You bought a new home, and finally – no more monthly rents, no more landlord, no more stress.
Well, there is the mortgage, but it’s way too early to stress about that. You still have some time before you realise that the Bank of England is raising the interest rate, and with it, your mortgage rate will rise as well.
But let’s not rain on that glorious moment when you will pay your last rent, give the keys to your landlord, take your deposit back and start your new life in your new home.
But before we get there, you must take care of at least five crucial tasks before leaving tenancy life behind for good.
Make sure to check your tenancy agreement
The list’s first and most important task is finding your tenancy agreement and checking your leaving clause.
Generally, two types of tenancies in the UK are fixed-term and periodic. As the name suggests, the former has a specific date on which it ends. That gives you some pretty sweet perks, like having a stable, fixed rent price over the entire period, regardless of inflation and other costs.
However, the downside is that you can’t break the lease earlier if you don’t have a break clause. Periodic tenancies are less stable, and landlords can raise your rent once a year. Naturally, breaking the lease is far easier when you are on such a contract.
If you are on a periodic tenancy lease, you must give a notice about leaving the tenancy. When you have to provide the notification, it depends entirely on what you agreed upon in your tenancy agreement.
So, instead of wondering, find your copy and read it.
Give your notice for ending the tenancy
As it has become evident, sending your end of tenancy notification on time is crucial if you don’t want to pay some extra cash for a place you won’t need.
Unfortunately, missing the due date for sending such requests is far more often than expected.
Many renters on periodic tenancies consider that their lease ends when they stop paying, but that’s not the case, and many end up in small claims court, where they ultimately have to pay additional fees.
If you are on a periodic tenancy, you must send your end of tenancy notice during the last payment due. For example, if you pay rent each quarter, you must give your landlord notice three months before leaving.
On the other hand, if you are a monthly renter, you need to provide them with only one month of notification. Weekly tenancies are rare, but they must give four weeks of notice, not only one.
It’s imperative to send the notice via email, you have proof that you’ve done your part of the deal, and the landlord won’t have any claim over your security deposit.
Pack and move all your belongings
Once you’ve given your notice, the hardest part of moving out begins.
Packing your belongings is the most stressful part of moving homes, and many couples can’t service their first move. That’s quite understandable, as when entering a new home, you want to get your memories but still make a place for new ones. In addition, you want your new place to feel like home yet retain that fresh, unique vibe.
Packing your belongings is filled with many compromises, and you must be ready to let go of some of your belongings.
It’s excellent to remove everything that hasn’t been used in the last year and won’t be used in the foreseeable future. For example, if you have some ski gear, you might not have used it in the past winter, but it will surely come into play next winter.
On the other hand, that old bag hanging in your closet for about a decade, and you forgot it was there, might as well not clog the new place.
Start packing smaller items together and separate them by room or by activities. For example, everything related to cycling goes in one box. Your living room decorations go into another, and so on.
Label each box, and you can even go the extra mile and colour-code the boxes by room if you have some spare time.
Most importantly, give yourself enough time to pack. If you try to pack your entire life in just one night, you will fail… or if you succeed, this will be very sad.
Do an end of tenancy cleaning
Once you’ve packed and moved your belongings, it’s time to ensure your deposit is returned to you. And since landlords place a high value on end of tenancy cleaning, you must meet their standards to get your money back.
Since 2019 landlords can’t demand professional cleaning at the end of your tenancy, they are entitled to receive their place in the same condition they rented it. So, while hiring a professional end of tenancy crew is unnecessary, you must follow their standards when cleaning your rental place.
So, here are a few things you need to know when cleaning your home.
What needs to be deep cleaned?
Deep cleaning is the cornerstone behind end of tenancy cleaning, as it brings a new and fresh vibe to the place.
This means avoiding some common cleaning mistakes and not overlooking a single room, appliance or surface.
The carpets are the essential parts that need your attention, as they accumulate most of the dirt. Mere vacuuming won’t do the trick. You must wash and dry the carpets and ensure all the dirt is out. If there are stains, you need to clean them with a suitable detergent so they won’t destroy the carpet but will remove the stain.
Kitchen appliances like ovens, fridges and microwaves are also a must-clean; if you miss a spot on them, they may retain the food smell and ultimately give the landlord a reason to deduct them from your deposit.
The furniture is also a prime suspect when deep cleaning is involved, as just like the carpet, the fabric will retain much dirt. So, wash the sofa, couches and beds and remove all the stains, preferably with eco-cleaning tools to safeguard your and your family’s health.
What areas might you forget?
If your landlord is determined to retain part of your deposit, they might go above and beyond to prove you haven’t cleaned your apartment.
Usually, some spots tenants often forget to do when cleaning are:
- Under the furniture;
- Air filters and vents;
- Indoor plants (if some are coming with the place);
- Closets;
- Top of cabinets;
- Door frames;
- Picture frames;
- Walls.
All of these need your special attention to guarantee your full deposit back.
Still, if you don’t have the time or the nerves to do the job yourself, just get a tenancy cleaning crew to do it for you. The price is just about 15% of the usual deposit, but it will save you a lot of time and effort when you need them in large quantities.
Make a final check before moving out
Before you release the rental place, make a final check.
If you have forgotten something, chances are the landlord will send it to you, but it’s far better not to forget anything. Most importantly, take photos of the clean and repaired home after cleaning, so no landlord claims could hold in court.
Conclusion
No one said moving would be easy.
Indeed, moving out is one of the toughest undertakings you will ever experience.
Still, a new home means new emotions, a new canvas to build your life and most importantly, a chance for a more financially independent life.
