During the tenant move in and the tenant moving out process, the most important thing is documentation. If you show up in court and you try to show a judge a list of items but you don’t have pictures, videos, dates, or receipts, you’re going to lose. Have a good move in and move out checklist that will help you make your case.

Phoenix Property Management: Documentation

Not only do you want to protect your home, you want to protect a tenant’s rights and money as well. The security deposit is always their money, and that’s what you’ll be arguing about when they move out. So, when they move in, you want your inspection to be just as detailed as the one you conduct when they leave. Have a move in checklist and take a video and pictures that document everything you find wrong with the property. There might be a crack in the tile, a dent in the wall, and you’ll need to make sure all the burners are working on the stove and there are screens on every window. When all this is documented during the move-in, you can compare that check list to the moving out checklist. Then, it will be hard for a judge or a tenant to argue with your documented pictures that include dates, comprehensive lists, and videos.

Phoenix Property Management: Tenant Responsibilities

You’ll do this for your benefit and the tenant’s benefit. Everyone wants to get in and out of this relationship on a happy note. You don’t want to be battling in court about the costs of repairs. We require tenants to do certain things when they leave. For example, they are required to clean the carpets professionally and provide us with a receipt for the work. If you charge your tenant for work after they leave, you need a receipt to show that you’ve used their security deposit money for that specific work.

Another responsibility of the tenants is to provide their version of the property’s condition. At a minimum, they should provide something in writing during the move-in process. This is their opportunity to document the problems they noticed with the property; anything not working or damaged. Then, you know up front what they saw and what they are covering themselves for when they move out.

If you have any questions about what we’ve talked about or anything pertaining to property management in Phoenix, please contact us at HomeQwik.