Checkout Guide                  (Requires Adobe Acrobat or similar .pdf reader)

This checkout guide is written to help expedite your checkout process.

Your lease expires at 12:00PM (noon). You will need to call the office to set up a check out appointment. Appointments are made on a first come-first served basis. The first appointment will begin at 8:00AM and the last will begin at 11:40AM.  

When you check out, we will go through your apartment and identify areas which will need further cleaning. At that time, you may have the opportunity to do some last minute cleaning, but because of the time constraints, it is very important that you have the cleaning done before your inspection. If you are not ready at your scheduled time, your inspection will be rescheduled at our convenience. All personal belongings must be removed prior to the check out appointment.

Whenever possible, we prefer to do the move-out with at least one tenant present so any concerns can be dealt with immediately. If no Tenant is present at the inspection or no inspection is scheduled, you will not be given additional time to clean your apartment.

If you decide to move out before the last day of your lease, you will have more time to go back and clean the areas specified at the inspection. If you choose not to clean, or additional cleaning is required, our staff will clean your apartment, typically at a rate of $35.00 to $45.00 per hour, depending on the condition of your apartment and the time you check out. Hopefully, your apartment is clean and sparkling at your move-out inspection!

If you will be moving out early (a day, week, etc) please let us know so we can schedule your move-out appointment early. If the new tenant of your apartment wants to move in early, and you are willing to move out early, we can arrange for the new tenant to reimburse you for the days the new tenant lives in the apartment prior to your lease termination date. If you plan to move out more than a month before your lease is up, you are still responsible for paying rent until your lease ends or another tenant can be found and approved.  

Be sure to turn in all keys at the time of your inspection; you have not legally surrendered your apartment unless you have returned your keys. If all keys are not returned, you will have to pay for lost keys and lock re-keying. You are responsible for any damages caused by your failure to surrender your apartment when your lease terminates.

About 30 days after your lease ends, you will receive the balance of your deposit with a detailed summary of charges and credits.

Cleaning Tips for Move-Out

These tips are intended to help you clean your apartment safely effectively. With over 30 years of experience, we have learned which cleaning methods and products work the best. 

BEDROOMS & LIVING AREAS

  • 630/640 S. 4th St.: Remove and clean all interior and exterior windows and sills thoroughly. 511 S. 4th St., 620 S. 4th St., or 819 Lincoln Way: Do not remove the windows because they are thermopane and expensive to replace. Be sure to vacuum or sweep out the space between the windows.

  • Dust your miniblinds with a Swiffer duster or similar product.

  • Do not fill nail holes. Improperly filled nail holes will cost you more than if you leave them alone.

  • Vacuum thoroughly, but do not clean your carpet. Carpet cleaning will be arranged by Management. DO NOT try to remove stains yourself. A slight stain will cost you less than a ruined carpet.

KITCHEN & APPLIANCES

  • If your oven is self-cleaning, you can use that feature to save yourself some work. Keep in mind that it will heat up your apartment and depending on how dirty it is, may produce a strong odor of burned food. DO NOT attempt to clean your burner pans with the self-clean; it will ruin them.  Use a degreaser or oven cleaner to clean the broiler pan, and burner pans. If you don’t have a self-cleaning oven, you will have to use an oven degreaser to clean the oven interior and racks.

  • Defrost the refrigerator and thoroughly clean the interior, exterior, drawers, racks, door, and gasket with a disinfectant cleaner. Place  towels in the bottom of the refrigerator and on the floor directly below and in front of the refrigerator and LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN. Do not attempt to break ice from the freezer; plan ahead to let it melt gradually. Don't leave it defrosting unattended for long periods of time or you may allow water to leak onto the floor and possibly into lower apartments! After cleaning, and drying the refrigerator, turn it back on and close the door.

  • Wash all cabinet surfaces inside and out with a disinfectant. Use a mild degreaser, if needed. If you have wooden cabinets, see the Cabinet Cleaning page in the move-in booklet. Sweep and wash the floor with a disinfectant cleaner. Don’t forget to clean under the refrigerator and oven. Be careful not to damage the floor moving appliances. Most refrigerators have wheels and can be easily pulled out. For oven, simply remove the drawer on the bottom and you will have access to the floor.

BATHROOM

  • Clean the tub with a soap scum remover. Please make sure that the cleaner is fiberglass safe. If you have not cleaned it regularly since you moved in, you will probably have to scrub. Be sure to run the exhaust fan to help keep the chemical odors from becoming too strong.

  • Soak toilet interior with toilet bowl cleaner. The base of the toilet should be cleaned with a disinfectant cleaner.

  • Thoroughly wipe the surfaces with a disinfectant cleaner.

General Cleaning

  • Wipe off all of the base boards, door frames, vents, outlet covers, switch plates, and walls with a damp cloth.

  • Carefully remove and clean all light fixtures and vents including the ones in the bathroom. Make sure that all light bulbs are present and working. The cost of replacing the light bulbs will come from your security deposit.

  • If you live on the first floor of 620 or have an all tile floor, we will wax it for you as per your lease, but you are responsible for making sure it is as clean as possible.

  • If you have smoked or cooked strong smelling foods in your apartment, you will need to wash all walls and other surfaces, including the walls. Cleaners that contain ammonia (Windex) works well for this. If your apartment smells like cigarette smoke after you have moved out we may need to paint the apartment. The cost for this will come out of your security deposit, so we recommend you do what you can to get rid of the smell.

Recommended Traditional Cleaning Supplies

  • Greased Lightning or similar oven cleaner.

  • Windex

  • Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner

  • Clorox Cleanup (Fiberglass Safe, but do not get on carpet!)

  • Swiffer Dusters

  • Paper Towels

  • Scotch-Brite or similar Sponges


Recommended GREEN Cleaning Supplies

  • Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

  • Most "Green" cleaning products from Clorox, Simple Green and 7th Generation are fine. Make sure to follow all instructions on the label.

NOTE: Most products labeled environmentally friendly will work for glass and surface cleaning, but do not disinfect.

CAUTION: Please be careful when cleaning your apartment. Make sure you read all of the directions and warnings on all of the cleaning products and do not mix products. Mixing products can be fatal to people and pets and harmful to the facilities. Make sure your apartment is well ventilated while cleaning.

 
K & J Cooper Properties
819 Lincoln Way, Ames IA 50010
515-232-3456

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