Over my years in property management, I have found that having departing residents leave the property in good and clean condition is a matter of education and instruction.
I actually have a 2-page check out letter that expounds on cleaning instructions that are contained in the resident handbook that they got when they signed their lease.
In my check-out letter, I provide the names of my PREFERRED vendors for house cleaners, carpet cleaners and yard services.
....so when a resident of 2 years tells me that he 1) cleaned the carpet himself; and 2) that he used "a more affordable cleaning service that GUARANTEES their work".... I have to scratch my short blond hair with my French manicured nails.
What part of PROFESSIONAL cleaning don't you understand? Unless the carpet is cleaned by a TRUCK MOUNTED system, it is not PROFESSIONAL. A personal or store rented extraction carpet cleaning machine may be OK for spot cleaning or routine cleaning in heavy traffic areas; however, the carpet in the house was NEW when these residents moved in so any dirt is theirs' and to make sure it is CLEAN for the next residents, it needs to be PROFESSIONALLY cleaned.
When I asked about the house cleaning, I was advised that he used a service that provided a GUARANTEE. Since the residents will be 500 miles away when I determine what that GUARANTEE is worth, it is REALLY worthless.
If there are issues, I will have MY cleaning services go back in and clean the home per the guidelines in the resident handbook and I will take their cleaning charge out of the departed teants' security deposit.....additionally, I will charge my 20% service charge for organizing this per the terms of their lease.
....so what GOOD is a GUARANTEE to a tenant who is 500 miles away and who NO LONGER HAS ACCESS to the PROPERTY?
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