How To Prepare An Apartment For A Landlord Inspection

When you move out of a rented apartment, cleaning for landlord’s inspection is the last thing that you would ever wish to do. Isn’t it? While taking the house on rent, a 3-month advance is often held up with the landlord. Failing to hand over the apartment in a good condition can bring you a good amount of loss. The refund of the advance payment depends on how well you took care of the house and in what condition you hand it over to the landlord. From the bathroom to kitchen and garden to the bedroom, your landlord inspects every part of the apartment before deciding on the refund. So, how to prepare an apartment for a landlord inspection?

Let’s see the cleaning checklist that you need to follow to prepare your apartment for the landlord inspection. A checklist helps you to remember each and everything that need to be cleaned and the one that has been missed out. It is quite obvious that you will get perplexed when you have so many things to pack and shift. Not just that, you have to take care both your rented apartments, where you move in and move-out are in great conditions. Make a checklist before preparing an apartment for a landlord inspection by writing it down and keep ticking it off, once done.

How to prepare an apartment for a landlord inspection - checklist for every part 

Many of you are unaware of how to prepare an apartment for a landlord inspection. You must ensure that every part of the apartment that you will be moving out of must be clean in all respect. The bedrooms and living room does not need much of your attention as they are empty rooms that just need thorough dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing for any rigid stains, and mopping.

Although, you must follow the checklist below for a clean look in every part of the apartment, which includes-

• The nail holes created by you for hanging things must be patched with the help of spackling and repainting

• Baseboard cleaning with a washcloth and soapy warm water

• Scrubbing the bathtub, but never with a steep wool as the shiny porcelain layer gets scratched

• Deep cleaning of the carpets

• Wash window clean-up

• Unreachable areas like the vents, ceiling tops or the corner of the ceiling must be dust off

• Cleaning the lights and fixtures in every room

• Check for any crack or crevices and immediately get it repaired

• Cobwebs cleaning and vacuuming

The bathroom- how to prepare an apartment for a landlord inspection

Are you worried how to prepare an apartment for a landlord inspection in the bathroom? The bathrooms are the most contaminated area in your apartment and need regular cleaning. You can check out our earlier article on rapid bathroom cleaning tips for your help. The landlord is bound to check this area of the apartment very thoroughly. The checklist for the bathroom inspection includes-

• Get rid of the soap scum in the shower, bathroom tiles or bathtub and bleach or decolorize the grout

• Hairfalls in the bathroom is common so ensure the vanity and bathroom drawers does not contain liners or hair

• If the toilet seat look unpleasant, replace it

• Sweep and mop the countertop, sink, toilet, and lastly the floor

• The dusty exhaust fan in the bathroom must be vacuumed

• Mirror cleaning

How to prepare an apartment for landlord inspection in the kitchen

The kitchen is another important part of the apartment after the bathroom that needs deep and thorough cleaning. Although there are rapid kitchen cleaning tips available, deep cleaning becomes essential before preparing it for landlord’s inspection. Here is the checklist for kitchen cleaning-

• Liners and cabinets cleaning

• Washing the front and top of the cabinets

• Disinfecting and cleaning the countertops

• Faucet and sink clean-up

• Scrubbing and deep cleaning the refrigerator, taking the shelves out if required

• Use the steel wool for cleaning the burners and drip pans

• Oven cleaning inside and out

• Dishwasher cleaning if you have one

• Exhaust fan or Ventilation hood cleaning

• Remove and sweep behind all appliances if you are using landlord’s one

Conclusion

Apart from the inside of the apartment, cleaning the garden and garage is also highly important and will be observed by the landlord. Sweeping the garage and scrubbing the porch stairs must be kept in mind. Cutting the grass, removing the weeds or any of your other items stuck in the garden area must also be cleared when you think of how to prepare an apartment for a landlord inspection. Following the above checklist can ensure you get the refund and bid goodbye to your landlord.

Moupriya Das

Acknowledgments:

• "Featured photo": for source click here.

• "Picture no. 1": for source click here.

• "Picture no. 2": for source click here.

• "Picture no. 3": for source click here.

This article was originally published in 2018 on SPIC AND SPAN. Home & Office Cleaning blog.