Many times a Site Manager will inspect an apartment that housed a pet, only to walk into the apartment and be faced with a strong odor of urine along with stains throughout the carpet, or may stumble upon a carpet that appears to be the original. Oftentimes, a Site Manager may inspect an apartment where the kitchen vinyl is covered with scratches and tears or a bathroom vinyl shows evidence of moisture underneath. What appears unacceptable to one Manager may appear satisfactory to another. A Manager judgment call that determines the remaining life of the carpet or vinyl can be avoided when the proper process is followed.
This section will establish the criteria for approval for replacing carpet and vinyl.
Carpet
The Pre Move-Out Inspection
When completing a pre move-out inspection or a final move-out inspection, Site Managers will oftentimes conclude that the carpet is marginal and that replacement carpet should be considered. When this occurs, Site Managers should do the following:
- Notify the outgoing residents that the condition of the carpet is such that a replacement carpet is possibly required.
- Contact your property’s local carpet shampoo vendor and request that they issue a report to the Site Manager describing the condition of the carpet.
- Submit the carpet vendor’s written carpet assessment via fax to your Property Supervisor for review. However, do not schedule carpet installation until you receive approval!
The purpose of the third-party inspection is to avoid the potential that a former resident can claim the carpet was replaced simply to enhance our ability to rent the apartment. We use the services of a carpet restoration/cleaning vendor (instead of a carpet installer) to receive an objective assessment of the condition, age, and wear of the carpet.
Inspection Fee
Cambridge allows a fee for a carpet inspection. The cost of the inspection will be billed to the former resident if damage is determined. If it is concluded the damage was related to normal wear and tear, we will consider the inspection charge an operating cost for the property. A typical charge would be $40-45.
NOTE: It is always good practice to have a third-party inspection of a carpet when any animal has resided in the apartment.
Inspection Report
The report the Site Manager receives from the carpet shampoo vendor MUST include the following information:
- A diagram of the apartment interior with notations regarding the location of stains, urine, tears, burns and any other defects.
- An estimate of the approximate percentage worn.
- A description of the type of carpet in the apartment (i.e., material, color, areas carpeted, etc.).
- A specific recommendation regarding restoration of existing carpet or replacement with new carpet.
- If your carpet restoration identifies animal urine damage or cannot restore the condition of the carpets to move in ready condition, it may be time to replace.
- In this case, instead of cleaning the carpets, an inspection report should be completed by the vendor.
Click here to see a sample carpet inspection and diagram.
Approval to Replace
Typically within one business day of faxing the carpet inspection report to the Property Supervisor, you can expect to receive back an emailed approval that will read as follows:
- Replace: Yes or No
- Rebill to Former Resident: % to allocate to resident’s SODA (Statement of Deposit Accounting)
What is also important to remember is to keep a small sample (i.e., 2 feet square) of the damaged carpet in storage for a period of no less than six months following the date of the SODA. This will assist with the resolution of a future dispute regarding the assessment of carpet charges. This carpet should be stored in a trash can liner-sized plastic bag, sealed and labeled with the apartment number, former resident’s name and move-out date. Prior to disposing of this evidence, contact your Property Supervisor for future directions.
What do you do with the documentation of the inspection?
When you receive the invoice from the carpet vendor for the carpet replacement, enter the invoice into the Yardi system. Refer to the Yardi Manual for instructions on how to enter an invoice. Attach a copy of the carpet inspection and replacement approval to the invoice as backup. Place a copy of the approval, as well as a copy of the carpet invoice in the resident’s move-out file.
Placing a copy of the carpet replacement approval, as well as the carpet invoice in the Unit Maintenance File is also good practice.
NOTE: Replace no carpets, regardless of the circumstances, without both a prior written report from a carpet restoration vendor and written authorization from Cambridge. This policy should be followed without exception.
Vinyl
Move-out inspection
When completing a pre-move-out inspection or a final move-out inspection, Site Managers will oftentimes conclude that a vinyl floor is marginal and that replacement vinyl should be considered.
What makes a vinyl floor “marginal”?
Upon inspection of any vinyl floor, consider the following questions:
Does the flooring have:
- scratches?
- indentations?
- tears?
- yellowed areas?
- burn marks?
- water damage?
If any of the above-listed items are present, replacing the vinyl would may be recommended. Need a second opinion? Ask your Maintenance Tech to inspect the vinyl. Take several pictures of the vinyl both showing the damage, as well as a larger view of the whole floor. If you are still in doubt and time would allow, request your Property Supervisor to inspect the vinyl.
What amount do you charge to the outgoing resident?
It is important for you to know the age of the vinyl you are replacing, and it is extremely important to review the move-in condition of the vinyl; this information can be found on the Unit Condition Report. If there is evidence of damage at the time of move-out and there was no documentation on the Unit Condition Report of any existing damage on the vinyl floor, charge the resident a prorated replacement cost. If you replace a vinyl due to age, then you would not likely charge the resident for the replacement cost.
What do you do with the vinyl invoice?
When you receive the invoice from the vinyl vendor, enter the invoice into the Yardi system. Refer to the Yardi Manual for instructions on how to enter an invoice. Place a copy of the vinyl invoice in the resident’s move-out file. Placing a copy of the vinyl invoice in the Unit Maintenance File is also good practice.