By / Troy Said

Tips for Fast & Fuss-Free Bond Refunds

Assuming you completed the entry condition report diligently in the beginning of your lease agreement, getting your bond refunded after interstate removalists have moved your contents should be easy, right? Not always. Fortunately there are government bodies in place to protect the rights of renters when it comes to altercations with landlords, but you can reduce the risk of a disagreement by following some simple precautionary steps:

Take entry condition reports seriously: prevention is better than cute! Many people assume that landlords will find a way to withhold bond money no matter what, and therefore pay little or no attention to entry condition reports. Be warned – this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy! Make the time in the beginning to take photos and note any small, seemingly insignificant discrepancies on the form. Even though these reports accommodate for general wear and tear, this can be a contentious definition at the end of a tenancy.

Ensure you have cleaned the property to a ‘reasonable’ degree: the definition of reasonable includes vacuuming, wiping surfaces and removing all items from the property. Depending on the setup of your house, the following list of cleaning products is a good place to start: bleach, gumption, multi-purpose spray and wipe, Easy Off oven cleaner, white vinegar, abrasive cleaning sponges, mop and bucket, steel sponges, micro fibre cloths and Kleen stainless steel polish.

Hire a cleaner: if you’re notoriously lazy, or just generally exhausted after packing and arranging cheap interstate removalists Sydney, it might be a better option to hire a cleaner – but not just any cleaner! Every real estate agent has their own preferred cleaning company who specialises in end of lease cleaning. Using their chosen company will reduce the likelihood of the agent arriving a few hours before you leave, telling you to return to the house to wipe down walls!

Unless you have ample time to clean your rental property properly, hiring a cleaner so you can focus on organising interstate removalists, mail redirections and utility disconnections may pay off in the end. Besides which, if you’ve hired cheap interstate removalists Sydney, you’ll have a few dollars left over to invest in cleaning, which will ensure your bond is returned in full!