How to Properly Vacate your Property & What to Expect

Moving out? How to Properly Give Notice

Download Move-Out Instructions

If you have decided to move out of your current residences please contact our office to obtain a 30 day notice to vacate. Please review the notice and send it to our office. Your notice to vacate is not considered received until it has been submitted in writing.

• We must have the exact date the home will be vacant so we can advertise the correct availability date. If you do not vacate on the date agreed you will be charged twice the daily rate of your current rent. Please notify us ASAP if your move-out date changes.
• We must have your forwarding address.

Note: If you rental agreement is month-to-month you must provide us with a 30 day notice to vacate. If your rental agreement is for a fixed period of time, you must wait until 30 days before your lease expires to submit your notice to vacate. Any attempt to end your lease before it is set to expire will result in an early termination.

What Happens Next?

Once we have received your notice we will begin advertising your property for rent in order to reduce the amount of time the property is vacant.

During this time we will be showing the property to prospective tenants. As our resident we will do our best to be respectful of your home and show the property in time blocks. A leasing agent will walk all interested parties through the house and no one will be allowed to walk unattended in your property.

To help facilitate a smooth process, please pick 3-4 days a weeks that we can show the property and include time blocks with each i.e.

Returning the Property to Us

We have enjoyed having you as our tenant and now the time has come for you to return the property to us. We expect the property to be deep cleaned from the floor to the ceiling (see pages below for details).

Please remember, cleaning can be very time consuming so I would anticipate setting aside 8-16 hours to do a thorough job of cleaning the premises.

You are also expected to remove all debris from the property and replace all burnt out light bulbs. This means having all trash and recycling removed a week before you move out and contacting all appropriate utilities to end service as of your move-out date.

Move Out Inspection

We do not schedule our move-out inspection with the resident. This is for a variety of reasons. The primary reason behind this policy is that the move-out inspection is our opportunity to document the condition of the property. Until we return to our office and have a chance to view the move-in records we cannot comment on the status of your deposit.

As stated above, the best way to ensure you receive your entire deposit is to carefully follow the checklist that is provided to you. Use the time you have wisely during the move-out process because after your lease ends you will not be allowed back in the property.

Resident Vacating Checklist (Instructions to follow)

We understand that the last few weeks before you move are exceptionally busy ones; however, we do request that you pay very close attention to this list and how you return the property to us. As the property manager our job is to evaluate the move-out condition of the property and assign all expenses to the owner or departing resident.

Utilities

• If vacating in the winter, set the thermostat at 60 degrees to prevent the pipes from freezing. Do not turn off the furnace or heat source.
• All utilities must remain on and in your name until the final day of your lease unless otherwise authorized. If the home has oil heat you are responsible for providing an exact tank measurement from the oil provider.
• Leaves and debris from the yard must be removed
• Does your property have an oil tank? You must restore the oil level to the same level it was at when you moved in and you must provide a measurement of the final level by a third party. The cost of this is roughly $25-$35.

Cleaning

Please remember that a certain amount of cleaning is expected of you when you move out. It is our goal to refund as much of your security deposit as possible and by following the checklist below you will help us achieve that goal. If you need assistance with any of these items we have a list of professionals that we can refer.

Kitchen

• All exhaust fans and vent covers should be in working order and clean of dust and grease. Filters may be washed in the dishwasher.
• Kitchen cabinets, shelves, and countertops must be washed inside and out.
• Refrigerator/freezer must be cleaned inside and out. They must also be carefully pulled out and all dust and dirt must be removed from the back, sides, floor, and walls surrounding the appliance. Leave Refrigerator/freezer running; do not disconnect or turn off.
• Dishwashers must be cleaned inside and outside, especially the inside lip of the door.
• All sinks and faucets must be wiped clean.
• Garbage disposals must be cleared and running freely.
• Kitchen walls and floors must be washed and free of stains, dust, dirt and grease.
• The grill/vent on the bottom front of the refrigerator must be cleaned.
• Clean stove, burners, drip pans and lower stove drawer
• Clean Blinds

Bathrooms

• All bathroom floors and walls must be cleaned with particular attention paid to the grout and caulking.
• All tubs, showers, sinks and commodes must be cleaned, disinfected and free of soap scum and cleanser residue.
• All medicine cabinets, vanities and drawers must be cleaned inside and outside. All mirrors and light fixtures should be wiped clean.
• Fan Exhaust Cover

All Rooms

• If you made any alterations to the home, including painting, you must restore it to its original condition unless otherwise agreed to in writing.
• All non-carpeted floors should be free of stains, dust and debris and should be mopped.
• All windows, screens, and window sills/tracks must be washed and reinstalled.
• All window treatments such as curtain rods, shades and blinds that were provided must be cleaned and left in good working order.
• Sliding glass doors must be wiped and the door tracks cleaned.
• All walls, ceilings, and closet interiors must be free of smudges, grease and food stains. A light cleanser such as "Soft scrub" or "Magic Eraser" may remove black marks from walls.
• All woodwork, moldings, doors, baseboards and trim must be free of dust, dirt and debris.
• All electrical outlets and switch plate covers must be free of dirt and smudges.
• All light bulbs must be in working order and light fixtures/fans cleaned inside and out.
• All smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors must be in working order with 10 year batteries
• Laundry and utility rooms must be free of dust, dirt and debris.
• Washing machine interior and exterior must be cleaned.
• Dryer exterior must be cleaned and the filter screen left free of lint.
• All carpeted areas must be professionally cleaned and a receipt provided.

Wall Wear & Tear Rules

All walls will be patched, textured and painted at tenant's expense if any of the following conditions are present upon move-out.

1. If a wall has 5 or more standard size finish nail holes in it.
2. If there are any holes larger than a finish nail such as a sheetrock anchor, molly screw, large screw, bolt, etc.
3. If shelves, electronics or equipment is hung on or attached to the wall.
4. Any scuffs or furniture marks larger than 3 inches which cannot be removed by cleaning
5. Any damage to sheetrock, wallpaper or texture due to the use of adhesives, moving, missing door stops, etc.
6. If wall has been painted by a tenant. All painting must be done in a professional manner and be free of drips, paint on adjacent walls and ceilings, hollow spots, etc.

Note: The approximate cost to repair a single wall is $75-$150. Repairing a wall involves obtaining a paint sample, drive time to paint shop to match color, patching the hole, allowing it to dry and then priming, texturing and re-painting including clean-up.

Grounds

• All trash, yard debris, and personal items must be removed from the property. If trash collection is not scheduled for the day you vacate, please make arrangements ahead of time to have the bulk items removed prior to that date. A minimal amount of trash may be left at the curb or pickup point.
• All flower and shrub beds must be clean and free of weeds, leaves and debris. Be advised, we do not consider leaves and debris as mulch.
• All grass must be cut and free of debris.
• All walkways, patios and porches must be swept and free of debris.
• All new oil stains must be removed from the garage and/or driveway. There are a number of products available to accomplish this.
• The garage must be swept clean.
• All animal waste must be removed.
• All holes in lawn must be filled with soil.
• Remove personal property from shed.

Keys

• All keys must be returned in a labeled envelope must be returned to Sleep Sound Property Management or put in the afterhours drop box.
• Garage door openers, parking placards, etc., must be left on the kitchen counter.

Note: The Property Manager will inspect the property shortly after all keys are returned to our office. By returning the keys, you are relinquishing possession of the property. This signifies that cleanup is finished and Sleep Sound Property Management will proceed with turnover items. Rent is charged until all keys are returned.

Security Deposit

A final inspection will be conducted after you relinquish possession of the property. If damages are noted, we must receive estimates or invoices from vendors before your deposit can be returned less the cost of damage.

As per Oregon Residential Landlord Tenant Act, we have 31 days to send your security deposit accounting starting the day your lease expires, and/or you return your keys (whichever is later).

Remember to provide us with your forwarding address. Without a forward address any deposit due to you will be sent to your last known address which is the property you are vacating.

Estimated Cost Sheet

Prior to your move-in, the property was professionally cleaned, and any carpet was professionally steam cleaned. Upon your move-out, the unit is expected to be in the same clean condition. Upon move-out, the following items will be inspected and considered with respect to possible deductions from your security deposit. The prices shown are approximate costs (actual billing is hourly). Final deductions will be based on the actual cleaning or repair costs incurred by the Owner/Agent from the respective contractor. Receipts will be provided.

Note: Contractors will always be more expensive than handling many of these items on your own. Contractors are running a business with overhead charge for time at market rates, trip/fuel charges and time spent buying supplies. The more you do, the more you will save. However, sometimes it is best to leave certain tasks like patching and painting walls to the professionals as the cost to redo incorrectly done work is even higher.

Haul trash, debris, unclaimed items	$200.00 plus dump fees
Clean stove	$50.00
Clean Refrigerator	$50.00
Clean mini blinds	$20.00 ea
Clean uncarpeted floors	$50.00-$100.00
Clean bathroom(s)	$25.00 per room
Vacuum carpet	$50.00-$100.00
Clean carpets	$.35-.50 cents per/sqft
Clean all mirrors cabinets, drawers, and shelves	$25.00 per room
Washing walls	$25.00-$50.00
For difficult stains, nicotine, cooking oil, candle wax, etc. the cost is calculated by the hour.
Replace missing or burned-out light bulbs	$5.00 ea
De-flea	$185.00 minimum
Replace dirty HVAC filters	$55.00 plus cost of filter
Remove pet waste from any area	$100.00 plus
Mow and trim lawn	$75.00 plus
Weed and mulch beds	$75.00 plus
Clear clogged drains (if hair/food is the cause)	$55.00 minimum
To deodorize entire house or unit	$200.00 minimum
There is a minimum service charge of $55.00 per hour

Painting:

Interior paint is expected to last five years. If the property was freshly painted or in like new condition when you moved in (unless otherwise noted on your move-in inspection) and the paint is needed again on upon your move-out, you will be charged as follows:

• 100% if occupancy was 18 months or less
• 75% if occupancy was 19-30 months
• 50% if occupancy was 31-48 months
• 25% if occupancy was 49-60 months

If the property was not freshly painted or in less than new like condition at your occupancy, you will be charged the pro-rated amount from the date of the last painting.

Carpeting:

Carpet Cleaning: As per Oregon Residential Landlord Tenant law, the Owner/Agent may deduct the cost of carpet cleaning from your deposit if it does not appear to be professionally cleaned. If you hired a professional carpet cleaning service before delivering possession back to the Owner/Agent you must provide a receipt from the company. Owner/Agent reserves the right to re-clean if deemed necessary.

Replacement: -Carpet is expected to last 10 years. If the carpeting was new when you moved in, and it needs to be replaced at your move-out, you will be charged:

• 100% if occupancy is less than 60 months
• 75% if occupancy is 61-96 months
• 50% if occupancy is 97-120 months
• 25% if occupancy is 121-144 months

If carpeting was not new upon occupancy, the pro-rated amount from the date of carpet installation will be charged.

If carpet is damaged by a pet, and we are able to remove the stains and odor from the carpet, pad and sub-floor, the actual cost of the process will be charged to your security deposit. If the carpet is torn, shredded, or if stains and odor cannot be removed, the full replacement cost of the carpet will be charged, regardless of when the carpet was installed.

Thank you for your cooperation.