Moving out is mostly about two things: leaving the home roughly the way you found it, and staying in touch with your landlord through the process. Do those and your move-out — and your deposit return — will go smoothly. Here's what to expect.
Give proper notice
Start by giving notice the way your lease requires — usually in writing, a set number of days before you leave. Once you do, your landlord may send you a short move-out instructions sheet covering their cleaning standard, how to return keys, and the deposit timeline. If you get one, read it early; it tells you exactly what's expected while you still have time to act on it.
Cleaning and condition
Plan to leave the home broom-clean unless your landlord asks for something more specific: floors vacuumed or swept, surfaces wiped, appliances emptied and cleaned, and all your belongings and trash removed.
You won't be charged for normal wear and tear — faded paint, minor scuffs, lightly worn carpet. That's expected. You can be charged for damage beyond normal wear (holes, burns, pet damage, broken fixtures), for cleaning if the home is left genuinely dirty, or for any unpaid rent or charges.
The walkthrough
Your landlord may offer to do a quick walkthrough with you once you've moved out. It's worth saying yes — going through the home together means the condition is noted with both of you present, and you can point out anything that was already there when you arrived. If the suggested time doesn't work, just let them know.
The move-out checklist in the app
Whether or not you walk through together, your landlord will usually share a move-out checklist in the app once you've left — the same kind of room-by-room condition record you may have signed at move-in. You'll get a notification and an email when it's ready.
Review it the same way: check each item against what you know, and if something doesn't match, tap "I disagree with this" on that item and add a note or photo — your side goes into the record itself, right next to theirs. When it looks right, type your name and sign. Once you've both signed, it's locked as the agreed record, and it's what the wear-versus-damage comparison against your move-in checklist is based on. Full steps: How to review and confirm your checklist.
Returning keys and access
Return all keys, fobs, and garage remotes by the time and method your landlord specifies. Mention if anyone else still has access (a roommate, a family member, a spare you gave out) so it can be sorted before you hand things over.
Your security deposit
To get your deposit back, your landlord needs somewhere to send it — so give them a forwarding address. They'll return your deposit, along with an itemized statement of any deductions, within the deadline set by your state's law. Normal wear isn't deducted; deductions, if any, should be specific and explained.
Staying in touch through Guardian Landlord
Keep coordinating through the app so everything stays in one place. If something breaks during your final weeks, you can still submit a maintenance request, and you can message your landlord on any request to sort out timing and details. After you move out and your tenancy ends, your request history may no longer appear in your portal — that's expected, and tenancy dates explain why.