Handover Of Premises, What Should You Do?

A handover of premises typically happens at the end of the lease period or by mutual agreement with the landlord. Most tenancy agreements include a cursory clause with regard to the handover of premises at the end of the lease but do not explicitly state the conditions in which the landlord expects the premises to be in. Resultingly, this has been a source of litigation over the years. This article will lay out how tenants should protect themselves so as to safeguard themselves and their security deposits when handing over the premises.

Check the Clauses in the Tenancy Agreement

The key to a smooth handover is good preparation! Tenants should look over their original inventory or schedule of conditions and aim to restore the premises to said state. Tenants are generally not under any obligation to ‘improve’ the property; most handover clauses also provide that the property can be expected to suffer from reasonable wear and tear, which tenants will not need to rectify.

Fair Wear & Tear or Repair?

Most disputes arise due to the state in which the premises is in. It is therefore advisable that tenants do a deep clean of the home before handing over the property so that they are not hit by a professional cleaning bill of onerous amounts by their landlords later down the road. Any fixtures provided by the landlord should also be returned in good working condition, given that they were handed over to the tenant in a similar state. Tenants should also make minor repairs where possible as they may be later on be billed for a pricey repair job by a fussy landlord. Many tenants and landlords also differ on what constitutes “reasonable wear and tear”, and making fixes wherever possible can go a long way in helping to avoid a situation where your landlord accuses you of not properly taking care of the rental property. Tenants should also make sure to leave the property completely empty of whatever personal belongings that may belong to them. Even if you might think it can come in handy to the next tenant, errant landlords looking to make a quick buck can charge exorbitant disposal fees to a well-meaning tenant. It is therefore important to make sure that any personal belongings have been removed from the premises.

Joint Inspection of the Premise

It is also advisable for tenants to arrange for a joint inspection with their landlord approximately two weeks before the contractual move-out date. Tenants should ask their landlord to point out any damages they see so that they have a chance to rectify them before the move-out date. This will allow tenants to minimise the chances of any security deposit deductions due to pricey repair costs arranged for by their landlords.