Landlord Turnover Cleanout Checklist
Every day a rental sits empty is a day of lost revenue. This landlord turnover cleanout checklist is built to take a unit from tenant move-out to ready-to-rent in 7 days or less without cutting corners on damage assessment, deposit accounting, or legal notice requirements. It is the same sequence I use on my own rentals across six metros.
Section 01
Day 1: Move-out walk-through
Schedule the walk-through with the tenant on the move-out date. Bring the original move-in photos and the lease. Document every room with time-stamped photos and video. This walkthrough is the single most important event in any deposit dispute: do it in person if possible, with a second witness, and do not sign the walk-through form until you have reviewed every room.
- Take dated video of every room, closet, and appliance
- Compare side-by-side against move-in photos
- Note damage versus normal wear and tear (stricter line in most states than landlords expect)
- Collect all keys, garage remotes, mailbox keys, amenity fobs
- Get the tenant's forwarding address in writing
Section 02
Day 2: Abandoned personal property notice
If the tenant left belongings behind, most states require a written notice and a retrieval window (usually 15 to 30 days) before you can dispose of the items. This is non-negotiable legal exposure. Send the notice by certified mail to the forwarding address. In some states you can proceed immediately if the value is under a threshold (typically $300 to $700): check your state statute.
Section 03
Day 2: Schedule the cleanout crew
Book full-service junk removal for day 3 or 4. Small landlords underestimate how much a single turnover generates: the average apartment move-out leaves 1/2 to 3/4 of a truckload of junk, and DIY hauling kills the timeline. A $250 to $450 cleanout saves you 2 days of turnover time, which is worth more than the cost in most rental markets.
Section 04
Day 3 to 4: Cleanout and trash out
The crew arrives, clears all abandoned items (after the legal window if required), and sweeps the unit empty. You or your handyman starts the trash-out simultaneously: pulling ruined carpet, removing damaged blinds, and prepping walls for paint. By the end of day 4 the unit should be empty and open for repairs.
Section 05
Day 5 to 6: Deep clean and repairs
Hire a professional turnover cleaning crew (not a standard residential cleaner). Turnover cleaners know the punch list: oven interior, fridge interior, window tracks, blinds, baseboards, inside cabinets. Run repairs in parallel: patch drywall, touch-up paint, replace broken fixtures, re-caulk bathrooms.
Section 06
Day 7: Final walk and re-listing
Do the final inspection yourself. Open every cabinet, flush every toilet, run every faucet, test every outlet. Take fresh move-in photos for the next tenant's file. Change the locks (or rekey). Post the listing. In most markets, 7 days from move-out to re-listed is aggressive but doable when the cleanout step does not blow up.
Frequently Asked
Questions, answered.
Can I throw away a tenant's belongings the day they move out?
Only in states with specific statutes allowing it, and usually only for items below a value threshold. Most states require written notice and a 15 to 30 day retrieval window. Skipping this creates real legal exposure.
What is normal wear and tear on a rental?
Faded paint, minor scuffs, normal carpet wear in traffic lanes, and loose hardware are normal wear. Holes in drywall, stains, odors, broken fixtures, and pet damage are tenant-caused damage and come out of the deposit.
Should I hire the same crew for cleanout and cleaning?
Usually no. Junk removal crews clear items fast but do not deep clean. Turnover cleaners deep clean but do not haul. Hiring each specialist separately is cheaper and faster than finding a generalist.
How much should I budget for a standard turnover?
$1,500 to $3,000 total for a 2 bedroom: $300 to $500 cleanout, $200 to $400 deep clean, $400 to $1,000 paint and repairs, $100 to $200 re-keying and supplies. Heavy damage turnovers run much higher.
Need the job done?
Book a crew that knows the work.
Titan Group operates Junk King across six metros. Free on-site estimates, volume-based pricing, same-day and next-day availability.