Los Angeles Move In/Move Out Process Documentation: 4 Tips & Tricks from a Property Manager

07 Jul Los Angeles Move In/Move Out Process Documentation: 4 Tips & Tricks from a Property Manager

Today we’re talking about move in and move out procedures. As property managers, we oversee these things and our process keeps us accountable to our owners. We document both the move in and move out cycles and make sure we have all the information we need to pass on to our owners.

Preparing the Property

Before a property even goes on the market, we walk the property with the owner and point out the things the place may need to bring it to top rentable condition. This might be new paint, fresh carpet, updated appliances or maintenance work on the outside. Owners don’t usually know what to do in order to lease their property, and they depend on us to give them all the experience we have. Staging is important in preparing the property. This doesn’t necessarily mean moving in furniture, but we like to open the drapes and the windows and make sure everything works. We create a checklist for our owners so we know all the important issues are covered. It’s also important to discuss big ticket items with the owner, such as the roof. If there’s heavy rain after a tenant moves in, you have to know what kind of impact that will have on the property and the tenant.

Advertising the Property

Once the property is ready to be shown, we shoot our video and our photos and post it on our website. Then, we distribute the listing across the Internet.

Tenant Walk Through

Assuming we find a qualified tenant, the most important step at the move in process is walking through the property with the tenants. We want to be sure to demonstrate that everything works. Every drawer is opened, every cabinet is opened, all lights and appliances are turned and we confirm they work. We take a video and file it, with a copy going to the tenant and the owner. This video is used again when the tenant moves out.

We don’t want the tenant to turn on a light or the oven and have something not work. This creates a series of doubts and the tenant will wonder what else doesn’t work in the property. That gets the tenancy off on the wrong foot. Detail is important and owners appreciate us taking these steps.

Tenant Checklist

Los Angeles Move In:Move Out Process DocumentationAfter our walk through, we give the tenant a checklist that documents anything that doesn’t work. The tenant is encouraged to keep this checklist for two weeks to further document anything that may not be working properly. This has to be in writing so we can address the problems, and we also have a clear history of what we did to prepare a property. Upon vacancy, if the tenant returns the property in the same condition in which it was received, the full security deposit will be returned.

If you have any questions about how to manage the move in or the move out process, please contact us at Metropolitan Property Services, and we can tell you more.