Move-Out
Pre-departure Inspections:
With an appointment, we will inspect your apartment in your presence before your departure. It is not mandatory, but it is recommended. The primary intention of the inspection is to identify missed cleaning items to afford you the opportunity to clean them. Therefore, you must be fully packed and have the house cleaned prior to a pre-departure inspection.
To schedule appointments call the office at 217-351-8900. Inspections are only done during normal maintenance business hours and are not offered after the lease expiration date. (8 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday)
Please have your apartment completely clean and ready for inspection with all personal belongings packaged for move-out. An apartment may only be inspected one time.
*Your pre-departure inspection does not convey any guarantee that certain cleaning charges will not apply.
The inspection will take about 15 minutes and are scheduled twenty minutes on the hour. (i.e. 10:00, 10:20, 10:40, etc.)
Key Returns:
Please lock up your apartment and return all keys to the office at 901 S. First St by 1pm, the day your lease ends. If you mail them, you need to priority mail them in a bubble wrap envelope so they arrive on or before your lease end date
We will check your keys in at the 901 S. First Office.
If you depart when the office is not open (9am to 5pm), there is a key drop slot at the 901 S. First office. Please place your keys in a sealed envelope with your name and apartment information.
For the safety of our future tenants, we must re-key locks when keys have been lost or not turned in. This expense will come out of your security deposit. We do not accept duplicated keys for obvious security reasons.
Security Deposit Refunds:
Your final account and security deposit statement will be mailed to you within 30 days from the day your apartment lease has ended and the property has been vacated by all Lessees.
Under no circumstance will your security deposit refund take longer than 45 days to fully process.
The security deposit statement will be issued to the person designated on your lease. That person is then responsible for distributing out the deposit to the other people on the lease.
If you have questions or concerns about your final statement and security deposit refund you must contact us in writing. This policy allows us to gather information regarding your questions so that we may review the pictures and checklist with your letter, thoroughly and completely.
Utilities and Mail:
If the Ameren IP account is in your name, call and have your gas and electric service turned off the date your lease ends. The customer service number is 1-800-755-5000.
If you pay for your own cable service or if you ever checked out items from Comcast, disconnect and return your rented equipment. Comcast’s number is 1-800-266-2278 and their address is 303 Fairlawn Dr. in Urbana.
If the IL American Water account is in your name, call 1-800-422-2782 to close your account.
Please remember to change your mailing address; you may do so online at www.usps.com.
Independent Cleaning Services:
If you choose the option to use an outside cleaning service, we advise you to make arrangements with them as soon as possible. We recommend Maid to Perfection, but we cannot guarantee their work. Their number is 217-398-1881. If you set up cleaning with Maid to Perfection, please have them check out a key from our office. DO NOT GIVE THEM A KEY as this could affect your key check-out/check-in records. This is especially recommended if you do not have cleaning experience, or may not have the time to fully clean your residence.
Cleaning Highlights:
Please allow enough time to properly clean your apartment. It will take at least one full day. We will be fair but we are very comprehensive. We use a standardized invoicing procedure, which is attached. It is a great checklist and guideline as you clean your apartment. The following highlights are just that, they are not an exhaustive list of all cleaning requirements.
Even if you know the future tenants, you cannot leave any possessions on the property for them. They will be thrown away, and you will be billed for the removal. We recommend you contact friends or a local storage company for your storage needs.
Here are some recommended cleaning supplies:
- Soft Scrub or Comet.- Scrubbing sponges
- Paper towels
- Oven cleaner
- Cleaning bucket
- Bathroom tile mildew and soap scum cleaner
- White cotton towels
- Clorox
- Rubber gloves
- Broom
- Dust pan
- Toilet brush
- General purpose cleaner (Top Job/Pine Sol)
- Glass Cleaner
- Spray bottle(s) (Glass and General Purpose cleaner use)
Refrigerator:
- The door seals must be peeled open and cleaned.
- The ventilation grill on the bottom is often missed.
- The refrigerator interior must be completely disassembled to do a good job.
- The exterior top of the refrigerator must be cleaned.
- Always prop the door to the refrigerator open and shut off the refrigerator. If you fail to do so, leave, and the power is shut off we
will have to re clean the refrigerator.
Oven and Stove Top:
- If you have never cleaned a dirty oven you are in for a real experience. It takes a lot of time when done properly.
- You must raise the stovetop and clean the area under the burners.
- The broiler drawer should be removed to allow you to properly clean it and the space it occupies.
When using oven cleaner your efforts will be made easier if you allow the cleaner to work overnight or on a warm, not hot, oven. You must rinse the oven interior extensively with clear water to remove oven cleaner residual. We recommend paper towels for the first oven cleaner wipe out followed by a scrubbing sponge and finally a conventional sponge with frequently changed rinse water. You must get the oven cleaner residual out of the oven. It will look clean when wet but will dry with a film if you do not rinse adequately.
Kitchen Cabinets:
Cabinets should be cleaned inside and out with a grease effective soap. If exposed don’t forget the top of the cabinets they accumulate a lot of dirt and grease. Any contact paper you may have installed in the cabinets and any residual adhesive should be removed.
Bathrooms:
If you have a ceramic wall tile surrounding your shower, “Tilex” (or an equivalent) will remove any mold build up. If your shower is fiberglass, use only a mild abrasive cleaner such as “Soft Scrub”. Soap scum and mold on shower doors must be cleaned. “Soft Scrub” or a bathroom cleaning product especially intended for soap build up will be the most effective cleaners.
To clean a toilet you should first clean the inside of the bowl with a toilet brush or a scrubbing sponge with soft scrub or comet. Then spray the entire toilet with a general purpose cleaner like 409. Then wipe off excessive hair, urine, etc. with toilet paper and flush it. Now you can use a scrubbing sponge with comet or soft scrub on the same exterior area without contaminating your sponge. I know it is more than you wanted to know about cleaning a toilet but it is a good technique.
Please spend ample time on the mirror or medicine cabinet and bathroom vanity. Use glass cleaner after they are clean.
Miscellaneous:
All the venetian blinds and vertical blinds should be cleaned with warm soapy water.
When you vacuum you must move furniture so that you vacuum the entire floor area.
All of the dressers, desks, hard cover chairs, and tables must be cleaned. The cushions on the upholstered furniture should be removed and vacuumed or brushed out.
If your walls and baseboards are soiled, they should be washed with a very weak solution of “Top Job” (or an equivalent). Do not use colored sponges or colored towels as they will discolor the walls.
Vinyl flooring and ceramic tile are best cleaned using a hand scrubbing sponge and a dry towel or rag instead of a mop.
Tenant Damages:
Do not repair walls yourself. You will not be charged for small nail holes. Tape and adhesive fasteners are prohibited and you may be charged if damage has been caused by their use.
We will perform “touch up” painting resulting from the use of small nails or tacks. However, you will be charged the rate called for in your lease for repainting due to extraordinary wear and tear to the walls, or unclean scuffing of walls.
Inspection Sheet:
Please take time to read through the inspection sheet for your apartment building and use it for aid in the cleaning of your apartment. If your apartment does not have a specific checklist you may reference the Post Departure Checklist.
With an appointment, we will inspect your apartment in your presence before your departure. It is not mandatory, but it is recommended. The primary intention of the inspection is to identify missed cleaning items to afford you the opportunity to clean them. Therefore, you must be fully packed and have the house cleaned prior to a pre-departure inspection.
To schedule appointments call the office at 217-351-8900. Inspections are only done during normal maintenance business hours and are not offered after the lease expiration date. (8 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday)
Please have your apartment completely clean and ready for inspection with all personal belongings packaged for move-out. An apartment may only be inspected one time.
*Your pre-departure inspection does not convey any guarantee that certain cleaning charges will not apply.
The inspection will take about 15 minutes and are scheduled twenty minutes on the hour. (i.e. 10:00, 10:20, 10:40, etc.)
Key Returns:
Please lock up your apartment and return all keys to the office at 901 S. First St by 1pm, the day your lease ends. If you mail them, you need to priority mail them in a bubble wrap envelope so they arrive on or before your lease end date
We will check your keys in at the 901 S. First Office.
If you depart when the office is not open (9am to 5pm), there is a key drop slot at the 901 S. First office. Please place your keys in a sealed envelope with your name and apartment information.
For the safety of our future tenants, we must re-key locks when keys have been lost or not turned in. This expense will come out of your security deposit. We do not accept duplicated keys for obvious security reasons.
Security Deposit Refunds:
Your final account and security deposit statement will be mailed to you within 30 days from the day your apartment lease has ended and the property has been vacated by all Lessees.
Under no circumstance will your security deposit refund take longer than 45 days to fully process.
The security deposit statement will be issued to the person designated on your lease. That person is then responsible for distributing out the deposit to the other people on the lease.
If you have questions or concerns about your final statement and security deposit refund you must contact us in writing. This policy allows us to gather information regarding your questions so that we may review the pictures and checklist with your letter, thoroughly and completely.
Utilities and Mail:
If the Ameren IP account is in your name, call and have your gas and electric service turned off the date your lease ends. The customer service number is 1-800-755-5000.
If you pay for your own cable service or if you ever checked out items from Comcast, disconnect and return your rented equipment. Comcast’s number is 1-800-266-2278 and their address is 303 Fairlawn Dr. in Urbana.
If the IL American Water account is in your name, call 1-800-422-2782 to close your account.
Please remember to change your mailing address; you may do so online at www.usps.com.
Independent Cleaning Services:
If you choose the option to use an outside cleaning service, we advise you to make arrangements with them as soon as possible. We recommend Maid to Perfection, but we cannot guarantee their work. Their number is 217-398-1881. If you set up cleaning with Maid to Perfection, please have them check out a key from our office. DO NOT GIVE THEM A KEY as this could affect your key check-out/check-in records. This is especially recommended if you do not have cleaning experience, or may not have the time to fully clean your residence.
Cleaning Highlights:
Please allow enough time to properly clean your apartment. It will take at least one full day. We will be fair but we are very comprehensive. We use a standardized invoicing procedure, which is attached. It is a great checklist and guideline as you clean your apartment. The following highlights are just that, they are not an exhaustive list of all cleaning requirements.
Even if you know the future tenants, you cannot leave any possessions on the property for them. They will be thrown away, and you will be billed for the removal. We recommend you contact friends or a local storage company for your storage needs.
Here are some recommended cleaning supplies:
- Soft Scrub or Comet.- Scrubbing sponges
- Paper towels
- Oven cleaner
- Cleaning bucket
- Bathroom tile mildew and soap scum cleaner
- White cotton towels
- Clorox
- Rubber gloves
- Broom
- Dust pan
- Toilet brush
- General purpose cleaner (Top Job/Pine Sol)
- Glass Cleaner
- Spray bottle(s) (Glass and General Purpose cleaner use)
Refrigerator:
- The door seals must be peeled open and cleaned.
- The ventilation grill on the bottom is often missed.
- The refrigerator interior must be completely disassembled to do a good job.
- The exterior top of the refrigerator must be cleaned.
- Always prop the door to the refrigerator open and shut off the refrigerator. If you fail to do so, leave, and the power is shut off we
will have to re clean the refrigerator.
Oven and Stove Top:
- If you have never cleaned a dirty oven you are in for a real experience. It takes a lot of time when done properly.
- You must raise the stovetop and clean the area under the burners.
- The broiler drawer should be removed to allow you to properly clean it and the space it occupies.
When using oven cleaner your efforts will be made easier if you allow the cleaner to work overnight or on a warm, not hot, oven. You must rinse the oven interior extensively with clear water to remove oven cleaner residual. We recommend paper towels for the first oven cleaner wipe out followed by a scrubbing sponge and finally a conventional sponge with frequently changed rinse water. You must get the oven cleaner residual out of the oven. It will look clean when wet but will dry with a film if you do not rinse adequately.
Kitchen Cabinets:
Cabinets should be cleaned inside and out with a grease effective soap. If exposed don’t forget the top of the cabinets they accumulate a lot of dirt and grease. Any contact paper you may have installed in the cabinets and any residual adhesive should be removed.
Bathrooms:
If you have a ceramic wall tile surrounding your shower, “Tilex” (or an equivalent) will remove any mold build up. If your shower is fiberglass, use only a mild abrasive cleaner such as “Soft Scrub”. Soap scum and mold on shower doors must be cleaned. “Soft Scrub” or a bathroom cleaning product especially intended for soap build up will be the most effective cleaners.
To clean a toilet you should first clean the inside of the bowl with a toilet brush or a scrubbing sponge with soft scrub or comet. Then spray the entire toilet with a general purpose cleaner like 409. Then wipe off excessive hair, urine, etc. with toilet paper and flush it. Now you can use a scrubbing sponge with comet or soft scrub on the same exterior area without contaminating your sponge. I know it is more than you wanted to know about cleaning a toilet but it is a good technique.
Please spend ample time on the mirror or medicine cabinet and bathroom vanity. Use glass cleaner after they are clean.
Miscellaneous:
All the venetian blinds and vertical blinds should be cleaned with warm soapy water.
When you vacuum you must move furniture so that you vacuum the entire floor area.
All of the dressers, desks, hard cover chairs, and tables must be cleaned. The cushions on the upholstered furniture should be removed and vacuumed or brushed out.
If your walls and baseboards are soiled, they should be washed with a very weak solution of “Top Job” (or an equivalent). Do not use colored sponges or colored towels as they will discolor the walls.
Vinyl flooring and ceramic tile are best cleaned using a hand scrubbing sponge and a dry towel or rag instead of a mop.
Tenant Damages:
Do not repair walls yourself. You will not be charged for small nail holes. Tape and adhesive fasteners are prohibited and you may be charged if damage has been caused by their use.
We will perform “touch up” painting resulting from the use of small nails or tacks. However, you will be charged the rate called for in your lease for repainting due to extraordinary wear and tear to the walls, or unclean scuffing of walls.
Inspection Sheet:
Please take time to read through the inspection sheet for your apartment building and use it for aid in the cleaning of your apartment. If your apartment does not have a specific checklist you may reference the Post Departure Checklist.
