Living on base is incredible! There is a community of people dealing with military life struggles just like you. You have all the base amenities around you for your convenience. There are parks, playgrounds, and all sorts of events to bring you and your fellow military friends and family together. Living on base is great until it’s time to move out of your home and the stress hits. As a military spouse myself, I have firsthand experience dealing with the stress, craziness, and expenses of moving out. It is rough! The to-do list feels like it’s a million miles long and only grows the closer you get to the date of your inspection and move out. That handy dandy list they gave you at your initial walk-through, with all known and pre-existing housing issues, we all know how that one plays out. You call to get things fixed, which is a stressful chore.
Then suddenly, it’s PCS time, and those things still haven’t been fixed, but they are expected to be in tip-top shape for your move-out, as well as passing the dreaded move-out cleaning. You know what I mean, they want that house spit-polished and spotless, clean enough to pass the white glove test. So, with all that, here are some great tips to get your deposit back after your move out:
Always keep a copy of your walkthrough findings!
When you sign the housing agreement, obtain a copy of the departure inspection checklist to read over and become familiar with the fixes you’ll have to make on your own during the tenancy and before leaving. Military housing is always stricter because they have guidelines to follow than regular leasing or renting agencies. This is both good and bad for military renters. Traditional landlords might make provisions or exemptions for your situation at their discretion, whereas base housing employees often have their hands tied to company policy. Having this list can help you better prepare for your move out and any potential problems you may face.
Clean that house top to bottom
It seems so simple, but it is the best way to make sure you get your money back when moving out of base housing. There are a few options for this. You can clean the house yourself, which is ok if you like cleaning and it won’t take forever. You can do a pay-and-go for cleaning, and I do not recommend this as it can get costly very quickly. Or you can hire a company to do the cleaning for you. There is no such thing as leaving a military home broom clean as there is in the civilian world, so hiring someone like Soldiers’ Mom is the best option for getting your home inspection ready.
Make Small Repairs
If you have hung up pictures or done any painting, make sure you fill in any holes and repaint the house the same color it was at move-in. You can also replace light bulbs and batteries in the smoke detectors. Also, be upfront about any damages you can’t fix but know might cause issues upon move out. When we PCS’ed from our last base, we had a puppy that absolutely wrecked the bottom of a vanity in the downstairs bathroom. We told the housing agent what had happened, and we ended up getting it fixed for minimal costs. So always be upfront when you have housing issues, no matter how bad it seems.
Soldiers’ Mom is here to help!
Soldiers’ Mom is here to help you get the nitty-gritty detailed move-out clean you need so you don’t have to worry about passing that final move-out inspection! We have a 100% satisfaction and pass guarantee. We want to take the stress of a move-out clean away for you to focus on other moving-related things. Our move-out clean includes all the necessary services for getting a pass on your inspection.
Are you getting ready to move out of base housing?
Call Soldiers’ Mom at (833) 487-2532 or book online to get scheduled for your Move Out Cleaning today!
