I hate regular property inspection time. Hate it. But as a renter, it’s something I have to put up with. How else is the property manager (PM) to know that I’m the best damned tenant they’ve ever had on their books?
The title is self-bestowed but I’ve earnt it.
The method below, honed through years of practice, may not be perfect but it works.
The night before the inspection, clean the kitchen thoroughly and promise dire consequences if ANYONE even so much as thinks about making a mess.
Go to bed, patting yourself on the back, thinking that you have plenty of time in the morning to do the vacuuming, clean and mop the bathroom and hide the all the bits and pieces associated with your cat ensure that everything is neat and tidy.
Wake in the middle of the night and realise that you don’t have plenty of time in the morning because your husband is working late this week, which means he’s sleeping later, which means you can’t clean while he sleeps. PANIC briefly, then go back to sleep thinking that it will be all right, that you’ll manage, somehow.
In the morning, see your husband off to work, sit down at the computer for half an hour, thinking you still have plenty of time.
An hour and half before the inspection time, start the vacuuming.
An hour before the inspection look at the notification letter again and realise that there’s only HALF AN HOUR before the property manager (PM) gets here and you haven’t finished the vacuuming, hidden the cat’s stuff, cleaned and mopped the bathroom or had a shower.
PANIC.
Wish that you had a clone — or three — before attacking the vacuuming, mopping and bathing.
When they’re done, realise that you have fifteen minutes before the PM will come knocking on your door. Breathe a sigh of relief. It will take you that long to catch your breath.
Wait.
And wait some more.
While you are waiting, realise that you didn’t have to PANIC.
Finally, answer the door to the PM and distract her with small talk about Christmas so she doesn’t look too closely at the couch which has obviously been used by the cat to sharpen her claws. Discover that you grew up in towns maybe fifteen minutes from each other.
The payoff – a sub-ten-minute inspection every time and a PM who loves you.
I’ve totally been there. Several years ago, I was living in a share house and we cleaned the house, removed the cat etc and waited for the real estate agent to turn up. The agent failed to show up at the agreed time – not once but twice!
Welcome Miss V. Eighteen years of renting and I don’t think I’ve had a no show, not yet. There have been lots of late arrivals, especially when I’ve arranged to take some time off work to be there (’cause no-one comes into my place unless me, or D, are there). If I hadn’t panicked and had counted on her late arrival today she would have been sure to let herself in while I was in the shower.
Well done on charming the agent! Is your kitty actually illegal or just frowned upon? Here, we rent directly from the owner, which makes any visits from her extra stressful – things must look PERFECT! But the deal is in Germany that you repaint and return everything to its original state when you move out, so how things look while you’re actually in is not too serious.
She’s the I word. A clause in the lease specifically states no pets. Oops… I must have forgot how to read for that one ;P Luckily, she’s timid around strangers and spent her time under the bed until the stranger had gone.
I’ve only ever had one private rental and it was far from a perfect situation. The owners had a market garden out the back and, on their way through, would stop to peer in windows and generally make a nuisance of themselves. However, when they realised I had a (different) cat they only stipulated that I had to replace the curtains she’d shredded when we left.