Who doesn’t enjoy living somewhere clean, safe and well taken care of? Your home needs your attention, no matter whether you rent it or own it! But what are your actual responsibilities? In what condition should you leave your apartment? How can you and your landlord both be protected?
When you move into your new apartment, you and the owner should make an inventory of the condition of the space. What is this inventory? It is an official document made at the beginning of the rental contract that describes the exact state of the apartment at the time you move in, or when a new pet comes into the household during the lease.
Be very, very specific! Analyze every room from floor to ceiling, from the state of the walls and windows, to the closets, wardrobes and chimney. If appliances are included, make sure they are in good working condition. The day you move in, take pictures of the apartment, to make it easier for you to leave it in the exact same state as you got it!
Still the same
Throughout your stay, you are responsible for all the minor work that needs to be done in your apartment. No need to improve the place of course, but make sure you leave it in the same state as you found it. However, usual wear and tear caused by use over time or hidden flaws are not your job to fix. Still, tell your landlord about them, so that they can be fixed, which will keep the apartment in good shape.
Be careful what you do! You can’t do any major renovations that will permanently change the apartment without permission! You can’t change room divisions, take down walls or build them. And remember that your apartment is not for commercial use, so no beauty salons or daycares in the basement, unless you have the owner’s consent and your project was perfectly clear when you signed the lease.
Don’t leave too much behind!
When you move out of your apartment to live elsewhere, you’ll need to make a second inventory of the condition. This one will help compare the state in which you got the apartment to that in which you are leaving it.
You let your imagination run wild when it came to painting your room? Or put up some wallpaper? That’s okay, but you’ll have to paint over it in white or another light colour before giving up your keys. You will also want to remove all items that do not belong to the landlord, as well as any add-ons you built and plants you added in the garden or yard. Unless, of course, you and your landlord agreed otherwise! Who knows, maybe you could end up sharing your artistic skills with the new tenant!
