The Quest for Sparkling Tiles

More people than ever are choosing to rent property across Australia these days. While this type of arrangement is a lot simpler, relatively speaking, than buying and maintaining your own property, you've still got to look after the residence and return it in like condition when you move out. Many people underestimate what they need to do when one lease ends and they are preparing for another, but this could be costly. What do you need to focus on?

Where's the Paperwork?

When you moved into the rental property for the first time, you would have been given a condition report. This may well be something that you overlooked or only gave a cursory glance, due to the excitement of your new place. However, you need to look at that when you're getting ready to move out, as the management company will use it as a base for the final financial calculation.

Damage and Condition

The first thing that the manager will look for is evident damage. Hopefully, there will be none of this, and if you were unfortunate enough to break something in the past, you will have replaced it or repaired it before moving out. Equally as important, however, is the condition that you leave the property in. You shouldn't make a half-hearted attempt to dust here and there, but should do a comprehensive walk-through.

Kitchen Nightmares

In the kitchen, make sure that you thoroughly clean the oven of grease, which may well have built up. This is one of the biggest jobs that people underestimate. The fridge needs to be completely cleared out and cleaned, while the freezer needs to be defrosted.

This Is Included, As Well

In the bathroom and kitchen, make sure that you clean the taps properly, as they may need to be de-scaled. You might think that this is something that just builds up over time and is not your problem, but the taps were not presented to you like this when you moved in, were they?

Elbow Grease

Make sure to wash all around the bath, shower or tub to get rid of mould that may have built up in crevices. Have a look at the shower rails and shower curtain (if any) for similar infestation.

Taking Longer Than You Thought?

Have a look at all the air conditioning ducts and make sure that you put a clean filter in. You may have a shock when you turn the ceiling fans off, as there will likely be a lot of caked dust on top. These fans alone may take some time to clean properly, so don't underestimate the effort.

Getting Some Support

As you can see, the exit clean is a lot of work. If you'd rather make sure that it's done properly and not risk the landlord keeping any of your security deposit, have a word with a professional cleaning company to help you out.