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The Apartment Store Real Estate Group

Provided to our residents by:
The Apartment Store
"How to Get All My Security Deposit Back"
Manual
The Apartment Store
1300 Oakland Avenue
Indiana, Pa. 15701
www.apartmentstore.com We strongly prefer the situation in which the entire security deposit is returned.
It saves us time, hassles, and in the long run, money. Accordingly, we give this manual so you
will know what needs to be done to a unit so we might turn it over to the nex resident without
doing additional work. Once you have performed the following work satisfactorily, your
entire deposit will be returned promptly.
KITCHEN
Cabinets and drawers - cleaned inside and out.
Counter top and backsplash - cleaned and bleached, is stained.
and puncture the freezer, you will be charged to repair the hole or replace the refrigerator.
Range - clean the top, back, front, oven, broiler, and underneath the top burners. If you have
a smooth glass range top, only a cleanser that is designated for smooth glass range tops may be
used. If any other cleanser is used and the top is damaged or scratched, lessee agrees to be
responsible for all costs to replace or repair.
Range Hood - clean underneath, the filter, and the light cover, don't forget to clean the top.
Floor - must be scrubbed and waxed (unless it's vinyl no-wax), underneath range, and
refrigerator as well as the open areas.
Lights - shades should be taken down and washed then re-hung.
Ceramic Tile - must be cleaned and shining with no scum or grease left.
Fire Extinguisher - must be fully charged.
Window - must be cleaned inside and outside with no streaks - the windowsill must also be
cleaned.
Blinds - must be taken down and washed with soap and water and dried and re-hung.
Dishwasher and Microwave - must be cleaned inside and outside, don't forget to wash the top
of the door.
BATHROOM
setting. DO NOT USE A KNIFE TO SCRAPE THE ICE. If the knife should happen to slip
Refrigerator - must be defrosted, cleaned inside and outside and turned back on the lowest Ceramic Tile - must be cleaned and shining with no soap scum left.
Bathtub enclosures - must be cleaned with no powder residue left.
Bathtubs - cleaned inside and outside with no powder residue or hair left behind.
Toilets - cleaned inside and outside and especially around the base at the floor.
Medicine Cabinet - cleaned inside and outside; also clean mirror.
Sinks - must be cleaned with no powder residue or hair left behind.
Vanity - must be emptied and wiped out and the outside and top wiped off.
Floor - must be scrubbed and waxed (unless no-wax or ceramic tile).
Lights - must all be working and cleaned.
Soap dish and Toothbrush holder - must be cleaned top and bottom.
Toilet paper holder - wiped clean.
Shower Curtain - must be removed.
Heat Registers - must be cleaned.
Towel Racks - must be wiped off.
GENERAL
Carpets - must be professionally cleaned by a cleaning service to remove all stains and
ground-in dirt. Receipts should be turned into the office when you return your key.
Hardwood Floors - must be scrubbed, waxed and buffed.
Blinds - must be taken down and washed with soap and water and dried then re-hung. Please
make sure soap streaks are gone.
Tile Floors - should be cleaned and waxed, (unless they are no-wax vinyl or ceramic tile).
Pay particular attention to not miss the edges.
Dining room light - must be cleaned, no streaks. Railings - must be cleaned.
Windows - cleaned inside and outside with no streaks, windowsills must also be cleaned.
Some windows can be removed from inside the apartment for easier cleaning in the upper
floors.
Furniture - must be dusted and shining, if glass, and assembled. All the furniture that you rented
must be in your apartment..
Sliding Glass Door Tracks - should be cleaned of debris and scrubbed.
Balconies and porches - (both front and back) - must be cleared of debris and swept.
Furnace rooms - must be completely empty and swept and scrubbed, if tile.
Smoke Detectors - must be there and working.
Cobwebs - must be swept down.
Apartment Foyers - lights and door windows must be cleaned and floors swept and scrubbed.
Light Shades - must be taken down, washed and put back up.
Screens - must be on windows.
Closets - all items must be removed and floors cleaned and shelves dusted.
Light Switches - must be wiped clean.
Walls and Ceilings - should be washed clean of spills, finger marks, bike tire marks and any
other marks. These are not considered normal wear and tear.
Baseboards - should be dusted at the minimum but scrubbed if necessary.
Vents - may be located in the wall or ceilings in the kitchen or baths. These should be taken
down and cleaned thoroughly.
CLEANING SUGGESTIONS
When you are done cleaning the oven, turn it on for a few minutes. If it dries with a white
residue left, take a clean wet cloth and wipe it clean. When you are done in the bathroom, kneel down and look at the ceramic tile by the tub to see
if the soap scum is completely gone. Also, look at the soap dish and toothbrush holder this
way to make sure that the bottoms of these are clean. Check the bathroom in particular to
make sure that all hair is gone.
When you are finished in the kitchen, look at the ceramic tile at an angle to check for any
grease spots that may have been missed. Also, don't forget to check the bottom and edges of
the range hood for leftover grease.
Don't forget the closets. These must be cleaned, swept and scrubbed.
Your apartment will be checked as much by touch as by sight. Run your hand over your
counter and your bathtub and sink. If you come away with a white powder, it probably needs
to be wiped off.
OTHER DEDUCTIONS
In addition to any cleaning charges, the following items will be deducted from your security
deposit if they are not paid before the end of your lease:
Late fees, any outstanding invoices, any unpaid rent, any charges for
returned checks, any legal fees that may have been incurred and any
additional damage to either the apartment itself or the furniture.
Prior to your moving out you will probably become aware of many other companies that will
solicit your carpet cleaning business. They may offer substantially lower prices but you should
beware - a number of these companies are not established businesses; their equipment is not of
professional quality and the work is often substandard. If when we inspect your apartment,
the carpet cleaning is not up to our standards, we will first try to contact your cleaning company
and ask them to come back and reclean. If we are unable to reach them or they refuse we will
have the carpet recleaned by one of our cleaning services and you will be charged.
You may want to inquire as to the amount you will be charged for cleaning. Our contractors
normally charge between $25-$38/hour for general cleaning. You will be charged exactly
what they charge, plus a 15% administration fee.
FINAL NOTES
When you are finished cleaning your apartment and are ready to check out, this is the proper
procedure: 1. Come to the rental office at
1300 Oakland Avenue
Indiana, Pa. 15701
Pay all rent and any delinquent charges.
2. Leave a forwarding address for the security deposit. Remember the security
deposit check will be in all the lessee's names. In the past some of our residents
have had trouble cashing checks because all names are on it. If you would prefer to
have separate checks, it can be done if you give us a written statement to this effect,
i.e.
"WE THE TENANTS OF APARTMENT #________________LOCATED AT
___________________________ WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEPARATE AND
EQUAL CHECKS FOR THE SECURITY DEPOSIT RETURN".
This statement will need to be signed by all lessees. We will then need a forwarding
address for each resident.
3. You will need to return your keys to The Apartment Store Rental Office.
IF THE DOOR KEY AND MAIL BOX KEYS ARE NOT RETURNED BY
12:00 PM ON THE TERMINATION DATE OF YOUR LEASE, YOU WILL
BE CHARGED FOR A LOCK CHANGE.
4. If you turn your keys in when the office is closed, please enclose keys, receipts
and forwarding address in an envelope. The envelope can then be placed in our
drop slot located at the Rental Office.
You security deposit will be returned within 30 days from the termination date of your lease.
Included will be an itemized list of any damages and any other deductions.
We thank you for your cooperation and we trust your stay with us has been a pleasant one.
Best of luck in the future!