Moving into a new Bethlehem rental house can be an exciting time. But it’s also the perfect moment to do one of the most important things you can do to protect your security deposit: a pre-move-in walkthrough inspection. Although some landlords will provide you with a list of things to inspect in your rental home before you move in, others may not. Even if they don’t require it, you should still perform a walkthrough inspection on your own. In case you do want to take advantage of your pre-move-in walkthrough, it’s imperative to keep a few key practices in mind.
Get Personal
Nothing could replace an in-person walkthrough. A considerate landlord may say that they have inspected the property for you, but you still need to check everything yourself. Despite that most landlords aren’t deliberately trying to trick you, you still may find maintenance or other issues that got left out of the report. If you don’t check each part of your rental property carefully, you might wind up paying for repairing something that was broken before you moved in.
Use a Checklist
Making full use of your pre-move-in walkthrough specifies inspecting each part of your rental home carefully. To be certain that you haven’t forgotten anything, use a checklist. Some landlords will provide a checklist for you; others may not. If yours doesn’t, there are plenty of checklists and guides you can download online. Using a checklist is essential since it will make your walkthrough focused and directed, and guarantee that you don’t neglect anything. Plus, you can use your checklist for comparison after you move out.
Document Everything
A checklist is an important first step in documenting your walkthrough. But taking advantage of your pre-move-in inspection denotes going beyond merely checking off stuff. To fully protect your security deposit from undeserved repair charges, you need to carefully and thoroughly document each aspect of the property’s condition before you move in. Generate and make countless notes, either on the checklist itself or on a separate page. It can be useful for you in taking note of condition issues, locations, and so on, no matter how small.
A lot of landlords won’t try to charge you to replace an entire kitchen floor for one damaged spot in the linoleum, but some might. Another ideal plan is to take pictures of the property as you check it. Ensure to include a sort of close-up and wider shots, and to keep your photos in a safe place.
Report Maintenance Issues
Whenever you’ve accomplished your walkthrough and documentation, be certain to report any maintenance issues you discovered speedily. Broken toilet seats or blinds, leaky faucets, and non-functioning light switches or outlets may seem like no big deal, but if things are broken or not working before you move in, you need to tell your landlord about them immediately. If possible, send your landlord something in writing to ensure that you have proof of the stated concerns. This will not only protect you from unjust accusations but will also protect your security deposit in the event that you will transfer.
Making the best of your pre-move-in walkthrough does take a few extra measures. But it’s worth it. Nothing can ensure you to get all of your security deposit back like doing whatever you can to document your rental home’s pre-move-in condition thoroughly.
Are you looking for a new home? Real Property Management Lehigh Valley has the one for you! You can browse our listings online or call us at 484-544-3351 for more helpful information.
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