Landlords when do you do inspection for tenant leaving

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Marcecie

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Hello, I only own rental property for a short time and think I am not doing things the correct way.
When I rent the tenants always drop rent into me and I never visit the propert till time they are moving out,also I usually let them use deposit for last months rent.
This worked ok till last time when the tenants had left I found the furniture badly damaged by the dog(which I had not known about) so this time around I want to do it right.
My present tenants move out on 17th after 1 year, rent is paid till date of moving out and I have 1 months deposit, I have not been in house since they moved in.
any advice would be appreciated when should I inspect the house?
 
Marcecie said:
Hello, I only own rental property for a short time and think I am not doing things the correct way.
When I rent the tenants always drop rent into me and I never visit the propert till time they are moving out,also I usually let them use deposit for last months rent.
This worked ok till last time when the tenants had left I found the furniture badly damaged by the dog(which I had not known about) so this time around I want to do it right.
My present tenants move out on 17th after 1 year, rent is paid till date of moving out and I have 1 months deposit, I have not been in house since they moved in.
any advice would be appreciated when should I inspect the house?
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How do you plan to return the deposit to them?

Speaking as a tenant, we usually set a day when 1) the keys are returned; 2) the various meters are read 3) the house is inspected and 4) the deposit is returned.

Also, I pay rent via bank transfer.
 
Calina said:
Also, I pay rent via bank transfer.
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Ditto. If I was dealing with a Landlord who wanted cash I would assume a) he wasn't paying tax, b) he wasn't legally registered, c) there's no chance of me getting my deposit back. Once your tenant starts making those assumptions you're on a rocky road.

Deposit should be posted/bank transfered to the tenant after they have moved out and you have fully inspected the place. But if I was dealing with a landlord who deals in cash only (which I wouldn't) then I would want the money before I left the premises and I wouldn't leave till I had it.
 
I would go to the property when the tenant gives notice and have a look around. If it's dirty, I tell them that it's a condition of their tenancy agreement that they thoroughly clean the property prior to departure - particularly cooker, fridge etc. I also check to see if anything is broken - depending on what it is and how it got broken, I tell them if there will be a deduction from the deposit or they may choose to replace the item.

It's better to let them know what you expect when they have a few weeks time to do the cleaning and not on the last day when they're expecting to have their deposit returned!

It's a good idea to regularly inspect your property so there are no nasty surprises when the tenant leaves. I have a sheet with a list of 'Common Reasons for Deductions from your Deposit', which I attach to the lease when they move in and I give them a second copy with my acknowledgement of their notice. I got it from a very experienced landlord - that way they can't say they didn't know what actions would result in deductions.

If you PM me your e-mail address, I'll send you a copy of the list.
 
From past experience, I don't visit the premises until the tenant is moving out - I think everyone needs their privacy and for the duration of their time there it is their home. I DO NOT ALLOW the deposit to be used as the last months rent and this is clearly stated on the lease. When they have moved out, I inspect the property, get proof that all utility bills have been paid to date, ensure all rubbish disposed, ensure all belongings removed and return the deposit. If you allow the deposit to be used as last months rent and they have damaged the property/furniture (beyond normal wear and tear) then you will have great difficulty in getting compensation for this. Another tip worth considering is getting your tenants to pay weekly - that way if they are late paying and you have to evict them you only have to give one weeks notice. Worth considering especially if you have a shortfall from the rent towards the mortgage. If rent is due 01 Feb, tenants fails to pay - you give 2 weeks grace 14 Feb serve 1 months notice - 14 Mar when they move out (if you're lucky) and the last time you received rent is 01 Jan.
 
I agree with delgirl. You should go and visit the property and see if there's any damage done (wear and tear excluded). If there is something that should be repaired before they move out, you should put this in writing and give them time to repair / replace.

It's a lot easier to do it this way rather than waiting until the day they move out and then discover the problem.
 
thanks all, I phoned them today and arranged to meet at house tomorrow.
When they started renting I signed a tenancy agreement and gave them rent book and my PPS number also they are registered with PRTB so there is no question of avoiding tax, they requested if they could drop rent in each month as they work shifts sometimes it was cash and sometimes a cheque, at all times it was in a envelope with rent book which I signed and returned with a receipt (in their mail box)
 
Lorz said:
Another tip worth considering is getting your tenants to pay weekly - that way if they are late paying and you have to evict them you only have to give one weeks notice. Worth considering especially if you have a shortfall from the rent towards the mortgage. If rent is due 01 Feb, tenants fails to pay - you give 2 weeks grace 14 Feb serve 1 months notice - 14 Mar when they move out (if you're lucky) and the last time you received rent is 01 Jan.
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Firstly under no circumstances would I pay a weekly rent rather than monthly. If you're not willing to deal with me on a month to month basis, I'm not willing to deal with you at all.

Additionally, the notice which you have to give your tenant - even in the event of late payment or failure to comply with the terms of their agreement with you - is dependent on the length of the agreement to date - for less than six months, it is 28 days regardless of how the rent is paid. Please check the threshold.ie website for clarification on this.
 
delgirl said:
I would go to the property when the tenant gives notice and have a look around. If it's dirty, I tell them that it's a condition of their tenancy agreement that they thoroughly clean the property prior to departure - particularly cooker, fridge etc.
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I'm not sure you can say it's a condition of their tenancy agreement after the fact of signing if it's not laid out in the agreement. That being said, I would always clean a house before handing it back.
 
Calina said:
I'm not sure you can say it's a condition of their tenancy agreement after the fact of signing if it's not laid out in the agreement. That being said, I would always clean a house before handing it back.
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It is in the lease and is a condition, otherwise I wouldn't state it. The lease complies with the residential tenancies act 2004 and a sample is available [broken link removed].

Calina said:
Additionally, the notice which you have to give your tenant - even in the event of late payment or failure to comply with the terms of their agreement with you - is dependent on the length of the agreement to date - for less than six months, it is 28 days regardless of how the rent is paid.
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This is correct. 7 days notice is only applicable to serious anti-social behaviour or behaviour that is threatening to the fabric of the dwelling or the property containing it.

 
thanks everyone,
I decided to wait till they were leaving before going to house they left the place spotless so was lucky this time.

I have read with interest all replies and intend to visit 1 month before next tenants move out I also included in the tenancy agreement the list about deposit retention from del girl --- so hopefully it all makes for happy renting on both sides.
 
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