We have appreciated your residency over your lease term, and hate to see you move! As an agent for your landlord, our goal is to ensure that all parties are satisfied by leaving the home left in the best condition possible for our client, and by returning as much of your security deposit to YOU, as we can.
To ensure the specifications are met and that expectations are managed by all parties, please refer to this document and the “Move-Out Cleaning Instructions” as you complete the move out process. We recommend that you read and follow these instructions in DETAIL.
Please be aware, you are responsible to maintain renter’s insurance and utilities in your name THROUGH your notice to vacate date, even if you should return keys early. Please ensure that NO PERSONAL ITEMS are left behind, and that NO TRASH is left at the curb with the containers after your move-out date. If the item was not on the property when you obtained keys to move-in, please remove it prior to dropping off keys upon move-out. Oversized items must be transported OFF SITE prior to turning in keys.
Once you have completed all cleaning and move-out tasks noted below (please see “Move-Out Cleaning Instructions”) and you are ready to surrender the property:
1.) Set the heat to low (60) or A/C to high (80), dependent on the season. DO NOT TURN OFF.
2.) Set the refrigerator/freezer to low setting, but do NOT turn off OR unplug.
3.) Reserve ONE front door key and place ALL remaining and applicable keys and devices (fobs, remote(s) etc.) on the kitchen counter. (Returned keys MUST be silver or brass keys, we do not accept “custom” colored keys) A $15 fee applies for each standard key that is not returned, and a MINIMUM $50 charge for “do not duplicate” keys or unreturned remotes/keyfobs. If mailbox keys are unreturned in their entirety, a $150 fee will be charged.**
4.) Turn off all lights and ensure the home is secured, including windows and gates.
5.) Place the FRONT DOOR key in an envelope or plastic bag, with your NAME on it.
6.) Drop the envelope as instructed below. Please TEXT of CALL us at 503.533.8022 to make us aware you have surrendered the unit.
**Ellie Jean residents may drop their key in the WHITE dropbox to the right of the door after entering the trash room.**
**Collins Court residents may drop their key in the WHITE dropbox after entering the basement.**
**Eastbank Quarters Residents may drop their key in the WHITE dropbox after entering the bike room.**
**The Belle/Single Family Home residents may drop the envelope at our office, in the dropbox marked “Specialized Realty Services” located at Millikan Pointe, 14631 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton OR 97003. Specialized Realty Services is located in the Millikan Executive Suites, in the building to the left of Sushi Hana. The dropbox is located to the left of the front door.
PLEASE BE AWARE, the property is NOT considered surrendered until we have been notified that the unit is COMPLETELY EMPTY and ALL keys and access devices have been returned to Agent/Owner. Failure to return the unit to Agent/Owner by midnight of your scheduled departure date will result in “holdover rent”. If you feel you should need more time to vacate, PLEASE contact us in advance. We will ALWAYS work with you to the BEST of our ABILITY, but cannot guarantee an extension in the event the unit has been leased.
Upon receiving possession of the unit, we make every effort to complete the initial inspection within 3 business days of your departure. The security deposit accounting will be completed, and any monies owed are mailed within 31 days of move-out, in accordance with Oregon Statute. Please allow this time for the accounting to arrive in the mail. To avoid delays, PLEASE ensure you have provided us with your forwarding address. Without, your deposit will be mailed to the previously known address (the unit address) to be forwarded by the Post Office, adding up to 14 days for delivery.
**DON’T FORGET TO CANCEL YOUR AUTOMATIC RENT PAYMENT THROUGH THE ONLINE TENANT PORTAL, AND DISCONNECT YOUR UTILITY SERVICES AS OF YOUR LAST DATE OCCUPYING THE UNIT. Specialized Realty Services cannot take responsibility for services that have not been disconnected by the resident as of the move-out date.**
A FINAL THANK YOU!
Specialized Realty Services represents many different property owners and serves numerous residents each year. We enjoy the relationships we develop with our owners and residents alike. If you should need our assistance in the future, whether it is with finding a new rental home, providing a residential reference, or managing a property on your behalf, we are here to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you!
Specialized Realty Services
Move-Out Cleaning Procedures
We know that moving is stressful, and understand this list is very detailed. This form is meant as a guide to help remove the stresses and “unknowns” in regards to move out standards.
Your home was professionally cleaned prior to your move-in, and should be returned in the same standard. The general rule of thumb when returning a home is to leave the unit in “hotel room clean”, minus carpet cleaning and minor paint touch-up. This includes removal of pet, cooking or other lingering odors after move-out. Please be reminded that actual carpet cleaning fees are assessed to the resident upon move-out, as noted in your lease agreement. While very thorough, this cleaning list is intended to be used as a guide, not ALL items may be applicable to your rental home, NOR may it be inclusive of ALL items that may need cleaning or care.
REMOVE ALL MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS AND TRASH from the unit in it’s entirety, including ANY items that you installed during your residency. Unless approved by the property manager in writing, if an item was not on the premises when you moved in, it should be removed prior to turning over keys to the unit. This includes any items with adhesive, in addition to paper towel holders, hooks, shelves, liners, mirrors or other “improvements”. Don’t forget the exterior of the property as well, including patio furniture, front and back door mats, hanging decor such as windchimes, and miscellaneous trash items/debris.
KITCHEN:
-Clean refrigerator thoroughly inside and out, clean grooves of the seals, checking underneath and from all angles
-Turn refrigerator to low setting, but leave on to prevent mildew
-Clean stove, oven racks and stove hood, replace filter
-Clean microwave interior and exterior with NON-ABRASIVE cleaner
-Clean dishwasher interior and exterior, and clean the door seal
-Replace stove burner drip pans (if applicable) or clean flat top stove with appropriate cleaner, cleaning any “burnt on” food
-Remove all soot and grease from the oven interior, removing excess oven cleaner with glass cleaner or vinegar and water
-Clean sink, polish faucets and clean countertops, backsplashes, outlet covers and switchplates
-Clean cabinet and drawer interiors, removing crumbs, dirt and other marks
-Clean and wipe down cabinet exterior drawers, doors and cabinet handles, removing grease, soil and fingerprints
-Sweep and mop floor thoroughly, no spots or marks should remain
-Replace bulbs as needed with MATCHING type and wattage
BATHROOMS:
-Clean and sanitize toilet thoroughly inside and out (be sure to clean tank, underneath the rim and the base)
-Clean and sanitize bathtub, shower stall & polish faucets
-Clean and wipe down all cabinet doors and handles
-Remove all shelf liners in their entirety, and clean all cabinet interiors and drawers
-Clean light fixture covers and exhaust fan vent
-Clean sink, polish faucets and clean countertop
-Clean mirrors, and medicine cabinets, inside and out, leaving no cleaning residue behind
-Ensure toilet paper holders and towel racks are undamaged and installed securely
-Sweep and mop floor thoroughly, no spots or marks should remain
-Replace bulbs as needed with MATCHING type and wattage
LAUNDRY ROOM:
-Clean washing machine inside and out
-Clean dryer inside and out, including a thorough cleaning of the lint filter
-Check behind washer/dryer for personal items and dirt and lint
-Remove all shelf liners in their entirety, and clean all cabinet interiors and drawers
-Sweep and mop floor thoroughly, no spots or marks should remain
-Replace bulbs as needed with MATCHING type and wattage
GENERAL CLEANING THROUGHOUT/OTHER:
-Clean windows, window tracks and blinds.
-Vacuum entire unit thoroughly including vacuuming or wiping down the baseboards so that dust and debris does not remain.
-Remove bugs from all light fixtures and ensure ALL bulbs and batteries within fixtures are matching and operational (Replacement fees will apply for non-standard bulbs or non-working/missing bulbs.)
-Remove all cobwebs from walls and ceilings
-Clean/dust all vent covers throughout unit, including HVAC vents, heater vents, bath exhaust vents and ceiling fans (if applicable)
-Replace HVAC filters, including attic or garage unit (if applicable) Dirty HVAC filters will result in charges.
-Replace any cracked or missing outlet covers or switchplates with matching style/type
-Replace any missing or damaged (bent) doorstops with matching style/type, ensuring they are intact, with rubber tips
-Sweep and mop floors thoroughly, no spots should remain
Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and REPLACE batteries.
A NON-NEGOTIABLE $250 FINE will be assessed for EACH detector that has no batteries, non-working batteries, or detectors that have been removed or otherwise tampered with.
–CARPET CLEANING: Do NOT have your carpets cleaned at move-out. As noted in your lease agreement, Specialized Realty Services reserves the right to have the carpets professionally cleaned with the cleaning cost to be deducted from your deposit. Additional charges may be assessed if carpet needs additional treatment or replacement due to excessive staining, pet urine or lack of care (i.e., “compacted” due to not vacuuming regularly). Any carpet spots or stains should be assessed by a professional carpet cleaner prior to cleaning attempts. ALL units with pets will undergo a 3rd party pet inspection for pet urine/stains, fleas or other pet damage.
HOLES IN WALLS: DO NOT PATCH holes in the walls. It is more cost effective to have our maintenance technician patch holes and deduct appropriately your deposit, than repair patches completed incorrectly by the resident.
PAINTING: Please be aware that it is NOT STANDARD for units to be painted between residency. Residents are financially responsible for touch-up paint beyond normal wear and tear. For this reason, it is important to remove marks, scuffs, handprints, etc prior to turning over keys. Paint wear due to rubbing of furniture, hooks, or other items will be assessed to the resident. If you have painted your home without written authorization from Specialized Realty Services, LLC, you will be held responsible to return the home to its original color. It is the responsibility of the resident to match the color, texture and sheen to match AND blend with any existing original paint. We strongly advise you to hire a professional painter to correct any paint deficiencies prior to turning over keys. Any “overpaint” on ceiling lines, cabinetry, trim or any other necessary repairs to blend or match the original paint are the responsibility of the resident and CAN BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. As a result, the resident will be held responsible all labor and materials for correction, in addition to a daily charge for any delay in preparing the property for re-occupancy.
GARAGE:
-Remove all trash and personal items not pertaining to the home
-Clean any oil stains from floor using an appropriate cleaner
-Remove fingerprints and scuffs, from doors, walls and baseboards
-Sweep floor and remove any cobwebs on walls and ceilings
-Replace garage door keypad batteries if necessary
-Replace garage light bulbs if necessary
YARD/EXTERIOR:
-Clean and sweep front door area, removing dirt and cobwebs
-Clean and sweep porches, balconies and decks, removing dirt and cobwebs
–The property landscaping should be weeded, trimmed, edge and/or mowed, properly irrigated, with ALL miscellaneous personal items and ALL DEBRIS removed from the property.
GARBAGE: ALL TRASH ITEMS MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES upon returning keys. Charges will be assessed for ANY items left OUTSIDE the trash receptacle. Oversized non-standard items(lamps, tires, barbecues, old electronics or furniture items, etc.) may NOT BE LEFT ON THE PREMISES. YOU MUST make arrangements to haul these items away, they may NOT be dumped in the trash receptacle area. For large, bulky items, you may call 1.800.808.5981 to schedule a pickup. We strongly recommend you schedule this service well in advance. For alternative disposal options, please visit www.oregonmetro.gov/findarecycler.
AGAIN, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to have your home professionally cleaned prior to turning over keys. If you should choose to complete the cleaning yourself, it is best to ensure the home is COMPLETELY vacant prior to completing the final detailing.
If you should choose to clean your home on your own, see
below for some links to help you with the fun stuff:
Do you believe in Magic Erasers?
Cleaning Kitchen Oil Splatters…Fight Oil with Oil!
2-Ingredient Homemade Kitchen Cabinet Gunk Remover
How to Clean and Shine your Microwave
Cleaning those Nasty Stove Burner Pans
How to Clean the Kitchen Floor
Getting Ground-in Dirt out of Laminate
The Best way to Clean all the Blinds in your House
Clean your Ceiling Fan in Seconds!
How to Clean your Bathroom like a Pro
How to Remove Hard Water Deposits from your Bathtub
2 Simple Glass Cleaners for Sparkling Windows and Mirrors
How to Clean your Top Loader Washing Machine