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Moving Guides

When the time comes for you to move - where do you begin? You may be moving for a career change, divorce, death in the family, retirement, financial reasons. Perhaps you are responsible for moving a disabled family member. What ever the reason, we are organizing our moving tips to help you think them through. We have also identified a few books.

Also see:  Security Deposit Guide or Normal Wear and Tear Guide

Be organized - think about what you have. Do you have to take it all. Either have a garage sale or donate it to a local charity - don't assume that no one would want your junk. Treasures to others.

Do a pre-move-in inspection. You can't be charged for "normal wear and tear'' under most state and local laws. Do a move-in inspection and take note of broken, burned, chipped or otherwise blemished items in the apartment. Make sure the shower, toilet and faucets work.
Check windows and screens. Above all, document, in writing, anything that is less than perfect and attach a copy, signed and dated by you and the landlord, as an addendum to the lease.
 MOLD- is it in your home or apartment? Learn what to do now.

Normal Wear and Tear  and your security deposit.

Renters Insurance - Renters Insurance Guide - Apartments, Condos

 Find Landlord Tenant Lawyers with the Directory

 Landlord Responsibilities - What the landlord does for the tenant.

 Tenant Screening - Our  Tenant Screening Tool. Free Setup. .

 Tenant Rights and Responsibilities 

 Pets - and your landlord. How to Rent With Pets. Pet Deposits.

Get a receipt or keep the canceled check. Sounds simple enough, but a surprising number of people fail to keep the canceled security deposit check. Without documented proof, the landlord can simply say he never got one.
Leave the apartment in the condition you rented it. Typically leases require the tenant to return the apartment to its original color or condition. Most landlords prefer painted walls with neutral colors, such as off-white, grey or beige, as opposed to wallpaper or murals of Michael Jordan. So before you decide to decorate, get approval from the landlord.
Clean things responsibly. Use common sense. A thorough vacuuming, sweeping of the floors, washing of the walls and wiping down of counters and cupboards will suffice. There's really no need, for example, to steam clean carpets (unless it's to remove pet stains or smells). In short, leave the apartment in the kind of condition you'd feel comfortable moving into.
Don't leave stuff behind. Many tenants make the mistake of leaving unwanted items such as trash, old furniture or clothing. If there's a charge to store the items or dispose of them, it can be deducted from your security deposit. If the charges exceed the deposit, the landlord can sue.
Get a witness. After you've cleaned, have someone take a walk-through to witness that you did leave the apartment in reasonably good shape. It's best that the witness not be a relative, but it should be someone who'd be willing to testify for you in court.
Set up a time with landlord. Following your walk-through with a witness, ask the landlord to do a walk-through so that you can show that the apartment is in good condition. Then it is time to hand over the keys and provide your forwarding address.
Provide a forwarding address. A surprising number of tenants don't get an expedient return of their security deposit because of a simple mistake: They forget to provide the landlord with a forwarding address. Give the landlord a self-addressed stamped envelope with your new address on it, recommends RentLaw.com.
Know your interest-rate rights. You probably qualify to receive interest on your security deposit, although there are exceptions for some cities and states.
Follow up--in writing. The letter should highlight that you paid a full deposit, left the apartment in good condition at the end of the lease term and should also include your forwarding address.
The letter should also state that the landlord is in violation of the law for not returning the deposit (unless you were previously notified), and should state that you should receive interest.
In most states, you can sue to recover twice the amount of your deposit, plus  interest for each year the deposit was held, and court costs and lawyer fees. Either in small Claims Courts or Landlord Tenant Court in the county you live/lived in. Find Lawyers.
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