Procedure for customer moving out

LADYLIFT1

I'm wondering what your process is for a customer moving out.?
Do they have to email?
Does the moveout have to be in writing?
Maybe 5 day notice?

Most of the time I find out they moved out, when I call asking for a payment.

MamaDuke7

I don't require any notice.  We walk the property daily checking for units with no locks, so we usually catch them right away.

I worked at 2 properties that required a 10-day notice and didn't prorate out.  Not only that, they HAD to come in the office and sign a move out notice.  That really left a bad taste and closed the door to possibly re-renting in the future.  I prefer to leave on a good note!

LADYLIFT1

Yes I agree

ESS

We ask for 10 days notice, but know that's not possible sometimes so we ask they just let us know before the 1st. It does need to be in an email or signature that states they are vacating. We not only do this because we use the automatic AP feature in SL and would have to issue refunds (voids) if they vacated the night before...but I have had tenants clear out their units, take their lock off, and were not done with the unit for several more months. I will even accept a vacate notice via text, just something in writing as proof to go with our paperwork and state laws.

themage

We ask for 7 days, but as long as we know before the next months payment, there is usually no issue. We also visually check each unit for locks before the office closes each day. We have had tenants on autopay that moved out and left their lock on the unit, then called us months later to find out why we were still billing them.

teamcapitola

We also ask for 7 days notice (our lease "requires" 7 days notice in writing) but in practice not we are not so draconian. We rent by anniversary date so sometimes people are confused about their actual billing cycle.

As long as we are called/emailed/ or spoken to before the next due date its usually fine.  The problems arise when somebody shows up in the office 3 days into a new month saying "I'm done with the unit and its empty!"

If rent has been paid (or auto bill has already processed) for the new month, they are stuck for that billing cycle; we do not refund rent unless they paid several months ahead, and then its only "whole" months.

Customers have selective memory and hearing; they ALWAYS seem to forget things like "we require some kind of notice before move out". 

We always check for open/empty units during walkthroughs, and will call to confirm a move out when empty units are discovered.

If a customer leaves their lock on the unit, they are still in possession of it. If they get the lock off within the grace period, we usually write it off, but if they don't we continue charging.