10 Tips for Getting Your Bond Back When You Move Out of Your Student Rental

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Nov 13, 2018

10 Tips for Getting Your Bond Back When You Move Out of Your Student Rental

Being a student is tough; you're overloaded with projects, studying for exams and not to mention that you still want to have a life. But there's another challenging moment that crops up in many students lives, and that's when it's time to move out and get your bond back. Cue the collective groans and eye rolls.

We get it, you paid a lot of money when you moved in and you don't want to take any chances in not getting it back. But to make sure that happens, we've got a survival guide of our top ten tips to make sure you know what to expect and to help your get your bond back.

RULE ONE: READ YOUR LEASE!

It's our first tip and we can't stress it enough. You might not have read it in detail when you first signed it (but we sincerely hope you did!). Read it once, twice, or as many times as you need to make sure that you're not missing any crucial information. This can include whether the landlords specifically have mentioned that they want the ceilings cleaned at the end of the tenancy, the windows to be washed inside and out, the floors to be deep cleaned and so on. It's critical that you check your obligations and abide by these so the landlords don't get a surprise and then don't give you back your bond.

RULE TWO: FILL OUT THE PROPERTY CONDITION REPORT ACCURATELY

Spotted a crack on the kitchen counter when you first moved in? Write it down. Maybe the curtain rail was already perilously leaning towards the floor when you moved in? Write it down. It'll take a while, but we strongly encourage you to write absolutely everything down that you see around the property so that when it comes to moving, you'll know what was there and what wasn't. Dents, smudges, bumps, scratches, you name it. You don't want to be caught out by the landlord for something that you didn't even do, right?

RULE THREE: START TAKING SOME PHOTOS

Not selfies, sorry. But it is important to take plenty of photos of the property so that in case anything pops up, you have evidence in your backlog if you need to prove that something was there before you moved in, e.g. a scratch on a cupboard door, or dare we say that the toilet seat has a dent in it. Make sure you've got yourself covered so that nothing will come back to bite you.

RULE FOUR: DON'T AVOID REPAIR WORK WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE DONE

If by chance you happen to break something, don't try and sweep it under the rug (figuratively or literally.) Get in touch with your landlord immediately and arrange to get it sorted. It's always better to be upfront and honest than leaving a broken window as the landlord's problem when you move out. It comes across a lot better to be open rather than trying to keep it quiet. Especially if you are looking for a tenant reference from the landlord after vacating the property.

RULE FIVE: PAY ALL OF YOUR RENT!

We know budgeting can be hard and that it's not always the easiest thing to pay your rent on time. But trust us when we say it, it really is worth it, because in the long run this means that you won't have to have that money coming out of your bond by the time you leave. More money in the bank, the more you can do with it as you please! 

RULE SIX: TRY NOT TO LOSE THE KEYS

Annoying right? It might seem pretty trivial but for a landlord it's just a nuisance and a pain in the neck for them to deal with. If you do happen to lose a set of keys but still have a main one left, get a few pairs cut. It will save you in the long run and also prevent any surprise bills cropping up on your bond.

RULE SEVEN: MAKE CLEANING A REGULAR HABIT WHILE YOU'RE LIVING THERE

It might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people don't! If you love to throw parties, make sure that you clean up relatively quickly to prevent stains from food, alcohol, etc setting in and not wanting to budge. Sure it's not exactly the definition of "fun," but to be fair, neither is living in mess..

RULE EIGHT: GIVE PROPER NOTICE WHEN YOU'LL BE LEAVING

Treat it as you would a job, because if you decide to get up and go early, break the lease and subsequently don't pay the break fee, it'll end up coming out of your bond. Yikes! Don't try to be sneaky about it; write to them in person about your plans and be completely upfront about your intentions.

RULE NINE: WEAR AND TEAR IS OK

You're not living in a museum, so it's perfectly normal to show that you are indeed living in the place. Faded curtains, paint peeling off and a worn-out wooden bench are all a part of that. However, burn marks and wine stains (to name just a few) are not OK and need to be remedied . Make sure that you really give the place a proper wipe down from head to toe, to a professional standard. And if you feel that you can't do that, get professional cleaners to come in and help you out.

If you’re in doubt about the type of stain you have, refer to our Rug Doctor Stain Guide.

RULE TEN: GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO CLEAN

Last but most certainly not least, devise a plan for yourself (and your flatmates, if applicable) about how to divide and conquer the cleaning. That means really going in and making a good attempt on cleaning the whole place as well as some of the more nit-picky appliances such as the oven, exhaust fans, skirting boards, and the windows. If you're not confident about doing this yourself, it pays to get in a professional. It is far better to fork out a bit of money on a cleaner than risk not getting back your bond in full.

Life as a student can be very busy, cleaning is never really a priority especially with exams and studying. However the Rug Doctor machine will not only help you clean your carpets, it also cleans upholstery!

Learn all about different kinds of stains and how to get rid of them with our handy guide below!

 

Gina Gibbs

Author: Gina Gibbs

Gina is the Business Manager at Rug Doctor NZ. With over 20 years at Rug Doctor, she's dedicated to helping New Zealanders keep their homes clean and healthy. Outside of work, Gina enjoys hiking, reading, and enjoying Vietnamese and Asian fusion cuisine. Oh, and let's not forget her expertise in cleaning up after everyone, especially her two kids!