So, you’ve found a new nest to move in; everything is going well.
But now there is just one niggling thought on the back of your head.
How to ensure you get your bond back?
Ensuring you get your rental bond
Essentially the place should be in the same state it was when you moved in or better.
If it looks worse than when you moved in and it’s more than just normal wear and tear, you run the risk of losing out on your bond.
Conduct a thorough visual inspection
If you have the time, the best place to start would be to do a thorough check that there is no damage to the property.
Things like holes in the walls, the windows are all in good shape.
Generally no damage has been done to the property, and if there is, make sure it is fixed promptly either by you or a professional if repairs are out of your comfort zone.
Thoroughly clean everything
Next, after checking for damage, an excellent clean goes a long way and makes a great impression upon inspection.
You can set out a day to painstakingly clean every inch of what will soon be your former rental property.
You want the place to look like it’s gone through a deep-clean.
That includes stoves and showers which are usually checked with more scrutiny.
In some cases, it might be cost-effective to get a professional cleaning service to carry out the task.
That way you have the guarantee that you will be receiving professional service, and you can always request for a do-over if the job is not of standard, since you are paying for it.
Many cleaning services specialise in “moving out” clean or “bond cleans”, type it into Google to find one near you.
Sort out the gardens
Also, ensure that the lawn is pristine if you have one and that the grass is trimmed and the gardens are in decent condition and not horribly overgrown.
Remove all rubbish
Another thing to consider is to make sure you get rid of any rubbish that might have accumulated in the property.
Scraps of wood and metal, old appliances, miscellaneous items that you have collected.
If it not in use any more, and just taking up space, then it’s rubbish.
Leaving it behind in the property after you are gone, could cost you some or all of your bond.
So, make sure to either dispose of it yourself or contact a professional rubbish removal service that will collect and dispose of the junk.
It might cost money, but still probably less than losing your bond payment.
Take lots of photos
A smart trick when moving into a new place is taking ‘before you move in pictures’, dated.
Keep it on record and when you move out and have cleaned the place appropriately, take another picture, the ‘after-pictures’ and compare the two.
If the site looks the same or better, then you’re pretty much guaranteed to get your bond back!
Know your rights
Another useful tip is to read the lease contract carefully, because there should be a section about the bond.
This section should state all requirements that must be met to get your bond back, and anything that could constitute you losing bond.
We hope this helps when moving onto bigger, better things, with your bond where it belongs, back in your hands.