Moving out, Condition of the house, LL expectations?

Question

Hi All,

We are moving out end of this month from our old appartment.

We have lived in this rented property for 2.5 yrs and there are some stains left on the carpet and some marks on the walls of the house.

Our landlord is supposed to perform a walk through of the place in a few days and he wrote to us that he expects the place to be in move-in condition.

I was wondering there is expected wear & tear of the carpet in 2.5 yrs, for that are there laws protecting the tenant from that.

What should the landlord expect from us? What should we offer when we talk to him? Can he make us pay for changing the carpet and painting the walls.

Answer 1

Take pictures of the place just before the walk-through. You should also take pictures before you move into the next place for the same reason.

What they expect varies by landlord. One I dealt with demanded a carpet that was fifteen years old when the tenants moved in be replaced. Claimed it was in "immaculate" condition. Even said so under oath in court when he sued my client for the cost of replacing it. Then he saw the pictures my client took before moving in.

Don't offer anything. In most places, he is obligated to return your deposit, and give you an accounting for anything he keeps for any reason.

Answer 2

Stains on the carpet and dirty walls are NOT concidered normal wear and tear. Have the carpets cleaned and walls painted before the walk through so your guaranteed to get most of your deposit back. Most states require the tenant to return to property to its original condition that it was rented at.

Answer 3

He will most likely take money from your security to re-paint the walls...they need to be repainted b/c you put marks on them. Also, try to get a steam cleaner and get the stains out. He/she will also charge to steam clean and/or replace the carpet depending on how ugly and dirty it looks. If that is the case, a new carpet could be several hundred dollars. Make sure it is otherwise spotless or he/she will also charge for taking your junk out and hiring someone to do it.