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Getting Your Bond Back Quick and Easy

  • Tags: Property Management, Rent
[TRANSCRIPT]

 “Thank you for leaving the home so nice and your bond form is ready to be picked up”.  These are the best words you will hear when you have recently vacated your rental property.  Moving house is right up there with death and divorce, we need or want neither but both are sometimes inevitable.

I have moved quite a lot in my lifetime and nothing gets me more agitated than the thought of the final inspection for a bond refund. What have I missed? Because no matter how hard I try, there is always the eagle eyed property manager who has a different idea of clean than mine.

The Property Manager is doing their job and I know in the haste to sit and enjoy a well-earned glass of wine in the new abode, things can get missed. So here are some hints and tips to make the move so much easier.

Believe me I can’t tell you how many times Property Managers hear “It’s cleaner now than when we moved in”. Make sure you have a copy of your ingoing condition report - this is the bible. Property managers can only do so much and they may not have carried out the initial report so they are relying on the paperwork. They can’t rely on their memories and neither can you, so the paperwork is king.

First things first - keep your sense of humor. You need to be able to see both sides of the situation and a smile will help you through the worst of it. Remember the Property Manager is attending with the view it will be the most amazing vacate of her day, so don’t disappoint her.  Being present at the final inspection is a great way to make sure the small issues you have missed are taken care of immediately.

Pack a small cleaning kit. Windex, spray & wipe, oven cleaner, a chop sti
ck (window tracks), vacuum cleaner. A bottle of vinegar is very handy as well (power points, toilets, glass).  

I have spent many a sleepless night wondering if I cleaned the bathroom mirror or turned the washing machine taps off only to find it was a waste of a good nights sleep. Use checklists where possible, a good team will provide you with a vacate checklist to ensure you have not missed anything.

The allen key, a small but vital tool when moving house. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to dismantle furniture with no allen key. Tape a key to the underside of the furniture you need it for, you will thank me later for this tip I promise.

Did you know most windows will lift out for cleaning? Slide along and lift out makes for easier cleaning and everyone loves a clean window.

Disconnecting your power. Set a reminder in your phone to disconnect your power after the final inspection has been completed. The Property managers will be very happy if there is still power on to the final inspections, but do remember to disconnect -  you don’t want the new occupants enjoying your power.

Spare whipper-snipper cords. Many a chuckle has been had by property managers at the on lawn performances of the MOH (man of the house) as he struggles with the edges,  the cord breaks  and he has not packed a new one. It makes the job 10 times harder and so pack a spare roll.  


Replace the air conditioner and garage remote control batteries. Yes, you need to ensure they are in working order. Again, it saves an argument and makes for happy moving. Also cleaning the filters of the air conditioners - a good eagle eyed property manager will have you back quicker than a flash if you don’t attend to these matters.

Venetian blinds are the bane of every good manager. They are a pain to clean and everyone hates them.  This is a good one for the kids so break out the lost sock bag and go for it. Spray lightly with vinegar and pop one on each hand and wipe away tip and bottom, they will be happy as Larry with the task.

This one’s a kicker, yes the kicker plates on the kitchen cupboards. Everyone forgets them and believe me they collect some crud over time, so hands and knees and elbow grease are required in this situation.

Also pulling all the drawers out to clean the workings, you will be amazed at what you find in the dark reaches of the cavity (lost keys, small children, overdue bill).

Change of address. Leave a card with your new contact details for the new tenants so they can forward you mail. It’s a small thing but will save you some issues with things like car rego, fines or important documents.

When all is said and done, a quick final is a good final so when everyone works together it will be advantageous to everyone. So good luck with the move and enjoy that glass of wine.

  Getting Your Bond Back Quick and Easy
palmbeachfn.com.au
First National Palm Beach
15 Palm Beach Ave Palm Beach, Queensland 4221
Phone: 07 5559 9600
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