As a student, it can be challenging to move out of an FSU apartment for the first time. Every apartment complex has its own rules and when it comes down to being charged with damages and fees, apartment complexes will take any chance they get to get money from you if they can. It's your responsibility as a tenant to educate yourself, read the lease carefully, communicate with the front office about rules and move-out procedures, and ensure that you won't be wrongfully charged.
When you first into an FSU apartment, you might not have paid attention to the wear and tear visible on the walls and furniture of your new space. Most apartments near FSU require you to fill out a form detailing everything that's broken or damaged upon move-in, so when you move out you aren't charged for someone else's negligence.
If you have significant damage to the walls of your bedroom and/or common areas, you will likely either not get your security deposit back or be charged damage fees at the end of your lease period. To avoid this, you must repair the walls yourself.
Research Specific Rules and Regulations at Apartments Near FSU
Every apartment has its own rules regarding how to fix damages and what they require before moving out. Some apartments, for example, charge for damage to both furniture and walls if the damage is significant enough. The standards for significance, however, are established by the individual FSU apartment complex. To know what is considered "significant damage" it always helps to give them a call so you know what to look out for and fix it ahead of time.
In furnished apartments, you can report damage to couches and other furniture at any time throughout the leasing period and get it replaced before final inspections. The earlier the better though! Some furniture takes weeks or months to be shipped to an apartment and you don't want to be saddled with additional fees when moving out.
Invest in the Best Wall Repair Supplies
After inspecting your walls, you might notice a few sizeable holes or indentations that could lead to future charges. There's no need to panic because fixing the walls doesn't take a lot of prior knowledge or craftsmanship. The way to secure a job well done is to invest in the right supplies!
Some apartments allow you to submit a maintenance request before moving out and they will patch up the walls and take care of the mess for you. This is more common for luxury apartment complexes, but in student apartments, you are typically responsible for doing the work yourself.
The most common supplies to patch up walls are spackling putty, a putty knife, a piece of fine grit sandpaper, a sanding mask, a towel, and a vacuum to clean up debris that falls on the floor or carpet.
Paint Over Mistakes in FSU Apartments
After spackling the walls, you want to make sure and paint over the holes so it looks like nothing ever happened. You can ask your FSU apartment complex to either provide you with paint or you might have to ask what paint they use and purchase it at a local paint store nearby.
Paint can do the walls a lot of justice and make the place look brand new. The more work you are willing to put into repairs and tidying up your apartment, the less likely you will have to deal with damage charges when you move out. Also, make sure to take pictures of your room before moving out, so you have evidence when disputing a cleaning or damage claim!