The move-out period is where most deposit disputes and unexpected costs happen — usually because nothing was documented until it was too late to prove what changed.
Before move-out day
- Schedule a walkthrough date with the tenant, not just a handoff of keys
- Pull the original move-in condition report or photos, if you have them — this is your comparison baseline
- Confirm utility transfer dates so there’s no gap in service, or dispute over final bills
- Give the tenant a clear list of what “move-out ready” means (removed belongings, basic cleanliness expectations, any agreed repairs on their end)
During the walkthrough Go room by room, not room by feeling. Check:
- Walls (holes, marks, unapproved paint changes)
- Appliances (functioning, clean, all original parts present)
- Fixtures and hardware (light fixtures, faucets, cabinet handles)
- Flooring (stains, damage beyond normal wear)
- All keys, remotes, and access devices returned
Photograph everything as you go. A phone camera with a timestamp is enough — the goal is a record, not a production.
After the tenant is out
- Full deep clean — this is different from a tenant’s “broom clean” and matters for the next listing or lease
- Repair list: separate normal wear-and-tear (not the tenant’s cost) from actual damage (is)
- Address anything time-sensitive first — leaks, electrical issues, pest signs — before it affects the next tenant’s move-in experience
- Update your condition photos so you have a clean baseline for the next cycle
The part owners skip Most landlords are thorough about the lease and the deposit terms, and much less thorough about the physical documentation. A five-minute photo walkthrough at move-in and move-out is the single easiest thing to add to a rental process, and it’s the thing that ends disputes fast when they do come up.
Sauber handles the full move-out cycle — deep clean, repair coordination, and a documented condition report — so you’re never the one climbing a ladder to check a ceiling fan between tenants. [Ask about our turnover service.]
