Vacating Guide for Landlords

As you are aware, your tenants will soon be vacating.  This guide is to give you a little bit more of an insight into what happens over the next few weeks. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns regarding the process, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Notice of Intention to Vacate 

By this time, we have either received written notice from the tenants or have issued a notice to vacate from the tenants as per your wishes.  In both circumstances, the notice will specify a date on which the tenancy will now end. 

The number of days’ notice that we need to give to the tenants, or the tenant needs to give to us, is prescribed under the legislation.  

What happens if the tenant changes their mind about leaving?  

If needed, the party that served the notice can retract the notice to vacate before the tenants move out, however, this must be done by negotiation - both parties must agree.  If the tenant had provided noticed, but then changed their mind, we would, of course, contact you to discuss your instructions before agreeing to such a change.

Before the tenant vacates

In the lead up to the end of the tenancy, we are in regular contact with your tenants to ensure they are on track to vacate the property on the nominated date.  

If the property is being re-let, we will have had the opportunity to view the property as we conducted viewings for prospective tenants.  If at this stage, we notice that the condition of the property is not where it should be eg no signs of moving, or loads of cleaning to be done, we will check in with the tenant to see if we can assist in some way.  We may even conduct a pre-vacate inspection if we feel it is warranted.

Once the Keys are Returned 

The tenant is required to return the keys to the property on the specified last day of the notice and they are required to pay rent up until this date. Once the keys are returned, we will then legally be able to access the property.

If the tenant does not return the keys on the specified date, rent will still be charged until the keys are returned.  

Final Inspection 

Once the keys are returned by the tenants, we will arrange a final inspection (sometimes referred to as an exit inspection) to be completed.  This generally occurs within two to three business days.  You are most welcome to attend if you wish.

At the final inspection, we will be comparing the property to the condition in which it was given to the tenant, using the Entry Condition Report. 

It is a requirement under legislation that at the end of a tenancy, the tenant must leave the property in the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy, apart from fair wear and tear.  This takes into account that normal use and ageing may affect the condition of a property over time. It is important to remember some items will wear faster than others eg the carpet in a hallway will wear faster than the carpet in the corner of a bedroom.  

If there are any discrepancies at the Final Inspection we will raise these with the tenants within one business day.  We will also keep you informed as to how the property was left and what is the next step.

Sounds very straight forward, doesn’t it?  

In most instances, it is, however, every now and then a situation will arise which is a little more complicated. We will do our best to ensure that your interests are protected and will keep you informed during the process.

Refund of Bond

A rental bond is a security deposit paid at the start of the tenancy and is held by the Rental Bond Board, not by our office. It is financial protection in case the tenant breaches the terms of the agreement.  

As you can imagine, most tenants are keen to get their bond back as soon as possible once they vacate the property and we do our best to ensure the process is as smooth as possible.

If we can not agree with the tenants on what amount needs to be refunded from the bond, there is a strict process we must follow to resolve the dispute.  In this instance, we would keep you up to date as to what steps are being taken.

We hope this guide gives you a quick snapshot of what happens when a tenant is vacating a property.   

If you would like further details or have a specific question, please do not hesitate to contact us.