If you are living in a rental and are in the process of moving out, do you feel obligated to help keep it clean so it can be shown to potential future rentees? Or do you not care because it's not your place?
If you live in a rental, do you feel obligated to help keep it clean while it's being shown?
May 22, 2014You might also enjoy...
-
I always felt obligated when I was renting but that's just me. When we were shown the last rental we had, it was a mess! The people before us obviously didn't care. I think it's whatever you feel comfortable with. I am also weird and I don't like anyone (including former landlords or people I didn't know) seeing my house when it wasn't at it's best. I get that from my mother I guess!
-
oh yes definitely. esp because the last two times we broke our lease!
-
@Sunshine1810: I'm the same way! We have tenants and their college son who just moved in has turned the place into a mess and I refuse to list it while it looks disgusting. It will lower the rent we will receive.
-
Sure. It's a general courtesy to my mind. The golden rule and all that...
-
I would!
-
@littlek: When we rented before, our last house had college guys in it, and it was a mess. We tried to overlook it while we were touring it. I had seen pictures of it when it was all cleaned up and I knew I could get it there. It was our in between house before we bought the next year so I wasn't really worried about it. I think as a landlord you can definitely tell the tenant that you would like it cleaned up when you show it.
-
I did. I wanted people to get in so our landlord (who was awesome) wouldn't have a lapse and because we were leaving earlier than we had planned. Plus, I just didnt want people to think I lived sloppily!
-
I should also add though that our landlord had it professionally cleaned before we moved in, and told us he would when we were looking at it.
-
I would... I wouldn't want people coming into the place I live and thinking I was a messy person.
-
I would but I know many people wouldn't.
-
@Sunshine1810: There are firearms and crossbows laying around the house. And the renter is now saying we are being unreasonable and wants rent concessions... The basement looks like a tornado went through it, there is stuff all over the floor and funny enough the closets are EMPTY.
-
@Smurfette: I just can't imagine living in that level of filth. And I personally don't feel "safe" with guns laying around.
-
@littlek: Ok the firearms and crossbows laying around is completely unacceptable. That is so unsafe. I might concede a bit on the basement, but they really should at the VERY least get the firearms and crossbows out of sight.
-
I would, but having previewed plenty of occupied homes and apartments; I definitely think the people who would clean are in the minority. As a landlord, it would be nice if my tenants cleaned before I showed the place, but I wouldn't expect them to.
-
@yoursilverlining: I'm just afraid it will turn off potential renters and we won't get the rent we are asking for. Personally, if I saw a gross place I'd walk in and then out.
-
@littlek: So gross!!! people are just nasty. And why do they have them out?
I know I was relieved when DH had to go fix something at our condo and he said our renters have it really clean and well kept up. Major concern of mine with renting.
-
@Sunshine1810: The basement is supposed to be a family room, we had an expensive built in put around the fireplace. The college age boy and his girlfriend are living there instead of the empty bedroom upstairs and using the built in to store junk and covering the front of the fireplace with boxes (safety hazard?). They have racks of clothes scattered around the room instead of using the built in closet with a clothes rack. It's mind baffling.
-
@littlek: I think as the landlord you definitely have the right to point out any safety hazards that you see, and ask them to fix it (that includes firearms IMO). I can't believe they won't even pick it up. People are ridiculous.
-
@littlek: Oh I *totally* agree with your concerns; especially since I have walked away from potential apartments I look at that were filthy!! Some people can live in mind boggling conditions; I don't get it. But, they paid rent so the place is theirs, and as long as nothing illegal is going on and they are not damaging my property, I don’t think I have any right to ask tenants to clean (or to clean more to be up to my standards).
When is their lease up? Can you wait until the day they move out, have a cleaning company come in the same day, and then show it immediately following and prorate the first month's rent a few days to the new tenant? Our renter has to be out by 12pm on the last day of the lease, and then we can show it empty that same afternoon. I wrote that timeframe into the lease though.
-
Yes definitely. We'll be showing our place in the summer. When we looked at it before we moved in, it was DISGUSTING. It's only respectful to have it look nice for other people to view it.
-
We just dealt with this as the tenants moving out. We tidied somewhat was a courtesy to the landlord and because we wanted someone to rent or buy quickly so the showings would stop. With that said, it was nowhere near as clean and tidy as if we were the owners and had a true vested interest. We were trying to pack and still live in the space with a baby and keeping the house immaculate was very far from being a priority.
-
I personally would because I know how sucky it can be to be a landlord. Honestly though most of our tenants never clean anything so the places usually look like crap (and worse) when they are shown. We usually end up having to clean up their shit (sometimes literally) when they move out.
ETA: We're not talking about just some clutter here like stuff off shelves and dishes in the sink, ect. We're talking garbage strewn everywhere and food spilled on the floor that has probably been there for 3 months. We'd be lucky, and happy, if it was just some clutter. Unfortunately some people live like pigs.
-
I definitely would. My mom taught me to leave a place cleaner than we found it, so I always clean very thoroughly throughout the moving process and immediately after all of our things are out. We've had more than one landlord say that they wished every apartment was that clean on move-out.
-
@yoursilverlining: I think they are leaving at the end of June, DH knows specific date. I'm leaning towards waiting till they move out, send in a cleaning crew and just suck up the fact we may not have tenants for a week or so. Personally, I'd rather show a clean home and get the full rent value then show a disgusting place and have people try and bargain down the price.
-
How is the market where you lived? I've never rented somewhere that wasn't a very high demand area. So even though I looked at filthy places, I couldn't have negotiated the rent down. I think we were one of twenty that applied for my last apartment!
I don't think there is much you could legally force him to do unless you had terms about showing it in the lease.
-
You mean, if it is being shown at a scheduled time to new renters and I am made aware? Then yes, I do my best! More motivation if I am breaking lease and responsible for getting someone in there. Buuut pretty much yes out of self respect really.
-
@jedeve: Last time it rented in 2 days and we had 5 offers.
-
Obligated? Maybe. We hated our jerk landlord (it took him FOREVER to fix anything... even stuff like shower leaking and causing mold... or the only light in the kitchen stopping working... ugh.) so I did not really care. I mean, we had a 6 month old and were packing when they were showing it, so I wasn't too worried about keeping it clean. Because I really wanted security deposit back though I was extremely polite about showing it. Only one showing while I lived there and they came WITHOUT their agent (???) and even though I absolutely hated living there I showed them around and pointed out all the good things. I really hope there are karma points in there for that.
Like others have said, unless it says in the lease that they 1) are required to show it and 2) it has to be in certain showing condition, there's not much you can do.
Do you have pictures of it in good condition? If so, I'd make sure those are available, show it, and hope you get the rent you should. If someone offers less, you don't have to take it- then you can do plan B and get it professionally cleaned and then rent it out in a week or so. It's worth at least trying. I too am understanding, I'm more concerned (especially now) with how the landlord is, than how the tenant who is leaving is.
That being said I think you should put in the next tenant's lease something about showing the place upon their notice, and their responsbility for keeping it "neat", although you might want to talk to someone about how to phrase it so that it's not you guys going back and forth over what is "neat"
-
We're going through this right now from the renter side, and it's really frustrating. Our initial lease term (2 year lease) is up and we are month to month, but our landlord is worried about renting it out at the time we're moving, so they have it advertised now even though our move is still 3 months away. Honestly, it's really hard to have it always look presentable when they give us little to no warning (like yesterday, we only knew they had shown the place when we found a business card on the table--no call, no text, nothing--and frankly the house was a disaster. I was sooo embarrassed).
I try to have the house generally okay, especially the kitchen, living room, & bathrooms. Beyond that, we're trying to slowly pack so there are sometimes boxes and piles of things we're sorting and we have little helpers that undo a lot of our cleaning. It's not uncommon for us to get a call at 2 that they want to show it at 3, so in those circumstances, my basic thought is they can suck it since we're both at work and they are not respectful enough to give us more than an hour warning in the middle of a week day.
Ughh...stepping off my soap box now.
-
@Mrs. Blue: I'm with you.
My previous landlord would show our unit without notice even though by law we were required 24 hours notice. If they can't bother to notify me of a showing I'm not going to go out of my way to make sure it's spotless.
I think if I've been shown respect I will cooperate and keep things nice. If I'm woken up while recovering from surgery (yup ) with potential tenants banging on my door I'll be less than friendly.If I were you I'd wait the week and show it empty.
-
@Mrs. Blue: that's illegal!!
Once my landlord came in to the apartment without giving me notice (even though I had asked him earlier if he could fix our toilet). He said he would come at 5:30 and came at 2 instead. I was at work and had left my underwear on the bathroom floor. So embarrassed!
-
@jedeve: I know, but practically, what are you going to do about it, ya know?!
-
yes, we always clean and scrub and purge before our landlords show the apts we've lived in. it helps to get the place rented faster, and therefore I only have to get it 'all cleaned up' a handful of times
-
We've never been asked to show our apartment. We probably only would need to show it if we were moving out. Our particular apartment in the building is a unique layout that only a few other apartments have.
-
I would, but it would be hard if your landlord is terrible! But I'd probably still do it out of principle.
-
Speaking of which, we just got a call that they want to show the house 2 hours from now . . .
-
I wouldn't feel obligated. I would keep it clean b/c I'm kinda a clean freak, but in general, no - I don't think a tenant has to keep it clean (unless there's a clause in their rental agreement which requires them to keep it presentable during the last month or something). While they're living there and paying rent, it's their place to keep as clean (or not clean) as they wish.
-
I wouldn't feel obligated to put in extra effort if I didn't like the landlord. I do think what you've described is disgusting and disrespectful though.
Do you have a realtor that shows potential renters the place? Can you just have them reiterate that you will have the place professionally cleaned prior to move-in (which I'm assuming would happen)?
-
@littlek: My Texas house is being shown this weekend, and I just assumed my renters would make sure everything is clean. They've been great renters though, so I think it will be okay.
I'm sorry your renters suck. That is my nightmare. knock on wood.
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
40 comments