Great process, Melanie. I first learned about the idea of a "pre-walk" when I got into military housing. Also, during that time, we offered a "pay and go" option where the resident would pay us a set fee, for example $200 for a 2 bedroom, then could leave without cleaning. All belongings and trash had to be removed by the resident, and this fee did NOT cover damages, just cleaning. Over time, we noticed that most residents would choose this option, so I have brought the idea to conventional management. It really works!

My best guess is that more people are working from home or staying home sick the past few years due to the pandemic. More time at home would likely lead to more wear

Melanie Underwood good idea!

I was finding that residents had stopped giving themselves a week or two overlap to move and clean so they simply ran out of time to finish properly. We adjusted and are now doing a scheduled pre move out walk thru a week prior. That seems to have done the trick because they are seeing that date as a soft deadline to have a lot of the cleaning done instead of waiting until after the move to clean the oven, tub, etc.

Jerry Davis yes, I am well aware of what the June 19th bill says. It has been the subject of many conversations. I've been doing this a long time. I all fine with protecting our applicants and residents, but this prevents us from doing a complete review of applicants to ensure the well being of the community as well as the company. It totally stripped Landlords of the ability to ensure responsible and qualified residents. I have no option but to rent to anyone, no matter their history, which can and has caused problems on the site. I am not going to get into a deep drawn out discussion, so have a good evening.

Donna Mueller Blackman I oversee multiple properties in WNY please read below from the state website On June 14th, 2019, the Governor of NY signed into law a bill that provides new tenant protections. The bill is called the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection act of 2019. It was passed to address some long-standing issues facing tenants. The changes took effect over a period of several months throughout the summer and fall of 2019. Renter protections before and after move-in have been strengthened. The bill also includes major changes to eviction court proceedings designed to preserve tenancies with more balanced rights between landlords and tenants. This blog post explains key aspects of the new law for Upstate NY renters.Before move-inFor many renters, upfront costs as a condition of move-in are an enormous financial burden. For some, these costs prevent them from finding an affordable place to live.Application fees are now prohibited and the cost of credit or background checks has been capped at $20. Tenants can get a copy of the reports in exchange for the fee. Landlords must accept a tenant-provided background or credit check. The tenant-provided report must be no more than 30 days old. Landlords cannot charge more than one months’ rent for the security deposit, nor can they demand first and last month’s rent as a condition of occupancy.In the past, landlords could deny an applicant based on their involvement in an eviction action. Court records and eviction databases could be used to “black list” tenants regardless of whether the eviction action had a legitimate basis. This practice is now forbidden and carries penalties up to $1,000 -- enforced only by the NYS Attorney General. Landlords must give another reason for denying an application. In addition, court records relating to an eviction from a foreclosed property must be sealed and remain confidential. The use of such information is prohibited. Please note that an eviction judgement can affect a credit report. Tenants can still be denied housing based on bad credit.Tenants are now entitled to inspect their apartment after signing the lease. They now have the opportunity to document the condition of the apartment before move-in. They are entitled to a signed written agreement detailing the conditions of the property and specifically noting any existing defects or damages. This document is signed by both the tenant and the property owner. It can then be used by the tenant as evidence in an action in Small Claims Court against their landlord for the return of their security deposit.