Resident Move-Out Procedures

Resident Move-Out Procedures

Being Contacted

As a resident, you agree to have other agents contact you to show the home.  We will put the property on the market, including MLS, social media, Mars Hill website and third-party websites, 45-60 days prior to your lease end date or move-out date, whichever comes first.  

Agents will be instructed to make an appointment with you via ShowingTime and provide 12 hours notice.  We will give out your phone number to showing agents so they can directly contact you in case further coordination/communications is needed.  This number will only be published to licensed real estate agents. 

Failure to Show

Failure to show the home can be very cost prohibitive for the Landlord since they will lose the opportunity to secure a tenant while the home is occupied and must now wait until it is vacant to begin marketing the home.  As a resident, you agree in the lease to cooperate with showings and afford future tenants the same benefit you received.  It is reasonable to provide the marketing team with specific days/hours that you may so that these can be published to showing agents.  If Tenant, without reasonable justification, refuses to permit Landlord or agents to show Premises for sale or lease, tenant agrees to pay a Failure to Show fee equal to one month’s rent and Landlord may recover damages, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees.

Advantages For Home Preparation

It is to everybody’s benefit to prepare the home for the market.  Preparing the home for showings will increase the chances that we can find a future renter quickly.  Here are some advantages:

• Once we secure a renter, we take the home off the market and you will experience fewer visitors.  
• If you will be vacating the home early, you are still responsible for rent through the last day of your lease.  However, if a new tenant can move in early, we will refund you any prorated days that they move in during the period of your tenancy.  

Tips For Home Showings

Here are some simple steps you can take to prepare the home for showings:

• Be flexible with visitors.  Although we ask for a 12-hour notice, sometimes you may have real estate agents with out-of-town prospects who have a limited window to see a home.  If you can be flexible with showing the property, that will allow a maximum amount of prospects to see the home.
• Vacate the property.  All prospects will be accompanied by a real estate professional.  If you are not at home, they will feel more comfortable and not rushed when viewing the property.  Remove and/or secure pets during showings.
• Be practical.  Put away valuables, medication, and anything else that may be important to you.  
• Create a good first impression.  Turn on the lights and close the toilet lids prior to vacating the home.  Clean up the clutter as best you can and try to maintain a clean household during this process.  Try to consolidate moving boxes into one room.

Auto Payment

If auto payment was set up to make rent payments, please remember to delete the auto payment after the last month’s payment or make sure that it will end according to the lease end date.

Move-Out Guidelines

In addition to what is in the lease, it is helpful to know what some common security deposit deductions are so that the tenant can adequately prepare.  Prior to move-out, please review the pre and post-move-in photos and documents that can be found in the tenant portal and make sure that all items are addressed that need repair/upkeep.  The tenant is responsible for turning over the home in the same condition or better upon moving out.  It is much less expensive to make repairs/upkeep at the tenant’s own expense than if we have to hire vendors.  For example, it will be relatively inexpensive to remove all personal belongings from the home and make sure all light bulbs work if the tenant does it, but if we have to coordinate it, vendors that we use have rates that are usually in the $75/hr – $100/hr range.  Some other items to remember are:

• Removing all personal items from the home, garage, and yard.  This includes all drawers, closets, attics, cabinets, and basement storage areas.
• Replace all burned-out light bulbs with bulbs that match what is existing in that fixture.  
• Replace any batteries (i.e. smoke detectors, smart locks, etc.) if they are low.
• Cut and edge the lawn and trim all bushes and tree limbs; Make sure weeds are removed from garden beds.  Replace dead bushes or grass.  Remove all pet droppings from the yard.
• Ensure caulk is clean or properly removed and re-caulked.
• Make sure you are using our preferred vendor for cleaning and carpet cleaning, or you could be liable for additional cleanings.
• Make sure all keys, remotes, fobs, and passes, are accounted for and turned in.

Move-Out Walkthrough

The resident must be moved out by 11:59 p.m. on the day the lease ends. The following are other actions that the tenant will need to complete:

• All keys, fobs, pool passes, parking passes, and garage openers should be kept in the home in a labeled zip lock bag so that we know what is accounted for on the move-in condition form.
• A representative from Mars Hill will conduct a move-out walkthrough within 48 hours. The purpose of this walkthrough is to compare the condition of the home after move-out to how it was before the resident moved in. This is done by using the “Tar Inventory And Condition Form (I&C), if in Texas, or the “Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors (GCAAR) Property Inspection Report, if in the Virginia/Maryland/DC area, that the resident filled out one week after moving in. Any cosmetic or mechanical defects found in the home not listed by the resident at move-in will be the responsibility of the resident. 
• Residents are not expected to be present for the walkthrough, though they may choose to be.  If you choose to be present, you must notify our office so that we can send you the date of our appointment.  Move-out walkthroughs will not be conducted on major holidays or weekends.

The tenant will receive an email through the portal listing any additional financial responsibilities they may have in order to make the property ready for the next tenant. These items will be acted on immediately by our service team and be deducted from the security deposit. An itemization form will be sent out with the final security deposit refund.

Abandonment

If the tenant fails to pay rent and the property has been unoccupied for at least 14 days with no notification and communication with the property management company, the property will be considered abandoned and the tenant is in breach of this lease.  

If the property is considered abandoned, Mars Hill will deliver written notice to the tenant, by affixing it to the inside of the main entry door or to the outside if entry is not possible.  Tenants will have 21 days to pay rent.  Failure to do so will result in a lease termination 30 days from when the notice was given. Landlord will provide the tenant with photos of any personal items left on the property and allow the tenant 24 hours from the date of notice to remove personal items. After 24 hours, Landlord may dispose of all personal property at the tenant’s expense.

Security Deposit At Move-Out

The security deposit is determined at the time the rental application is approved, and the amount is clearly stated in the lease. This is meant to secure a complete and faithful performance by the resident of all terms and conditions of the lease agreement. If the resident becomes in breach of the lease due to physical damages or any charges that have not been reimbursed through the term of the lease, the lease may be terminated and the costs will be taken out of the security deposit. The following are important points about the management of the security deposit:

• You can expect to receive the Itemization of Security Deposit within thirty days of your move out date.  If you do not provide a forwarding address upon your move out, you will not receive an itemization of security deposit or any refundable portion of the security deposit.
• The security deposit can never be used as the last month’s rent.  If the last month’s rent is not paid, it could lead to additional late fees, a negative rental verification history, and/or a possible eviction on your record which could negatively impact your credit.
• Tenant agrees that no interest will be accrued and paid on the security deposit