[2Jedismom]

No kidding. The last rent house we lived in was really run down...the kitchen floor sagged! But when we moved in, we made minor repairs, spiffed up the paint and cleaned it really really well. It wasn't too bad. Then, the owner actually sold it. When he came to do a walk through with us (to get our deposit back), he literally walked through the house shaking his head. He was astounded at how nice we'd left it. It was spotlessly clean. He told me he'd never had a tenant that had ever left it in even ok condition...it was always trashed when he rented it.

[GretchenM]

Good for you.

I have some dear friends, long-term friends, from whom I rented a house many years ago. I was very weak with mono when I was moving out so instead of cleaning it myself, I paid a friend to do the heavy duty things, such as the oven, floors, etc. Normally I would do that myself.

When my landlord friends came over to get the keys (they hadn't required a deposit), they were almost dumbstruck. The husband pointed to the large bandage on his wife's leg (she had on shorts), said she had just had surgery on it, and they were not in a position to be able to clean the house at the time to put it up for rent again and that, because of the way I was leaving it, they could rent it that day. He said they'd never had anyone leave it in the same or better condition -- till I moved out. It did a lot for our friendship. To me, it was just being a good steward, and what I would hope anyone would do. Sadly, not so.