Table of Contents

Feeling stressed about your move?

We know moving comes with a laundry list of different responsibilities; we've created these checklists to give you a simple reference point for the responsibilities on your plate. If after reading through the information below you still have questions, please call us: (410) 332-4432

Move-in Checklist

Congratulations on your acceptance into an UTZ Property Management home! We hope you'll have a great stay with us. Start your tenancy off right by following the details below.

First Month's Rent & Security Deposit

Your first month's rent check, security deposit, and any other fees owed should be paid at the lease signing. Be sure to confirm the amount in advance to avoid any problems.

Move-in Date & Inspection

We will schedule your official move-in date and provide any necessary inspection information at the lease signing.

Utilities

Please quickly place all of your rental home's utility accounts in your name. If you fail to do this after moving into your rental, you will lose access to utility service. You will be responsible for any fees associated with restoring access to the property.

Complete Move-In Inspections

Move-out Checklist

We're always sad to say goodbye to great tenants, but we hope you had a great time staying with us. Don't leave a single stone unturned; instead, be sure to take care of the following:

Notice of Intent to Vacate

All tenants need to provide written notice of intent to vacate. Refer to the terms and conditions of your lease to determine your agreed move-out date.

Property Condition

Your rental needs to be returned to its original condition before you turn in the keys. This includes:

  • Rental Cleaning: Properly clean your rental property, taking the time to sweep/mop all floors, wipe down hard surfaces, and sanitize the bathrooms. You also need to remove your belongings from the home.
  • Landscaping & Outdoor Areas: If you have an outdoor space where you generally mow, weed, please take care of these maintenance tasks once more before moving.
  • Repairs: If damage occurred during your stay, you'll need to repair these issues or find an amicable solution with our team.

Home Cleaning and Maintenance Checklist

ENTIRE PREMISES:

  • Sweep, clean/scrub and rinse all non-carpeted floors, wipe down hard surfaces
  • Remove all light fixtures, clean and replace burnt out light bulbs, and put fixtures back in place
  • Dust, wash and rinse all dirt, grime, and marks from all baseboards
  • Clean all light switch plate covers, electrical outlets, door jambs, and thresholds
  • Remove all personal property, food, cleaning supplies and products, etc.

KITCHEN/DINING ROOM:

  • Move the refrigerator away from the wall
  • Clean grease and grime off the wall behind the refrigerator
  • Scrub and mop floor where refrigerator normally stands
  • Clean all sides and top of the refrigerator. This includes vacuuming components underneath
  • Move the refrigerator back to its original place
  • Defrost the freezer and clean
  • Remove and clean all shelves and crispers
  • Clean the inside of the refrigerator and seal before replacing the shelves and crispers

STOVE, MICROWAVE, DISHWASHER:

  • Remove grease and grime from walls and cabinet sides and behind stove
  • Scrub and mop the floor where the stove normally stands
  • Move the stove back to its original placement
  • Remove grease and grime from the microwave (inside and outside) and range hood
  • Clean range top, front and doors. Remove grease and grime from the oven, racks, broiler and drawer
  • Clean inside and outside of dishwasher, including door edges

CUPBOARDS, DRAWERS, and COUNTERS:

  • Remove all food, debris and grease particles from all surfaces. Wash and rinse all shelves and drawers
  • Clean all cabinetries including fronts, inside and outside. Clean all countertops, edges and underneath

BATHROOMS:

  • Remove soap scum and stains from tub, fixtures and shower rod
  • Clean and shine wall tiles around tub areas
  • Scour sink and soap holder
  • Clean vanity cabinet inside and outside, including doors
  • Clean the inside and outside of medicine cabinet and cabinet door (including mirror)
  • Disinfect, scrub and remove stains from the inside and outside of the toilet
  • Clean line closet/shelves and both sides of the door
  • Scrub and mop bathroom floor, making sure to remove dirt

BEDROOMS/HALLWAYS/LIVING ROOM:

  • Clean closet shelves, rods, tracks, casing and both sides of doors
  • Clean both sides of all doors, including casings
  • Vacuum all carpets
  • Vacuum all floor heat vents (registers)
  • Scrub and mop all vinyl or tiled areas

GARAGE, GROUNDS, MISC:

  • Remove all debris, dust, sweep, remove oil stains, etc.
  • Remove all personal property
  • Ensure yard is maintained as per the Landscape and Exterior Maintenance section of lease

CARPET CLEANING:

  • Carpets must be professionally cleaned upon move out.
  • If pets resided in the property, there is a mandatory pet treatment assessed to all carpet areas, and should clearly be reflected on the invoice
  • Call UTZ PM for a recommendation on a carpet cleaner. If you hire a different company, they must guarantee their work to the satisfaction of UTZ PM. A receipt is required during the walk-through inspection.
  • Provide a copy of carpet cleaning invoice to UTZ PM.
  • UTZ PM will not reimburse for any carpet cleaning contracted by tenants.

Draperies/window coverings/windows

  • Do NOT wash draperies.
  • You are not expected to dry clean draperies unless you have caused excessive soil or allowed water damage from open windows. Draperies with water stains could require replacement. Discuss this with your management team. If you have not been using the draperies provided and/or have kept them in good condition, cleaning is not required
  • Clean all windows inside and out.
  • Ensure all blinds and window coverings are dusted and free of any debris or dust. Do not use harsh chemicals.
  • Clean window sills, frames, tracks, casing and inside of glass. Inside glass should be free from smudges, fingerprints, stickers, grime, etc.

Replacements

  • The following items must be present and operational to avoid charges when moving out:
  • Light bulbs – proper wattage and matching bulbs within fixtures
  • Smoke detector batteries
  • Doorstops
  • Furnace filters - change the filter just before you vacate the property

Landscape clean-up

  • The outside area is to be neatly mowed, trimmed, pruned, fertilized, and watered for outside areas that apply in your rental contract.
  • Remove all trash and debris, placing in the proper receptacles.
  • Remove grease or oil drips; dispose of motor oil properly – it does not belong in the garbage receptacles.
  • Pick up debris and animal feces on the exterior of the property and place them in the proper trash receptacles.

Trash

  • If you have trash that exceeds the normal pickup, you are to arrange removal at your expense.
  • Place all other trash within the appropriate trash receptacles for normal trash removal.
  • Do not overflow trash receptacles.

Painting

For minor touch-ups, the cost will be covered by the homeowner. However, if the wall damage is excessive (e.g., more than 10 small holes), UTZ PM reserves the right to pass through some of the expense for professional wall touch-ups. Should you prefer to handle the touch-up yourself, please ensure the work is completed professionally and is not noticeable from a distance of five feet or more. If you are not confident in your painting abilities, we recommend allowing UTZ's preferred vendor to manage the touch-up to ensure optimal results.

Security Deposit

The security deposit serves as a protection against any damage that could occur during your stay. After you move, we'll conduct our final inspection to check for damage. If we identify any damage, we'll schedule repairs and deduct the costs for these repairs from the deposit.

We will return the deposit within 45 days, in accordance with Maryland tenant-landlord law.