Moving out

Moving out can be quite stressful and time-consuming but rushing it can lead to greater stress and cost later; if you do not clean properly, you risk your landlord deducting the cost of cleaning from your deposit. If you do not take the time to read the meters, you could face high bills and have no evidence to challenge them. Our tips below should help to ensure your move out goes as smoothly as possible and avoids unnecessary costs/charges.

First, you need to plan when you are going to move out and discuss this with your housemates. If you are all going to move out on different dates you need to know that the cleaning will not be left to the last person remaining and, if you all clean the property, the last person remaining will not mess it up.

Moving out at the end of your tenancy

When you have planned your move out date, you next need to establish what needs to be done:

• If you live in a shared property and you are all named on the same contract, you will all be jointly and severally liable for any damage done and any cleaning not done. This means that the landlord can argue a deduction from everyone’s deposit and pursue all tenants equally.
• Check any requirements of the landlord or letting agent. They may have sent you an email to tell you what you need to do, or this maybe in your contract. Check the inventory and photos from when you moved in. If it shows that everything was clean and there was no damage, you will need to leave it like that.
• Make sure you all have each other’s forwarding addresses, in case there are any problems.
• You are normally expected to leave a rental property 'professionally clean', which usually includes cleaning skirting boards, windows, windows sills, removing stains from grout in bathrooms and cleaning ovens and defrosting and cleaning fridge freezers.
• The last person in the property will need to take detailed photographs of all cleaning done and the condition of the property and its contents when they left. This includes skirting boards, inside the oven/fridge/freezer, under beds, the walls in the hallway and anywhere else where the letting agent may try to say you haven’t cleaned. Send the photos to the others in your group immediately so you have a record of the time and date.
• If you have damaged furniture, it may be cheaper to replace an item yourself if you can. Agree this with your landlord or agent. Reporting damage in advance means you can agree the cost of the repair and minimise delay in getting your tenancy deposit back.
• Make sure that all waste has been disposed of properly. Clear the garden of any rubbish and tidy any overgrown. More information can be found here and look at the Students on the Move Guide.
• The last person in the property will need to read the meters when they leave and inform any companies you use that you have moved out. We recommend that you take photographs of these as proof. Some companies, such as broadband providers, may ask for notice to cancel a contract and you will be liable to pay during the notice period. You can avoid paying for services after the tenancy ends by making sure you give the required notice in advance.
• Each tenant will need to return their key to the landlord or letting agent ask for a receipt
• If your contract says that you need to send proof of all the final bills being paid and council tax exemption for the property, make sure this is done or your deposit return could be delayed.
• Individually update your postal address. Don’t forget to notify your doctor, bank, mobile provider, DVLA, employer, friends, and family. You might also want to delete the address off Amazon and eBay just in case you accidentally order post to your old house after you move out.
• Request a return of your deposit.
• If you do not get your deposit back or deductions are made that you believe are unfair, let your agent or landlord know. If you cannot come to an agreement or you should raise a formal dispute with the tenancy deposit protection scheme within 3 months of the tenancy end date or sooner.
• Shelter Cymru provide guidance on what to do if you do not get your deposit back. More information can be found here.

Contact Student Advice

Advice@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 (0)2920 781410