Move out information and cleaning checklist
MSB Holdings
During the summer months we receive many questions from tenants regarding move-out day and security deposits. This page and checklist will address these questions. You’ll notice that the checklist is very similar to the check-in sheet that you completed at the beginning of the year, which includes items we will be looking for during the check-out process. This should be a useful and helpful guide. We do not schedule walkthroughs or check outs because we’re too busy at this time of year to make that many appointments. The best way to ensure you’ll get your deposit back is to take a moment to read the move out page, understand the procedures, and plan ahead.
Quick-start move out procedure and best practices to ensure a smooth transition to your new home and to get your full deposit back:
Remember that the:
Deadline to be out is noon (not midnight)
Move out date is on either the 31st or the 14th (not the 1st or the 15th)
And don’t forget to:
1. Remove your belongings from storage units and basements - not just your apartment.
2. Understand City of Madison Trash rules and schedule any required large item pickup. Without doing this the city won’t schedule pick up and you may be charged. Tv’s, microwaves, printers, computers etc. require a fee.
3. Clean. Use this form as a guide
4. Leave doors unlocked
5. Put your keys on the kitchen counter top. Don’t forget the mailbox keys!
6. Forward your mail and update your address for online stores!
7. Cancel your internet and MG&E service
8. Provide us with your new address for deposit return
9. If you made nail holes, plan to fill them using only use this product. Make sure to wipe down after applying and sand when dry. If not it will take us more time to fix it. Take a moment to learn how here. If done incorrectly we may charge to fix a poor spackle job. We do not provide spackle.
10. Do not leave anything behind “for the new tenants” unless they’ve specifically requested and approved it. Sorry, we do not reach out to the incoming tenants to request this. We are too busy getting other apartments ready at this time of year.
The move out process essentially involves:
Reading this page and checklist - pay special attention to the list of common problems below.
Planning your move out & cleaning schedule with your roommates.
Cancel your utilities - MG&E and any internet/tv companies - please do not cancel your utilities prior to your lease end unless someone else has moved in.
Removing your belongings and debris from your apartment, as well as from common areas such as basements, hallways, yards, and don’t forget to check your storage unit if you have one. Please refer to the checklist for a guide. If you made nail holes, plan to fill them using only use this product. Make sure to wipe down after applying and sand when dry. If not it will take us more time to fix it. Take a moment to learn how here. We do not provide spackle.
Understand the city rules for garbage. Microwaves, TV’s, computers, monitors all cost need a sticker.
Cleaning. When you moved in, your apartment was professionally cleaned beforehand, or you signed an early move-in cleaning waiver. It must be left in a clean condition.
Leaving the doors unlocked and your keys on the counter top
Forwarding your mail and update your address for online stores
Providing us with your new address for deposit return.
Common problems during move out
Listed below are some common pitfalls during move out. They can be avoided very easily with a little planning and communication.
Misunderstanding the actual move out deadline and remaining there beyond that time (hold over tenancy): Remember that move out deadline is 12:00 noon on the at the end of the month or the 14th if you have a mid-month lease. It is not midnight! Also note, it is not the 1st or 15th. That is when the new residents move in. We only have 24 hours to make sure the apartments are ready for our residents.
Underestimating the amount of time it takes to move out: When this happens, our cleaners show up at noon to inspect and clean what they think will be an empty apartment. What they find however, is an apartment full of belongings because the resident didn’t start moving their belongings until too late. This leaves the cleaners, who charge hourly, standing around watching somebody move out. We’ve been asked, “why don’t they just go to another property and clean that one?” The reason they can’t is because they have other teams of people already working on our other properties. We try to start inspecting and cleaning every house as early as possible on the 14th. It is best to assume my cleaners will be there at 12:00 noon.
Abandoning the house prematurely: Another recurring problem is that we’ll find a house full of belongings and nobody is there. This is the worst situation for us. When no one is there we don’t know if belongings have been abandoned or if someone is just getting lunch. Regardless, if it is past noon, nothing should be in the apartment at all. In this situation, we have no choice but to move the items out of the apartment which is charged back to the resident. We do this because someone is moving in the next day and there is very little time to get it ready.
Lack of, or poor communication between, residents regarding assignment of cleaning duties: This situation is often traumatic for a final remaining resident who is usually frantically moving and cleaning after all the other roommates have left. It typically occurs when one roommate finishes moving their things out of the house and assume that whoever is still moving their belongings will “tidy up” when they are done. Everyone after that does the same thing until there is only one person left in charge of cleaning the entire place. They have no chance of getting it done by noon. Cleaning a house or apartment requires a lot of time and effort – that is why we have teams of people to do it. Talk to your roommates today and discuss how you are going to clean and who is going to help. It is best to have everyone there until the whole place is finished, that way it won’t be so overwhelming for one person.
Forgetting to use the cleaning checklist: Every year, we’ll have a newly arriving tenant stop by while we are cleaning on the 14th. They’ll peek at the apartment and pose the question “who were the slobs that lived there and why didn’t they clean?” Those same people will move out the next year, only to have the incoming tenant remark the same thing about their cleaning skills. Yes this really happens. Why? It is because the people moving out are just so overwhelmed by the process that they simply forget to clean a lot of things. Who thinks about vacuuming bugs out of the light fixtures when they’ve been hauling heavy boxes all day in 90 degree heat? Well, actually we do, but it’s because if it isn’t done, the tenants scheduled to move in will notice and complain. That is why we’re providing this checklist. When you’re standing in the empty apartment, wondering what else to do or where to start, pull it out and use it. It really helps. We use it during inspections to determine what we need to check and re-clean if necessary.
Deciding to simply let us clean and “allow” us to withhold fees from the deposit: Please don’t do this. Take the time to be responsible and clean your apartment. We much prefer encountering a clean apartment and returning full deposits to dealing with strife generated when withholding money.
That’s it! Those are the most common reasons that people leave their apartments a mess and lose money when deposits are returned. If you plan, communicate, and follow the guidelines listed below, you should have few, if any, deductions from your deposit for cleaning or holdover tenancy.