The turnover process is completed by your Foothills property manager; it involves your tenant moving out and the property being prepared for the next tenant. Included in this process is the security deposit reconciliation.
Property Condition Reports
Managing the security deposit starts with the move-in inspection. A property condition report that tenants sign and turn in is needed for comparison to the move out report. We keep that condition report on file and we educate our tenants from the very beginning so that when they move out, they know what they need to do to get their security deposit returned. This is often an emotional issue for tenants. They always want to get the whole deposit back, and we can’t always do that if the house is not rent ready.
Providing a Reconciliation Packet
A good property manager in Tucson will hold the tenants responsible for those things that are damaged or not cleaned in the house. We have a checklist of things to look for, and we document the condition of the home with an inspection. That’s one of the most important roles of property management in Tucson. You need a thorough move-out inspection that includes photos and videos. We include that documentation in the reconciliation packet we send to the tenant. This reminds them of what they promised to keep clean and how they promised to return the property. We show them the marks on the walls and other damages. We give them an allowance for things like paint, and we try to be fair.
Maintaining the Property
The standard of practice around the country is that certain things are expected from the tenants, and if they don’t live up to those expectations, it’s our job to protect the house and make it rent ready. Of course, we will talk with our owners throughout this process because a lot of the things that need to be done are not tenant responsibilities. We might want to update the property to make it more
competitive in the market, or we will notice that maintenance is needed. We don’t like deferred maintenance because it’s a bigger cost to our owners to let it go.
The security deposit reconciliation is an especially important time in the lifecycle of managing a home. We have lots of resources to share, so we encourage you to look at our website. If you have questions about specifics or anything related to Tucson property management, please contact us at Foothills Properties.
