Moving Out Standard – Information from Southampton City Council

Requirements

This Moving Out Standard has been agreed with customers and staff. Please read it carefully, as it contains essential information related to the moving out process.

Your tenancy agreement requires you to give us notice that you intend to hand back your property, during which time we need to conduct a ‘pre-vacation’ inspection of your home. Your move will be at risk if you do not have this inspection.

To arrange an inspection please email premove.inspection@southampton.gov.uk

If you are successful for a property, you may be asked to move in quickly, so we want to help you to be “Move Ready.”

Please use the checklist below before you think about moving from a Southampton City Council property.

• I do not owe any rent or recharges. (If you have any queries regarding your financial position or require any advice or guidance, please contact your Local Housing Office).
• I have no outstanding repairs.
• I can arrange and finance my removals costs which includes leaving the property clean and tidy.

If you move out without meeting the moving out standard, you will be recharged for the costs of us doing the work for you. It would be cheaper for you to arrange this work before you move or transfer from your current home.  Below are examples of some of the current charges:

It is therefore in your best interest to make sure you do everything you can to leave the property in an acceptable condition.

*These charges are based on averages. If there is a significantly large amount of items/rubbish to be cleared these charges can increase.

What if I have carried out alterations during my tenancy?

Please inform your Housing Officer or the Pre-vacation Officer of any alterations you made to your home whilst living in the property. And you will need to share the permissions letter your received from Southampton City Council. This is so the Council can make sure the property is safe for new tenants.

If you made alterations to the property without permission, then you may be asked to remove them and re-instate the property to its previous condition. This can be discussed with the property inspector when you have a pre-vacation inspection. If we decide these alterations improve the property and are of excellent quality, we may allow you to leave them, but we have no obligation to do so. If we accept the improvements, we will confirm this in writing.

If you have made alterations and are unsure if they need to be removed, we will inspect them to see if they are suitable.

If we do not accept the alterations you have made, we will ask you to remove them and make good the damage. If you do not do this, you as a tenant will be charged for the cost of removal and repair when you terminate your tenancy.

Remember: If you moved in under the mutual exchange scheme you agreed to accept the property in that condition at the time, including all the fixtures and fittings and you are responsible to reinstate the property to the Moving out Standard when you move out.

General

• You need to leave your home clean, tidy, in good repair and decorative order (including any garden, yard, balcony or shed, loft). If any repairs are needed, then please report them, and arrange for this work to be completed before you move out.
• The quickest and easiest way to report a repair is online. Alternatively, you can call 023 8083 3006, 8.30am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
• Make sure that you clearly label and hand in all the keys relating to the property, any door entry fobs, including shed keys and window keys. Remember to label the keys with your house and shed number where appropriate.

Inside the property

• The building must be safe and free from water leaks from the plumbing or roofs.
• All your own belongings and any rubbish must be removed, including from the loft spaces, balconies.
• Some local charities will collect any furniture or bulky items, that you do not need and are in good condition, free of charge. You must ensure any collection has taken place before you move out.
• Any alterations or installations conducted by you, or by the previous tenant, must be reinstated unless the council has agreed in writing following your pre-vacation inspection that they can be left. (This is not the permission letter you received when you applied to alter your home.)

Electrical and gas

• Leave gas and electric meters without any debt. (If you have debt on the meters when you move out of the property, we will recover these costs by recharging the debt back to you.
• Electric keys and gas cards must be left in the meter at the property, with the contact details of your gas and electricity supplier.
• Leave any manuals/operating instructions for appliances or heating systems.
• Smoke and CO2 alarms must be in good working order.
• Extractor fans must be clean and in good working order.
• All electrical switches, fans and heating appliances should be in good working order, clean and free from paint.
• Electrical DIY metal switches, sockets and light fittings should be replaced with standard fittings, and this must be conducted by a registered / competent electrician.
• Tenant Gas appliances (such as tenant gas cookers) must be ‘capped off’ by a registered/competent gas engineer. That engineer should provide you with up to date certification.
• A registered/competent electrician must disconnect Tenant Electrical appliances (such as tenant electric cookers).

Kitchen

• Kitchen units and worktops must clean free of dirt and grease and have no damage.
• Kitchen cupboard doors, drawers, and worktops must be in good working order.
• Kitchen sink and taps must be clean and free of scale.
• Washing machine and dish washer points must be capped off.
• Any damage or cracked wall tiles must be replaced to match existing. If you are unable to match existing tiles please discuss this with the property inspector at your pre-vacation inspection

Bathroom and toilets

• Bath, wash hand basin, and WC suite should be clean and free from cracks and holes.
• Sanitary appliances must free of scale
• Bath panels must not be damaged.
• DIY showers and services should be removed a competent person.
• Any damage or cracked wall tiles must be replaced to match existing. If you are unable to match existing tiles please discuss this with the property inspector at your pre-vacation inspection.

Flooring and staircases

• Banisters, balustrades should be in place and safe.
• Laminate flooring must be removed otherwise you will be charged the cost of removing it and the cost of making good the floor surface. (If you live in a house or a ground floor flat you can leave any laminate flooring if it is in excellent condition and fitted properly.)
• Carpets and other floor coverings must be removed unless they are in excellent condition. If they do not meet our standards and we must remove them, you will be charged.

Decorations

• All polystyrene decorative finishes like polystyrene tiles and coving must be removed and the surface/surfaces made good.
• You will be asked to redecorate if any walls, ceilings and woodwork are stained with nicotine or are poorly decorated. You will be recharged when you terminate your tenancy if you fail to comply with this.

Doors and windows

• The property, including windows, must be clean and tidy.
• Glazing must not be damaged.
• All doors and door handles must be good working order.
• Any doors damaged or removed by yourself or by the previous resident, must be refitted, repaired, or replaced.
• Windows and doors must open and close easily; any repairs must be completed before you move out.

Ceilings and walls

• Plaster on walls and ceilings must not be damaged.
• If you leave “Artex” or similar on the walls that have a sharp edge or are causing other problems, we may remove it and you may be charged for the cost of the removing and making good.
• Damages to walls (including picture hooks, shelves and TV brackets when removed) made during occupancy must be filled, smoothed down and painted.

Outside the property

• All fencing and gates must be in a safe condition.
• Leave a tidy garden and clear any garden rubbish.
• All garden paths must be in a safe condition.
• Garden bushes and lawns must not be overgrown. All ivy and climbing plants growing against our building/property must be removed.
• Any structures built/erected by you (e.g. Conservatories, sheds, greenhouses, decking, patios) must be removed and the area made good before you leave.
• Garden ponds must be removed or filled in.
• Sheds must be clear of personal items.

Secure the home

When you move out you must turn off the gas and the electricity, lock the doors and shut all the windows within the property.

New tenants

We may ask you to allow a potential new tenant to view the property with a member of the Housing Team before you move out.

Before you move

You will need to contact your service providers to advise them of your new address:

• Council rent
• Council tax
• Energy suppliers (Electric and gas)
• Water
• Mail redirection
• Cable TV and internet provider
• Telephone landline
• TV Licence

Remember: If your property does not meet the above standards and there is evidence of damage, neglect, or misuse we will charge you the costs of getting the property up to the standard.