Things To Know When Moving From An Apartment Complex
For a lot of people in Australia, the first time they experience moving home is from a house. Houses give you the luxury of driveways, yards, sheds, and usually a hallway to put boxes and belongings while you arrange and pack for moving day.
However, it is a different story when moving from an apartment complex. Many people forget to factor in apartment-specific things to organise before the big day, so we have put together this guide to help you prepare for an easy transition.
Give Proper Notice
If your lease is up and you plan on moving out of your apartment complex, communicate with the building manager as soon as possible. Many apartment complexes have strict rules for moving, including times, access points, and priority lift availability. These are important to know when organising the day with your removals company.
They will need to know where and when they can park outside. If there is a loading dock, what is the clearance height for vehicles? What is the capacity of the lifts? Can you book a lift especially for the movers? During what times will the lift be available? Can the lift be prepared with coverings to protect it from the movers’ trolleys?
Find out from your building manager if it is possible to stack boxes in the hallway outside your apartment or if there is any safe space to do so.
You will also need to factor in how the level you live on will determine how long the move will take. Priority lift access is not always available, so knowing how much you can avoid lengthy pick ups will save you time and money.
Do you want your bond back?
If you want to get your security bond back, don’t leave moving until the very last day of your lease. Leave some time to get back into the apartment to clean and fix everything that needs it. You are not paying removalists to clean the apartment after their job, so after the move your apartment may have unavoidable scuff marks and water stains.
Know your payments. Clarify with your rental agent when the last rent payment is due and when the inspection for the bond is arranged for. Also, check in with your internet and utility providers to let them know when you need them disconnected. You don’t want to be left paying for these after you have vacated the apartment.
Let utility providers know at least two weeks before the move when you want them turned off. Don’t forget you may need water and electricity in the apartment to clean! If you want to use the same company, let them know where you are moving to so you are connected to power as soon as you move in.
Be thorough with the clean-up. Wash the walls of marks and touch up any spots with paint that need it. Wipe down skirting boards and clean the blinds. Most things can be cleaned to look as near to new as possible.
If you didn’t take photos of the state of the apartment at the beginning, remember to do so when you move into the new one. Having these as a record of damage or unkemptness that was in the apartment prior to your arrival will help your case in getting the bond back.
Insurance, insurance, insurance
While most moving companies have insurance to cover any damage that the movers may accidentally cause to property, insurance companies will not cover damages to items if you cannot prove that the movers are to blame. To ensure most damages are covered, we recommend taking out your own Removals Insurance for the move.
Tell Your Movers About Access
As mentioned above, the point of difference with apartment living is the potential for restricted access, with the lift and stairs, the parking, and space. Remember, a moving truck has a height clearance and is longer than most cars. Do you remember if your sofa was moved into the apartment assembled, or did you put it together once inside? Will it fit in the lift?
Because most removals companies charge by the hour, it is important to give them all the details of this access when you get a quote. Leaving out these details may mean the job will take longer than what was quoted to you, and you will end up paying more.
