questions & answers

Question: My apartment has recently been bought out by new management. They have renovated the community entirely as well as apartments when people move out, they have requested me to vacate when my lease is up, or stay on for double my rent. Question, if they are gutting my apt entirely, how should I leave the unit when I leave to ensure I get my deposit? I’m obviously going to clean, but, how thorough do I need to be? Everything is being replaced, from doors, flooring, appliances, countertops, cabinets.. etc.

Answer: A general principle in Arizona law is that “a tenant shall exercise diligence to maintain the premises in as good condition as when [they] took possession, ordinary wear and tear excepted” (A.R.S. 33-321), so it is always recommended that tenants document their rented dwellings’ condition (using checklists, photographs, videos, witnesses, etc.) both at move-in and at move-out and thoroughly clean their rented dwellings before they leave.