Move In Inspections: How do I report on the state of my place when I move in?

Your first task as you move in: Making a list… and checking it twice… and adding to it! :-)

Move-In Inspection and any followup reports

All checked in? Checking out your new place? Yay! Its time to report on how it looks and issues, if any, you would like help with. Lots of folks work very hard to have your place in great shape for when you arrive, but we understand sometimes you may find things that may have been missed too, and we are here to help you with anything you may need.

You will be provided a move-in inspection form. Do this form FIRST thing on arrival at your new place. This is your opportunity to note any damages or something that isn’t right. If we do not come along, you can drop them back at the office, or we will swing by to grab them later in the day. Please leave them on the kitchen counter. We will use these to document the state of your place at move-in and to generate tickets for any ‘go back’ or maintenance you may need, and we will get to those as soon as possible.

Two common and really important things: AC. It is not uncommon for AC units to ‘freeze up’ during move in day, especially if its hot! This is not an issue with the AC units in most cases but with behavior: what happens is… ACs are cranked down, doors are left wide open (to move stuff!), and this is super hard on the air conditioners… they work hard, ice up, and then won’t work again until they defrost. So… never set it lower than 68-72. Lower is not faster or better. But equally important, try to minimize leaving the doors open! Here’s more on ACs and freezing up.

And BOXES…. move in means… boxes… Don’t dump them in the trash, please be green and recycle! There are several recycle centers in Bloomington.

How do I report damage or things that I would like fixed from move in?

Easy! First, you will have a move-in inspection form, as noted above, just fill it out with anything you notice! Drop it by the office, or leave it on your kitchen counter. We will get it soon after you move in, so this should be the first thing you do when you get to your new place.

What if I find something AFTER I turn in my move in inspection form?

No problem! Of course, we understand this can happen too. You can report anything else you run across by sending in an email. Please do not create work orders in the portal. Work orders are for all things you run across later in the year. It is, for move in, more efficient to email your list.  Everything we do here is to try to ensure we don’t miss something you report. Bunches of work orders… like one per item… very easy to miss them. Bunches of emails, 1 per item… phone calls… all easier to miss things. Instead… email a list… even include pics if you like!

We want to make sure that we can track and address your items rapidly, and efficiently, so we ask they be sent in in email.

How do I report them in email? Easy.

1. Pick ONE person from your group to collect ANY and all items and have them email your list to helpme@elkinsapartments.com. We ask you make one person the communicator on these. If more than one person has things they would like to report, please relay them to the primary person. It is very easy to miss items if several people are emailing/reporting in a thread or in multiple threads, and we don’t want to miss anything for you!
2. Please title the email with your unit address and number along with “Additional Inspection Items”
3. Please number your list of items if its more than 1 thing.
4. For each item, please include a brief description of WHERE it is specifically in the home (which room, area of room, etc) and a brief description of the issue. Please include photos if you can. That can help us understand and also be sure we are in the right “place” in your home!
5. Please DO NOT include anything you already included on the move in inspection. We got you on those already!
6. Do your best to include everything in one email. Don’t rush. Don’t feel like you have to send a few things, then more. We will get to everything, and the most effective way to do it is to have a clear and complete list, in a way where it is easy to track things for you.
7. What if you send your list, and then find something else you would like to report? No problem. Have the primary person find your previously sent email and REPLY to the thread. That way everything is all in one place!

What’s next? 

We will assess everything and, for items that require work, will get them on tickets with any other items from your original inspection and assign them. Things are, of course, super busy right at move in so we appreciate your patience on any items if it takes a little time to get to them. We will take care of you. And we will communicate back to let you know we received your email too!