Free Property Management Cleaning Checklist (PDF, Excel, Google Sheets)

0:00 – Welcome to the ultimate cleaning and maintenance checklist 0:02 for apartments, houses, offices, and any type of unit. 0:08 This checklist was written by property managers 0:10 for property managers, landlords, owners, and investors. 0:13 So whether this is your first rental unit 0:15 or you have thousands with a property management company, 0:17 this checklist will ensure you never forget a thing 0:19 when making your units move in ready for the next tenant. 0:21 Even before the tenant moves out and the lease expires, 0:23 you need to start working on your apartment turnover 0:26 cleaning and maintenance checklist. 0:27 It’s really important to make a plan and template 0:29 before diving in without any direction. 0:31 The second the tenant’s lease is up, 0:32 you wanna be ready to go with your clipboard 0:34 and your checklist template in hand. 0:36 So when you’re doing your walkthrough of the unit 0:38 you must look for all potential issues, 0:39 note them down and start working on them, 0:41 or charge your previous tenant. 0:43 Once done with all the repairs, maintenance, and cleaning, 0:45 and hopefully there won’t be too many, 0:46 then you can officially hand over the keys 0:48 to the next tenant. 0:49 And this is what defines an apartment turnover. 0:51 So the first step is you’re gonna wanna download Download checklist 0:53 the Make Ready Apartment Turnover Checklist. 0:55 It’s linked down in the description 0:57 so just go download it real quick. 0:58 And don’t think that’s all you need and you should 0:59 stop watching the video because the rest of the video 1:01 is gonna explain how to use it and go into further detail. 1:04 So, I’ll carry on. Inspect 1:05 So the first task you’re gonna do is inspect the apartment 1:08 from a tenant’s point of view. 1:09 As soon as you step foot in the apartment, 1:11 look for anything that sticks out and anything 1:13 out of ordinary that catches your eye 1:14 and will catch another tenant’s eye. 1:16 This is probably a good time to mention that you need to 1:18 determine if you’re gonna charge your tenants 1:19 for normal wear and tear for things out of their control. 1:21 Starting with the ceiling, check for any cracks or leaks. 1:24 You wanna focus on any cracks in the walls 1:26 as water will seep out and cause further erosion. 1:28 Also, look for any broken lights or ceiling fans 1:30 that may need an electrician. 1:32 Make sure all switches and remotes work, 1:33 including TVs and sound systems if you have them 1:36 in the property. 1:37 Assess the water pipes, faucets, and toilets for any damage 1:39 or leaks that may require a professional plumber 1:41 or plumbing company. 1:42 Check all the window shades, curtains, 1:44 and blinds to see if they’re broken or missing, 1:46 and if they can still be opened and closed. 1:48 Look for any rotten furniture or wooden items 1:50 that need to be repaired or replaced. 1:52 Check the condition of the garden and lawn, if applicable. 1:55 Inspect the walls and ceilings for anywhere 1:56 that needs repainting. 1:57 Minor scuffs can usually be removed 1:59 with like a Mr. Clean magic eraser. 2:01 And make sure the floors and carpets are not damaged. 2:03 Check inside the cabinets or on top of the counters 2:06 for any bugs or bug droppings that can be an infestation 2:08 of ants, flies or worse, termites. Remove Belongings 2:11 Next, remove the belongings. 2:12 There’s a high probability that your previous tenants 2:14 left some of their belongings behind. 2:16 So first, decide how much you’ll charge them for leaving 2:18 anything unless it adds value to your future tenants. 2:20 And please, before discarding anything in the trash, 2:22 check your state laws to see if anything needs to be 2:24 done beforehand. 2:25 Here’s what you can do with those items. 2:27 Make a complete list of all the items, 2:28 that you have a record of it. 2:29 Take special care of any fragile items 2:31 that you might wanna save or sell. 2:33 Notify the tenants in writing on how and where 2:35 to reclaim their belongings and the cost. 2:37 Give a deadline to collect their possessions, 2:39 and be clear in the case of non-compliance 2:41 or their belongings will be legally abandoned 2:43 and they will be responsible for the cost of removal. 2:46 Usually taken out of their security deposit. 2:48 Now if you’re still unsure on what to do 2:49 or if the tenant hasn’t responded, 2:50 I would definitely consult a lawyer. 2:52 Next step is to repair damages. Repair Damages 2:54 If you don’t have a dedicated handyman, 2:55 you can probably do some basic repairs yourself, 2:57 like fixing leaky faucets, clogged toilets, 3:00 stuck windows, ceiling joints, or seams against leaks. 3:03 Just search on Google or YouTube and you’ll find a ton 3:05 of DUI tutorials for these basic repairs 3:07 and they will also save you some money. 3:09 Some other examples include replacing the air filters. 3:11 Make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms 3:13 are working properly. 3:14 Clean the carpet stains or removing odors, 3:17 tighten any loose screws or cables, assess for leaks, 3:19 and replace batteries and remotes or other devices. Painting 3:22 Next up is painting. 3:23 Now that all the damages are repaired, 3:24 you wanna pay attention to the walls. 3:26 Make sure to deal with any holes, scrapes, discoloration, 3:29 burn marks, chipping, or any other issues 3:31 that need repaired. 3:31 Once again, a Mr. Clean’s magic eraser can handle 3:34 most wall stains. 3:35 For anything more, you may need to do some minor or major 3:38 hopefully not, painting, especially if you need to fix holes 3:40 or dents in a wall with plaster or joint compound. 3:43 Lastly, make sure to choose the exact same type 3:45 of paint finish including the same color code, 3:47 manufacturer, and sheen. 3:49 Please don’t learn the hard way 3:50 by walking into Sherwin Williams and being presented 3:52 with a hundred different versions of white. 3:54 Every color can come in different sheens and glossiness 3:57 like stain, eggshell, flat, matte, and so many more. 4:00 So make sure that you are matching the correct color. 4:02 If you don’t know your correct color, 4:03 what you can do is chip out a small piece of the wall. 4:06 An inch by one inch should be fine, 4:08 and then you can bring that to Home Depot 4:09 and they’ll color match it for you. 4:10 I have literally done this a million times. 4:12 They have this like nice little special machine 4:14 that can identify the exact match. Replace or Repair Appliances 4:16 Now on to replacing or repairing appliances. 4:18 It is really time to replace any damaged 4:20 or out of date appliances. 4:22 If you’re using a property management software 4:23 or inventory slash appliance tracking system, 4:26 you should keep all the following details in every appliance 4:29 in every unit. 4:29 The make, model, and series number, 4:31 the date purchased, and the cost, when the warranty expires, 4:34 when it was last serviced, and by whom. 4:36 And remember not to throw appliances out right away. 4:38 If you purchase a new appliance by Best Buy or Home Depot, 4:40 for example, they may even haul your old appliances 4:43 out free of charge, and that would be really convenient. 4:45 Your appliance checklist is as follows, 4:47 check all the appliances to make sure 4:48 they’re working properly. 4:49 Turn on the stoves, microwaves, ovens, dishwashers, dryers, 4:52 laundry machines, refrigerators, 4:54 ice machines in the freezer, literally, everything. 4:56 And fix any appliances if they’re broken. 4:58 And of course, make sure to replace them 4:59 if they are not functioning at all or if the cost to repair 5:02 is greater than the cost to replace. Cleaning 5:04 All right, y’all, do not forget cleaning. 5:06 So according to the research published 5:07 in the Journal of Economic Entomology, 5:09 in a sample testing building, 101 of 223 apartments 5:13 were infested with bedbugs, that is 45%. 5:16 So after repairing or replacing all the appliances, 5:19 the next step is to wash and scrub 5:20 the whole apartment thoroughly. 5:22 From kitchen to every bathroom in the apartment, 5:25 from every cabinet to every door. 5:26 Scrub all the walls, floors, ceilings, sinks, and counters. 5:29 Ensure that our rental is pest free before anyone moves in. 5:32 Please wash all the carpet, and the drying time 5:34 for carpets can vary between two and 24 hours, 5:36 depending on ventilation in the room, 5:38 humidity, and the materials used. 5:39 So make sure that there are no lingering smells left behind. 5:42 Now that you’re done with all the cleaning 5:43 there’s just one step left before bringing in 5:45 the new residents, which is mew locks. New Locks 5:48 This could either be step seven or step two. 5:50 I personally would get it done right away, 5:52 as soon as the last tenants move out. 5:54 For the safety of your new residents, 5:55 you definitely wanna change locks and get new keys 5:58 because you never know if your previous renters 6:00 kept a copy of the keys. 6:01 And remember to make a copy of the keys 6:03 for yourself as well. 6:04 Might come in handy in case of an emergency. 6:05 Little side note, I personally locked myself 6:08 out of my apartment three times at the same place 6:10 with the same landlord, and he came to rescue me 6:12 all three times. 6:13 So make sure you have an extra key. 6:14 Another great option is to find a key.me kiosk near you 6:17 that allows you to create copies of your keys instantly. 6:19 And even save them digitally for future copying. 6:21 You can find them at some Bed Bath and Beyond, 6:23 7-Elevens, or Home Depots. 6:25 And if you wanna get really fancy, 6:26 consider a smart door lock. 6:28 Besides being another modern technological benefit 6:30 you can offer your tenant, 6:31 they’re even more benefits that might not be so obvious 6:33 until you own a smart door lock yourself. 6:35 So here’s some of the benefits. 6:36 It allows you to easily change the codes 6:38 for the next tenant for greater security. 6:40 They’ll never lose or need to pay for a replacement key. 6:42 They’ll never get locked outta their apartment. 6:44 They can create guest codes for visitors or vendors 6:46 like cleaning, exterminators, pet walkers, babysitters, 6:49 the list goes on. 6:50 You might wanna consider getting a smart lock 6:51 that also has an option to use a physical key 6:53 in case the lock doesn’t work properly 6:55 or in case they forget the code or the battery dies. 6:58 This has also happened to me. 7:00 Also, just a side note that certain religions 7:02 also cannot use electricity or operate a smart lock 7:05 on certain holidays. 7:06 So you’ll wanna have an actual key in case 7:08 of that situation. Final Step 7:09 And the final step, once everything has been completed, 7:12 take pictures and videos of the entire apartment 7:14 as reference for when your next tenant moves in. 7:17 Whenever they move out you can use these pictures and videos 7:19 to show them proof of any damages. 7:21 And now it is time to hand over the keys. Conclusion 7:24 Anyway, remember to download the checklist 7:25 down in the description. 7:27 If this video helped you out, 7:28 make sure to give it a thumbs up, subscribe, 7:29 and I will see you in the next one. 7:31 Bye.