When it’s time to leave your Cheltenham rental, you’ll hope to get your full deposit back from your landlord. Ideally, you’ll be leaving the property in the same condition it was when you moved in because if you don’t, your landlord might make deductions from your deposit to cover repair costs.
You can dispute these deductions, of course, or come to a fair agreement with your former landlord, but prevention is always better than cure, so here’s how to leave with your deposit intact.
The most common reasons for deposit deductions
The top three reasons for losing some or all of your deposit are:
- Failing to clean the place thoroughly before you leave
- Damage to fixtures and fittings beyond reasonable wear and tear
- Redecorating costs beyond the usual end-of-tenancy freshen up
Other reasons include damage to carpets, a poorly-maintained garden and missing inventory items.
Maximise your chances of getting your deposit back in full
It’s always good to get your deposit back in full because you can use it for your next rental or put it towards your moving costs if you’re buying a property. There are some ways to help this happen.
Make your end-of-tenancy cleaning a priority
Start your clean up as soon as you give notice, working in stages so that every nook and cranny is deep cleaned in good time. Then, when moving day approaches, you can give the place a good onceover (or twiceover…).
It’s often a good idea to book a professional cleaner to take care of anything you might have missed as this is usually cheaper than losing part of your deposit.
Look over your inventory
Your inventory can help you to remember everything that was in the property when you moved in, as well as what sort of condition it was in. If there is a dispute of any sort after you leave, you can refer to the inventory to back up your case.
Maintain good communication with your landlord throughout your tenancy
Good communication between tenants and landlords can help to foster a smooth and harmonious tenancy for all parties. And when it comes to your deposit, frequent and proactive communication becomes even more valuable.
Good communication always helps to make a tenancy more harmonious and never more so than when it’s time to leave. If something breaks or gets worn out, let your landlord know so that they can repair or replace in good time and also discuss whether you need to contribute towards the costs.
If any damages are dealt with during the tenancy, your landlord doesn’t suddenly get hit with a lot of unexpected expenses that are likely to make them deduct money from your deposit.
