A.D. Cantelmo Property Management
Our Business is Property Management in Orange County California
How do you get your deposit back?
I don’t care what type of relationship you have with a Tenant.
When it’s time for them to move out, there will be tension over the deposit. I
talk to Tenants when they move in to a property and tell them what they have to
do to get their deposit back. The one thing that is out of my hands though is
when a property owner holds the deposit. It is always more difficult to get
property owners to return the entire deposit and there are reasons for this.
The first problem when it comes to property owners returning
the Tenants deposit is that many of them, do not keep it in a separate account
and they spend it as if it were their money. When it comes time to return it
to the Tenant, they may only have a portion of it to give back if any at all.
The second problem is that the Landlord knows that they are
going to have to do some work on the property, to get it ready for a new
Tenant, so even if the work that needs to be done is of no fault of the Tenant,
the Landlord is going to try and get the Tenant to pay for the work anyway and
put the burden on the Tenant to take them to court and challenge the decision.
The next problem is, if the property is going to be vacant
after the Tenant moves out, the Landlord knows that it is going to take some
time to get another Tenant so they will deduct whatever they can from the deposit
to try and make up for the future loss of revenue.
Every Tenant knows the problem with getting back their full
deposit and understands the difficulty in challenging the decision that has
been made on the amount that is to be returned, but much of the problem falls
on the Tenant themselves.
First I tell Tenants all the time to be specific when
filling out the move-in form, and document everything with pictures. The next
problem is clean the property when you move out. I have gone in so many
properties where they are filthy. Take some time to clean and leave the
property even better then when you moved in. I have so many Tenants that tell
me that the carpet was not clean when they moved in, so what; if you did not
complain at the time then I don’t want to hear it when you move out.
Make sure as a Tenant you get a pre-move out inspection. I
am always amazed at how many Tenants don’t want a Pre-move out inspection when
I ask them to schedule one. Take the time and go through the property with the
Landlord or Property Manager and make any corrections before the final
walk through.
In my business of Property Management in Anaheim Ca. I want
the Tenant to get their full deposit back and if I had one bit of advice to
give a Tenant before they move in the property is for them to ask who holds the
deposit. If there is a Property Manager, you as a Tenant are much better off
for the Property Manager to hold the deposit then the owner. The Property
Manager has much less emotion and understands the law much more than most
Owners. So if a Tenant has a choice they should choose a Property Manager to
hold their deposit and if the owners are going to hold the deposit, a potential
Tenant may want to think twice about renting the property.
As a Property Manager, I am very sympathetic to Tenants and
their deposits, but I also expect them to do their part and keep the property
in good shape and clean the place when you move out.
A.D. Cantelmo Property
Management Specializes in Property Management in Orange County
Ca.