Move Out Procedure

On this page, you will find information about the processes of preparing to move out of your property at the end of your tenancy, the day of your move out, and the subsequent deposit returns procedure.

Cleaning

Please see our cleaning guide for all the information you'll ever need about cleaning!

Damages

As you would expect, any of the Landlord's property that is damaged upon moving out will have to be repaired and replaced. We know that damage is generally not caused deliberately, however, if damage occurs it needs to be repaired regardless of how it was damaged.

If something is damaged due to fair wear and tear or due to a mechanical fault out of your or our control, then the Landlord will be happy to bear the charge.

If the damage is found to have been avoidable, or caused through inappropriate use or carelessness or accident on your part, then you will have to bear any charge for repair or replacement.

Prior to the move out inspection, you must let us know about any outstanding maintenance or damages.

Fair Wear and Tear

Categorising damage against fair wear and tear is a difficult task. At Sam Properties, we define fair wear and tear to be expected or reasonable marks, wear or damage caused by normal and reasonable use.

A number of factors will affect whether any damage is classified as fair wear and tear, including (but not limited to):

• If it was present before the tenants moved in
• The age of the item
• The quality of the damaged item (i.e. a lower quality item will be less resistant to wear and tear, and vice versa)
• If the damage was preventable
• The length of the tenancy
• The number of tenants
• Whether we were alerted to the issue/problem prior to conducting our move out inspection

Some examples of damage and our classification are found below:

• Marks on the wall from Blu Tack, LED Light Strips or similar fixings - Damage
• A hole in the wall - Damage
• Broken light bulbs - Damage
• Small scuff marks - Fair wear and tear

Moving Out

Prior to moving out, we will be in contact to ask about your planned move-out date.

The inspection aims to review the state of the property, see if there is any damage that needs fixing, or see if any areas of the property need cleaning before the next tenant moves in.

• Prior to the inspection, you must have removed all of your personal belongings/furniture from the property.
• We can only conduct move out inspections after we have received all keys back. This is because the inspection must be the final state of the property, and if someone has access to it afterwards we can't account for any further damage or cleaning that could be required.
• We recommend that you take photos of the condition of the property as you leave for the final time.
• Remember to have your post re-directed or sent to your new address before you leave! We are unable to collect post for you, and the new tenants will only be able to send the post back to its original sender.

On the actual day of your move out, you'll hopefully have packed everything up ready to be moved out of the property and cleaned the property to the required standard.

•  Keys must be returned to our office in person no later than 12 pm (Midday) on the final day of your tenancy
• If you are moving out before the final day of your tenancy and are unable to return your keys to us during office hours, please place the keys in a sealed envelope/package and post it through our secured letter box. Please ensure to let us know beforehand, and write only your name on the outside of the envelope.

It is important that we receive all keys back before the end of your tenancy! Usually, the next tenants will be moving in very soon after and if we are unable to provide them with a secure property to move into, then we are required to change the locks for them and you will be charged for the charges that go along with such a replacement.

After conducting our move out inspection, you will receive the move-out report within 14 days of leaving the property. This report will detail the general condition of the property, any chargeable damages and any areas that need cleaning. We will email you this report and include any charges that are set to be deducted from your deposit, and any deductions will need to be agreed upon before the deposit can be returned to you.

The report will also contain pictures of the property and the condition it was left in, highlighting any damages or cleaning that requires attention, and we will also provide you with photographs of your utility meters for your reference.

• For all tenancies, TDS Custodial will have on record who the lead tenant is, and it will be up to the lead tenant to assign how much deposit goes back to each tenant.
• Please note that light bulbs, smoke/CO alarm batteries, vacuum cleaner bags (where applicable) and other consumables need to be replaced by yourself prior to moving out. Should a light bulb be working when you move into the property, and it isn't working when you've moved out, you will be charged for it.

Meter Readings & Utilities

As part of our move out inspections, we will take any and all possible meter readings (i.e. water, electricity, gas) and include them on the move-out report.

We recommend taking your own meter readings, but we will also provide you with photos of the meters as part of the report. Once you have received your move out report and the included meter readings, please contact the utility suppliers that you were with and let them know that you've moved out, and to provide you with a final bill.

A lot of the time, utility suppliers will provide you with estimated bills at the end of your tenancy. These are usually inaccurate and result in you paying them too much! Please make sure you provide them with the actual end meter readings and the date of the end of your tenancy!

Please note that as per the utility undertaking form you signed as part of the application process, you are liable for any and all water, gas and electricity bills up to the end of your tenancy (including standing charges). For example, leaving 4 days before your tenancy is set to end would still leave you liable to pay any day standing charges that may apply to your water, electricity or gas tariff for those remaining 4 days.

Council Tax

You are liable for your council tax up to (and including) the day that your tenancy ends. Please use this page on the Manchester City Council's website to inform them of your change in address. Even if you're a student and have been exempted from council tax, you still need to let them know that you're moving!

Cancelling Standing Orders

As an important note, please ensure that your standing orders have been cancelled after your final rental payment! If you continue to pay rent to our account after your tenancy has ended, we may need to pass on any fees or charges for returning money that has been overpaid.

Redirecting Post

It might be worth getting your mail re-directed to your new address, to try and make sure nothing gets lost or incorrectly sent to your old address! This would be done via the Royal Mail themselves, and their redirection service can be found on the Royal Mail website.