# Tenants moving out



## Newby1983 (Apr 9, 2015)

Hi everyone. My 3 yr tenants are moving out June 1. My first transition so any input from experienced people on this forum would be appreciated. 

1. Current tenants are messy. If I showed the place now would good prospective tenants be turned off? Would rent price be affected? How do I entice current tenants to clean up? 

2. Should I wait till current tenants are out before showing? I'd lose 2 months rent but could paint, do some minor repairs and possibly get a better tenant and higher rent. (mind you I could probably do repairs now while current tenants are in place). 

Any thoughts are appreciated.


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## Davis (Nov 11, 2014)

My experience, which was in the 1990s in Ottawa, was that prospective tenants would not be willing to believe my promises to clean, paint, fix, when they were also looking at apartments that had already been fixed up. You might be able to get away with it in a very tight rental market, but it may also impact the sort of tenants you get. You probably don't want to attract people who aren't bothered by the mess. It hurts to eat two months rent, but it may be the only way.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Personally, I tend to always wait for the tenants to actually leave before advertising the place. Too many issues can arise sat minute and I didn't want the stress when I started. 

If the tenants were really bad, you should have the damage deposit to help offset the repairs and lost rent.

My real question is, why is it going to take you two months to repair?

I don't know about you, but to do a complete gut and redo of an interior only takes about 2 weeks, repairs should be much faster. You should have the place rented by the end of the month.


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## Newby1983 (Apr 9, 2015)

Just a Guy said:


> Personally, I tend to always wait for the tenants to actually leave before advertising the place. Too many issues can arise sat minute and I didn't want the stress when I started.
> 
> If the tenants were really bad, you should have the damage deposit to help offset the repairs and lost rent.
> 
> ...


No damage just untidy. I was under impression damage deposit was illegal? If you do this how much do you charge? 

The two months is not for repair, but I assumed if I waited for current tenants to move out before showing the place, responsible and decent tenants will need 2 months from then to notify their existing landlord. Unless particular circumstance, the place would be unoccupied for 2 months.


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## Davis (Nov 11, 2014)

Newby1983 said:


> No damage just untidy. I was under impression damage deposit was illegal? If you do this how much do you charge?
> 
> The two months is not for repair, but I assumed if I waited for current tenants to move out before showing the place, responsible and decent tenants will need 2 months from then to notify their existing landlord. Unless particular circumstance, the place would be unoccupied for 2 months.


Damage deposits per se are illegal in Ontario. 

There are lots of people looking for earlier occupancy for legitimate reasons -- people moving to the city, people leaving room-mates, people whose leases have ended and are not being renewed (e.g., the landlord is moving in). 

If it is just clean up, then take a weekend to clean it, then start advertising and you may have someone in by the end of the month. This would save you enough money to hire a cleaner to do the work for you in a day.


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## Mortgage u/w (Feb 6, 2014)

If your current tenants are just simply not tidy, ie: clothes lying around, then I wouldn't wait to rent. I think most people can see through that as long as the overall apt is maintained in good shape. Your job is to sell the apt for its commodities. If cleaning is an issue, include in your new lease that a one-time cleaning service will be provided before move-in.

If repairs are needed or maintenance required which a cleaning won't solve, then you need to get that solved prior. Do the work while your tenant is still there....hopefully they start packing and the mess will take care of itself!


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Newby1983 said:


> No damage just untidy. I was under impression damage deposit was illegal? If you do this how much do you charge?


Yes, in Ontario you can't ask a damage deposit anymore...you used to. Other provinces still have them. It's one of the reasons I've got managers to keep track of all the different rules. 

If it's just messy, arrange for cleaners to come in the day after they leave and start advertising. Many tenants give notice and start looking, if they look in the first week for the next month, that can be fairly typical...looking in the last week for the following month can require extra careful screening. However, you can also rent starting mid-month, I do this quite often and write the lease to be 12.5 months or something to get things back to normal. With mid-month, lots of people like it as it gives them two weeks to move.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

Could you offer them an incentive to help you rent the place? Like pay them $100 if you rent the place before they leave, provided they clean the place up and have it looking nice when you show it?

When I had a house or apartment for rent I would schedule all showings for 7 o'clock Wednesday evening or 10 Saturday morning. If you do this it is less of a hassle for you and the tenants and they know in advance especially if you phone ahead of time.

It is simple to arrange, if someone is interested in viewing ask if they prefer 7 Wednesday or 10 Saturday


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## Newby1983 (Apr 9, 2015)

I was there yesterday and I think they're hopeless. Tenant said they tidied up but it looks more cluttered than before. Sons girlfriends dad was moving out of his place and is storing some crap in my property's kitchen. 

Ahh this is funny. I've decided to show it and monitor quality of tenants if poor than I'll wait till they leave.


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## Berubeland (Sep 6, 2009)

Hi Newby, 

That's what I've found myself. People are either clean or not. I would suggest wait, the only people who will rent a dirty place...are themselves dirty. Otherwise you are just wasting your damn time.


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## Newby1983 (Apr 9, 2015)

Berubeland said:


> Hi Newby,
> 
> That's what I've found myself. People are either clean or not. I would suggest wait, the only people who will rent a dirty place...are themselves dirty. Otherwise you are just wasting your damn time.


Thanks Berubeland. I Am going through a leasing agent so his suggestion was to show it and we'll keep an eye out on the quality of prospects coming through. He suggested if they're not good we'll wait till tenants move out, do some minor upgrades and clean it up. Area im in has extremely low vacancy and nothing available in my area. I'm a neat freak but I don't mind messy tenants as long as they don't break things.


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

Another reason for waiting to rent is the risk (perhaps small) that the present tenants will overhold. Maybe they cannot get into their new place. Meanwhile, you have contractually bound yourself to give vacant possession to new tenants, who are now seeking compensation for your inability to deliver.


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## coptzr (Jan 18, 2013)

Be glad your tenants will leave when they say they will. You will learn to have a list of go-to guys for quick and cheap refresh such as carpet, paint, locks, fixtures and cleaners. Get them out, 1-2wk turn around than throw it back on the market. I grew up around this stuff and personally have a hate for it.


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## AlMansur (Jan 25, 2016)

In my experience, most tenants are just too busy or lazy to keep tidy. Even when they vacate, they do not tidy up. 
The same tenant's when moving in will expect everything to be in immaculate condition. Normally, the Lease will have a term to handover in the same condition when they leave, but only a small minority would handover in the same condition. 
Rather than getting in a dispute with tenants, just let them vacate and get someone to clean-up and do any repairs before making it available for rent again within a week or two. 
After a few years, it becomes necessary to paint again.


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