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Moving Out

When your lease expires, the apartment/house needs to be turned back over to us in acceptable condition. We provided you with a clean and well-maintained apartment when you moved in, and that is how we expect to have it returned to us. Outgoing residents are provided with the following checklist of items to address.

GENERAL CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

  • STOVE/OVEN: In addition to the top surface of the stove, you will need to make sure all burners, inside, broiler and the storage drawer are cleaned. Check to see if your stove top lifts up for easy cleaning. Tenants with self-cleaning ovens should activate the self-clean mode when they can be out of the apartment for three hours. After the oven has been through its cleaning cycle and cooled down, it will need to be wiped out with a damp cloth. For the others, you will need to purchase an oven cleaning spray and rubber gloves to clean your oven. Oven cleaners are very effective; however, they can be very dangerous. Please use caution when spraying the cleaner and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The chemicals will do most of the work by allowing them to remain on the surface for the specified times. The key to oven cleaner is to let it soak for an hour or two. Do not get the oven cleaner near your eyes or on your skin (wear rubber gloves), do not inhale the fumes and do not spray any external part of the stove with the oven cleaner. IF YOU GET OVEN CLEANER ON YOUR SKIN, WASH IT OFF IMMEDIATELY!
  • REFRIGERATOR: All food items must be removed. Turn the refrigerator off, open the doors, and unscrew the light bulb. It is easier to clean refrigerators when they have defrosted. This usually takes an hour or two. You will want to prop open the doors to allow this to happen. Pull out the refrigerator (most are on rollers) to clean under and behind. After cleaning, leave the doors of the refrigerator and freezer propped open.
  • KITCHEN AND BATHROOM CABINETS: All food, utensils and other personal items must be removed from cabinets and drawers. Please wipe out all cabinets and drawers, clean the cabinet surfaces, and the cabinet doors. You can use furniture polish on any wood cabinets.
  • BATHROOMS: Bathtubs and showers should be completely cleaned. Remove shower curtains, bath mats and all personal items from vanities and medicine cabinets. Do not dispose of the shower rod. In most cases we have provided this item and it will be reused. You will need to wipe out drawers and storage areas. You can use any bathroom cleaner such as Scrubbing Bubbles or multi-surface cleaner on all bathroom fixtures. Scrubbing Bubbles is especially effective on fiberglass tub and shower units. Do not use an abrasive scrubbing device on any fiberglass surface. It will scratch and scar it. Cleaning products that contain bleach can help with removing mold, mildew or dark stains. Bleach products can destroy clothing and it is recommended that older clothing be worn while cleaning. Please be sure to rinse the tub/shower/sink/toilet after using cleaning products, as some leave a powder residue. Bathroom floors should be swept, mopped and hair-free.
  • FLOORS: Tile and vinyl floors should be mopped, then dried. White vinegar and water make a good cleaning agent. It is also cost effective. The mixture should be 25% vinegar and 75% water. Residents of 444 E. Third Street should use the vinegar/water solution to clean the wood laminate floors as well. Wood laminate floors must be towel dried immediately after washing. If they are not dried immediately, they will warp. We suggest that you mop a 5’ x5’ area, and then dry it. 320 S. Dunn St. residents should NOT use vinegar on the Konecto (vinyl composition) floors. Vinegar will damage this material. A neutral or all purpose floor cleaner should be used on these floors. These floors should be dried after mopping.
  • WINDOWS AND WINDOW SILLS must be washed on the inside.
  • DOORS AND BASEBOARDS must be wiped down.
  • CEILING FANS: Fan blades and light globes must be cleaned. (Light globes can be put in dishwashers.)
  • MINI BLINDS should be cleaned with a feather duster or a very soft brush.
  • LIGHTBULBS are to be in working order. Several locations had compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) or light emitting diode bulbs (LED) installed at move in. Your lease agreement requires you to replace any burned out bulbs with this same type of bulb.
  • SMOKE DETECTORS should have a working battery installed.
  • LIGHT FIXTURE COVERS should be taken down and washed. This can be done either by hand or in the dishwasher.
  • CARPETS should be vacuumed when all cleaning is finished and personal items removed. This is not an item that is included with the professional carpet cleaning.

CARPET CLEANING

If you have carpeting in your rental unit, it your responsibility to have the carpets professionally cleaned by a carpet cleaning company in Monroe County. The carpeting must be cleaned after all personal belongings are removed from the rental unit and all cleaning is completed. You are required to provide a paid receipt for carpet cleaning to us at the check-out inspection. Sometimes carpet cleaning can be coordinated to be completed after the move-out inspection. We will not accept a receipt from an out-of-town vendor. You will be charged for an additional carpet cleaning if you fail to use a local vendor or if you fail to provide us a receipt. There are several companies in town that you can hire. In the past, many of our renters have used Indiana Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning (812.333.1870), Simply Clean Cleaning Company (812.345.2021), and Bloomington Professional Carpet Cleaners (812.332.4470). You can call around for competitive rates. Because of the high volume of student rental turnovers in August, most companies are extremely busy. Please plan accordingly.

UTILITIES

  • ELECTRICITY: Electricity must be left on at check out. You should make arrangements for the electric to be disconnected effective the day after your move-out inspection. You can do this by contacting Duke Energy at 800.521.2232.
  • WATER/SEWER (residents of houses and 336 S. Dunn): You will need to disconnect service with the City of Bloomington Utilities at 812.349.3930, so that they can conduct a final meter reading effective the day after your move-out inspection. We must receive a copy of the final paid water bill before deposits will be refunded.
  • GAS (where applicable): You will need to contact Vectren to conduct a final meter reading effective the day after your move-out inspection. Vectren has the “Discontinue Service” form on their Web site. You can call them at 800.227.1376 for more information.
  • PHONE, CABLE and INTERNET can be discontinued at any time and are not required to be on during check-out inspection. 320 S. Dunn St. and 444 E. Third St. will not need to disconnect Internet service.

DUMPSTERS

It is your responsibility to remove and haul away any furniture items. No furniture is to be left in the rental units. Dumpsters are not to be used for disposal of furniture or large items. It is a violation of city housing code to place furniture on sidewalks. If you have a designated City of Bloomington trash pick-up day at your location, you can leave furniture items for collection on your designated trash pick-up day. Large items must have two trash stickers ($4.00 total) placed on them for removal. Before throwing away furniture, working electronics, or other household items, please consider donating items to any of these local charities:

KEYS

Keys for the rental unit, mailboxes (where applicable) and laundry room (where applicable) should be turned in at check-out. You will be charged $10 each for any unreturned keys.

 

DAMAGE DEPOSIT REFUND

Nothing pleases us more than refunding deposits in full. It takes our effort and yours to process deposits on a timely basis. If the apartment is vacated in “move-in condition,” you can expect to see your refund check within 14 business days. By law, we have up to 45 days after your check-out inspection to return your damage deposit. Early move outs increase the chance of expedited refunds. Delays in damage deposits are almost always due to unacceptable check-out inspections. Damage deposits will be refunded to the individual(s) who paid the deposit. Your lease states that the apartment must be vacated and left in “move-in condition”. If it is not, deductions will be made from your deposit.

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