy deposit. In this case, it is a good idea to decide what will cost you more - the deposit or the purchase of the new item. We advise everyone, in the event of loss, theft, damage or any other problem, to notify your landlord immediately and not to hide, because in a welded position you will not get an understanding on his part. 
  • Remember to return the keys - best personally - to your landlord. If you simply disappear, even without the damage and having a perfect End of Tenancy Cleaning Service  in the home, its owner may "punish" you with a portion of the tenancy deposit because you created a risk for the time you did not live there. 
  • We recommend that you are present  during an inventory check. Although it is difficult to get rid of a sanction in the presence of stains or no End of Tenancy performed, there is always a chance that you will pass for some minor cleaning to be re-done only. 
  • Before the inventory check in question, make your own look around.. It doesn't matter who makes the End of Tenancy Cleaning - you or a professional cleaning company - or whether you have something repaired or not. We are all human beings and mistakes and omissions are possible. It is worth making  time do everything you can to leave the apartment in a well presented way. 

Additional Tips to Look For to Pay Back a Tenancy Deposit

professional anti coronavirus cleaning
We will conclude with this helpful material with some additional and practical tips on a tenancy deposit. We received them, by the way, directly from the source. They have been provided to us by landlords who have had problems with tenants as well as by tenants themselves:

  • Be aware of your rights as a tenant to whom they have taken tenancy deposit. Some of them are described directly in your contract. However, some rental agreements are templated and it is very likely that you will seek other sources for your tenant rights if you need to. 
  • Meet your responsibilities as well. Each right corresponds to a certain obligation. In fact, you have quite a few obligations to protect the property in a comprehensive and representative manner. And these obligations are inevitable because they aim to cover the owner's risk by providing property for other people to use. 
  • If you believe that negotiations and disputes with your landlord are impossible and the tenancy deposit is unreasonable - contact a lawyer. There is no guarantee that he will be able to help you if you have done something wrong, but at least you will find out if you have the right to claim your money back. 
  • If you make improvements to the apartment, discuss with the landlord and record everything. These improvements can be deducted as penalties if the landlord is not informed.  
  • If you are unable to attend inventory check and after removal other tenants will take your place, take the necessary precautions. What do we mean? Let's say this tenant enters a perfectly clean and tidy home, but it turns out to be negligent and does damage after damage. He may blame you for a breakdown and even just a stain on the carpet after you leave the house you may not get your tenancy deposit back. To protect yourself, take photos of the apartment the way you left it and send them to your landlord in a timely manner. 
  • Leave your future contacts to the landlord. They are important in case of a subsequent irregularity in the property as well as in the presence of a problem related to your tenancy deposit. 

You have seen clearly, it is not easy, but not impossible either. Getting a tenancy deposit back even becomes a kid's game if you use the help of professionals like End of Tenancy specialist cleaners! We wish you luck!

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