If you have tenants, you probably have realized that your definition of clean and the tenant’s is probably vastly different! When a tenant would move out, I would often have to go back in and touch up after even “the best” cleaning efforts of the tenant.

I changed my move-out process recently. I decided that just like an employee to employer relationship or a parent to child relationship, I need to tell the other party (my tenants) my expectations up front so as to not be frustrated after the fact. I accomplish this through two steps:

1. About 30 days prior to move-out, I schedule a walk-through of the unit with the tenant. I point out any items that are damaged that they are definitely getting charged for (and if possible, they could repair themselves). We also go through each room and I explain what my cleaning expectations are. We spend the majority of our time in the bathroom and the kitchen.
2. I leave them with a move-out document that lists the cleaning requirements for each room, appliance, and surface.

By having this walk-through and leaving them with something in writing, it allows me to see what repairs I may need to do at turnover, it often results in a much cleaner unit, and it reduces arguments when the tenant is expecting their damage deposit returned in full.