Moving Out

• There are lots of websites advising or giving you tips on how to move out of your rented accommodation. Here we will concentrate on the essentials, what matters when you decide to move out of your rented accommodation.

• People moving out are more concerned about their deposit.

• The full deposit held by your landlord should be returned to you. It may not happen if you leave the accommodation in a state of disrepair or in a dirty state where it needs to be cleaned throughout.

• To avoid this, hire a professional cleaning agent. They have years of experience in cleaning after tenants like yourself.

• They have the right tools to get the job done and achieve a high level of cleanliness.

• They know the best products to use to get rid of nasty dirt or unwanted odours especially in fridges and bathrooms.

• So, although they may be expensive, you are sure that you will get you deposit back if that is all you need to do.

• It is all well and good to do the cleaning yourself. But do you have the right tools? Do you have the right products? Most of all do you have the time and inclination.

• There ae so many factors to be considered when it comes to doing it yourself. Brushing too hard or too soft may not get rid of the dirt or may damage the area you are cleaning. The products, you need to know how to use them to get the best results.

• Anyway, if you are determined to clean, the best thing to do in my experience as a landlord and tenant is concentrate on the kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen is one of the main areas of focus of the landlord or letting agent when they came to complete the inventory.

• The first item they look at is the oven and then they move to the fridge, if these items were provided with your lease then you surely must look after them because your deposit depends on it.

• The best result I had when moving out was to move out 2 days before the due date. I sprayed the whole flat and anything which needed cleaning with safe products. This method usually helps you clean easily as the cleaning products have time to soften the dirt in the sprayed areas.

• This way you will not have to scratch too hard. Usually to reduce the cost, I go to the pound shop where products are cheap but very good.

• Buy products with lemon scent, they will leave a nice and refreshing odour throughout your accommodation. There are no good or bad products, some are stronger than others, but if you know how to use them and follow the instructions then you will be okay

• Another area where landlords and letting agents focus. You do not have to worry about wear and tear on the property, but you should read carefully your tenancy agreement and carefully note what is written on repairs. If you are liable to repair certain items inside the property, then get on with it.

• Repair them before the end of the tenancy inventory. Again, I cannot stress how important it is to put the accommodation back in the condition it was when you moved in. Remember, your deposit is at risk.

• If you do not repair item that you are responsible for the landlord will not hesitate to withhold your deposit and use it for repair costs. Usually they will use it to the full to get everything done.

• They will not ask for your permission or consult you if they see a bargain, or if they have an opportunity to have the repair done at a lower price. They will just inform you what was done and how much it was. So, to control the situation yourself, make sure that you repair everything before you leave.

• People may find that replacing damaged items could cost more than repairing them. This is a real live exemple. I was fortunate to have a landlord that provided a room with a Sony 45-inch TV. Three years later I damaged the screen and could not see anything. When I turned the TV on, I could hear the sound but no images. I took the TV to a repair shop. The shop owner told me that the replacement for the faulty item would cost £205 + £55 labour and 15% vat on the total price of the repair cost. The total cost of the repair price was £299.00.

• I went to eBay and got the same model for £100 refurbished. Just an example to highlight the big savings you can make when you decide to make the right choice.

• Before making the decision to repair an item, just check if the alternative of buying a second hand item could be better in price and maintenance.

• Not everything is replaceable, because they may be very expensive or discontinued. If this is the case, talk to the landlord and compromise on a solution. Ask if you could pay for the item in instalments or ask the landlord or letting agent to repair it or buy it and you will repay by instalments.

• If the landlord or letting agent is willing to give you the opportunity to repay then you can move out without worries.

• NB if this happen, make sure that you get all the agreements in writing and sign with a witness present if possible.

• Here goes your credit score and good credit record. You do not want to pay anyone else’s utilities bills. This will happen if you forget to cancel your utilities bills. The new tenant or even the landlord will be using it without conscience. Do not let this happen.

• Call your utilities providers and inform then that you are moving out. Give them the date and hour if possible. Most of all TAKE A READING of the meter before you leave.

• Make sure that an acknowledgement of the cancellation of you bill is sent to you with the date and any remaining fees you must pay. Most companies ask you to give them a reading on the date you are leaving so that they can have an accurate record of it.

• When a final bill is sent to you by text or at your new address, you may be credited if you have paid more or you may be asked to pay off any outstanding bills before you left.

• Either way you have done the right thing by cancelling your account.

• Repeat the same procedure with you cable provider i.e. Sky, Virgin and any other media subscriptions.

• Never mind the cleaning and repairs in the property. You will have a bigger problem if you forget to cancel all your accounts in your name on the property starting with your council tax.

• Why your council tax? If you do not cancel or pay you council tax before you leave this is what can happen below.

Reminder

• This is usually sent two weeks after a late payment. You will have seven days to pay the arrears. Final Notice - If the arrears are not paid within seven days a notice will be issued demanding that the full years' council tax bill be paid within seven days.

• If you don't pay your council tax by the dates shown on your bill you will receive a reminder and if you still do not pay you risk having a court summons issued for you to pay the full amount.

• You can be sent to prison for up to 3 months if the court decides you don't have a good reason to not pay your Council Tax and you refuse to do so.

• It is vital that you inform your council that you are moving giving the date and the hour if you can do so. Pay any outstanding fees that you owe and asked for a confirmation of the cancellation letter or text to be sent to you at your new address.

• Give the details to your landlord or letting agent when you get it, so that they know and will be prompt and then they may release your deposit a bit quicker.

• With bank and credit cards providers, give them at least 2 weeks’ notice to change your direct debits. The banks do sometimes send statements every month. So, it is wise to inform them as early as possible.

• If you have any legal matters pending or are in the process of going to Court of have any other legal litigations in process, call the Court and inform them that you are moving. Give them a forwarding address where they can reach you.

• Failing to do so can led to more problems. The Court won’t chase you. They will assume that you agree with the outcome if you do not turn up for your Court hearing date and will respond by letter to you.

• Here goes your credit score and good credit record. You do not want to pay anyone else’s utilities bills. This will happen if you forget to cancel your utilities bills. The new tenant or even the landlord will be using it without conscience. Do not let this happen.

• Call your utilities providers and inform then that you are moving out. Give them the date and hour if possible. Most of all TAKE A READING of the meter before you leave.

• Make sure that an acknowledgement of the cancellation of you bill is sent to you with the date and any remaining fees you must pay.

• Most companies ask you to give them a reading on the date you are leaving so that they can have an accurate record of it.

• When a final bill is sent to you by text or at your new address, you may be credited if you have paid more or you may be asked to pay off any outstanding bills before you left.

• Either way you have done the right thing by cancelling your account.

• Repeat the same procedure with you cable provider i.e. Sky, Virgin and any other media subscriptions.

• Cancel your internet provider

• Your BT or any other telecommunication account or subscriptions.

• Cancel all shopping and loyalty cards, they may not be so important, but they all have your details.

• If you do not plan it much earlier, you will end up banging at the new tenant’s door to ask for your mail. If you have a good understanding landlord, he will keep the mail for you and hand it to you at a convenient time and place.

• If you were not on good terms with your landlord or you been having problems and issues, then it may be returned to the sender if you are lucky. A vengeful landlord may just throw them in the bin.

• Trust me, your bank or credit card providers do not like to have mail returned to them, especially if you owe them money.

• It is advisable to contact all the financial institutions you are dealing with way before you move so that when you do move to your new accommodation you will not have to worry about where you mail is.

• Royal Mail offers several options to redirect you mail. There is an option when you know where you are moving to and another when you do not. They can hold you mail until you provide them with a permanent address. Make sure you do not become another victim of ID fraud.