California landlord and tenant relationships can be complicated. Most landlords want to keep the relationship as smooth as possible. The most vulnerable times for a property owner and tenant is the move in and move out times.
If a tenant moves out, you need to make sure that you receive written notice. Forbes states that In California, the tenant has to give a 30-day notice if he or she plans to vacate the premises. If you are renting out a property, then you should never accept verbal notice. Always get everything in writing. This leads no room for misunderstandings.
Communication is important in preserving a property owner and tenant relationship. When your tenant is moving out, you should send a list of expectations and what you expect the tenant to do to keep his or her deposit as much as possible. If you want the tenant to use a specific cleaning company to clean the unit, you can specify it in this notice.
If there are any damages to the unit, then you should make a list of damages. When you have to remove any money from the deposit, it can smooth things over to have a reason. This will also make it more difficult for the tenant to dispute the charges. If you do not tell a tenant why he or she did not receive the full deposit back, he or she may take legal action. In addition to listing damages, if you are going to be returning part of the deposit, then you need to make sure that you return the deposit on time.