Preparing for Move Out

The following information has been prepared for all Buckeye Real Estate residents who reside in a unit that was not renewed for the following term. If you have roommates who renewed the lease for another year in your home, please contact our office with specific questions, but these guidelines are for units that will be fully vacated.

The purpose of this information is to ensure that our residents have all the tools that they’ll need for a smooth transition out of their Buckeye Real Estate apartment-home. Please note that most Buckeye Real Estate leases expire at 12pm Noon on August 1st, 2024 however, you should confirm your lease expiration date on your personal lease agreement which can be found on your resident portal in the documents section. 

Be sure to FULLY vacate your apartment on time, SECURE IT , and return all keys and the Checkout Form no later than your lease expiration. 

Key Return/Checkout Form:

• When everyone has completely vacated the apartment, including all of their belongings, the last person out will need to return all keys (including mailbox keys) and fill out the Checkout Form where you will leave a forwarding address for the deposit (if you have multiple roommates, consider filling out a Deposit Delegation Form, see below for more information) and confirm that the apartment is completely vacated. Even if you do not have a physical key, as most of our apartments now have keypads, at least one person must turn in the Checkout Form to our office.
• The Checkout Form must be returned in person during normal business hours OR you can place ALL keys in the envelopes located at our dropbox and complete the necessary information on the envelope as it is the same on the Checkout Form.
• Once the Checkout form is turned in, we will immediately complete our move out inspection and change the code to the keypad or the locks. So, it is very important you ensure everyone and everything is vacated before it is turned in. You will not have access back into the apartment. 
• Any units that have not fully vacated and turned in the Checkout Form by the lease expiration will be charged $100 per day and legal eviction proceedings will begin immediately. 
• Missing keys, duplicated keys, and keys that are not returned on time will result in the locks being replaced at your expense. 

ACH Tenant Portal and Outstanding balances :   

• If you have a reoccurring payment set up through your ACH Tenant Portal, be sure to end it prior to your final month’s rent payment! It will continue to make the payment until you terminate it.
  
• It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a zero balance at move out Your deposit is not a prepayment of last month’s rent! July rent is due on or before the first of the month. Please see section 13 of your lease agreement with any questions. As with any month during your lease term; if rent is not paid in full on or before the due date, your address will incur late fines as well as run the risk of possible eviction action.
  

General Reminders :

• Buckeye Real Estate does NOT allow PODS on our property, including the parking areas.
  
• If the city provided your address with a Blue Recycle Bin or Green Trash Bin, it must remain at your address
  
• STOP SERVICE for the gas and electric (no earlier than lease end date) and RETURN any cable company equipment TO YOUR CABLE PROVIDER BEFORE you vacate! 

 Security Deposit Check Return:

• Upon compliance with all of the above conditions, the security deposit deposition will be refunded within 30 days after termination of lease or 30 days after keys are returned, whichever is last to occur. 
  
• One check will be issued in the names of all residents and mailed via USPS to the one address provided at move out. (See below on information about how you can change who and where the deposit is sent)
  

Security Deposit General Information:

• Residents often have questions and concerns regarding their security deposit and its return. Provided that your rental account has been kept current and your apartment is left in excellent condition, you should not fear deductions from your security deposit. Deductions will be made for:
  
• Dirty rooms (walls, doors, floors, windows, appliances, etc.)
• Damage to the apartment (walls, doors, floors, windows, appliances, etc.)
• Any deductions will be subtracted from the total security deposit and the balance, if any, will be returned within 30 days along with an itemized statement of deductions. If the deductions exceed the security deposit, this balance must be paid within 30 days or legal action will be taken. If you disagree with your deposit deposition, please submit that request, along with supporting documentation, in writing within two weeks prior to cashing the check.
• Deposit Delegation
• Addresses with 2 or more residents are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to make arrangements BEFORE their lease expires in order to have the deposit sent back to ONE name at a specific address. In order to do this, EVERY resident on the lease must come to our office to sign a Deposit Delegation Form, which will be stapled to the back of your lease file. THIS MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE YOUR LEASE EXPIRES!!

General Reminders

Make arrangements for moving supplies and moving vehicles AHEAD of time. Due to the large volume of residents relocating, these are often on short supply! REMEMBER, we do NOT allow PODS on our properties, including the parking areas.

**Don’t forget to forward your mail through the postal service! You may do so online at https://www.usps.com/umove/ .**

STOP SERVICE FOR YOUR UTILITIES NO LATER THAN YOUR LEASE EXPIRATION DATE! Contact your phone and cable providers and have the utilities disconnected AND REMEMBER TO RETURN ALL EQUIPMENT TO YOUR PHONE AND CABLE PROVIDERS!

Security Deposit Deductions

Cleaning Tips:

• BATHROOM: Floors, mirrors, walls, counters, toilet, sink, tub, tub walls, and shower doors must all be thoroughly cleaned and free of mildew and soap scum. 
  
• KITCHEN: Clean floors, sink and counters, wipe out the cupboards and the cupboard doors. The stove top, oven and refrigerator (including the drawer underneath) must be cleaned. Don’t forget to check behind these appliances for hidden dirt! Flush water through the garbage disposal to be sure that it is not clogged. Double check that dishwasher is emptied of dishes and clean.
  
• LAUNDRY: Empty clothes from the washer/dryer unit, clean the appliances and remove any detergents, etc. from the laundry area. The remainder of your apartment must be free of all items that were not there when you moved in. The removal of these items by Buckeye Real Estate can be costly. Be sure the carpet is left in satisfactory condition. Dirt and stains are unacceptable and it is your responsibility to see that the carpet is left clean. Please make sure all walls, windows, woodwork, ceiling fans, vents and fixtures are wiped down. Remember, light bulbs and smoke detector batteries were supplied for you when you moved in, please leave them for future residents. 

Paint and Drywall

• Painting charges will apply for any painting required beyond normal wear and tear!
• Painting charges usually occur when there is excessive dry wall damage.
• Another common occurence is when a door is broken and needs to be painted.

General Repair Costs

Residents sometimes inquire as to what charges will be assessed for damages to their apartment-home during their residency and after they have vacated. Please refer to the following list for a general idea of repair costs:

Labor: The hourly rates are based on the tech that is available to complete the repairs. Move-out labor is billed at a higher rate than than standard labor due to the high volume and excess hours the techs are working.

• Hourly Rates: 
• $45.00 for trash removal (+ $25.00 per large item/trash bag)
• $60.00 - $112.50 for general repairs
• $100.00 for electrical repairs
• $90.00 for HVAC repairs
• $110.00 for afterhours repairs

*Be informed that prices listed for materials and labor are approximations taken from previous billings and do not guarantee that such repairs completed in the future will be this exact rate. Please keep in mind that repair materials are charged in addition to 1-hour minimum labor for each tech needed to complete the repairs. This is a general guide to know what to expect cost wise from some of the most common resident caused issues we see.