What it produces
A scheduled inspection, final utility reads, an itemized deposit letter with evidence for every charge, the refund, and a hand-off to collections for any balance.
Workflows
Move-Out & Deposits
the process of closing out a tenancy, from notice to vacate and inspection to the itemized return of the security deposit
The job in one minute
Who owns it
The property manager approves every deduction and letter. The assistant property manager runs the walk and assembles the file. The resident services coordinator handles the notice and forwarding address.
How often
Daily, every unit that turns. The Atlas plans 6 to 25 hours a day across these processes. Hours are planning estimates.
- 14daysNew York
- 21daysCalifornia
- 30daysTexas and Washington
Why it hurts
The letter is built from five sources: the move-in condition record, the move-out photos, the price list or vendor invoices, the resident ledger and the forwarding address. They live in different places. The busiest person on site assembles it last, against a clock that started when the keys came back.
Missing the clock is expensive. So is a deduction the statute does not allow. Several states put double or triple the deposit on the table.
Systems it touches
- Yardi Voyager
- RealPage
- MRI
- AppFolio
- Entrata
- Buildium
- Resident portal
- Inspection app
- Utility portals
- SMS
- Call center
- Outlook
- Excel
- SharePoint
12 steps · 7 actions · 4 decisions · 1 human reviews
The workflow, step by step
Action Decision Human review Select a step in the flowchart to jump to it.
-
Action · Agent
Read the notice-to-vacate list daily, open a move-out record and request the forwarding address.
-
Decision · Agent
Does the state require a pre-move-out inspection offer? Schedule it inside the window.
-
Action · Agent
Schedule the final inspection and request final meter reads.
-
Action · Agent
When keys return, record the trigger date and compute the deadline.
-
Action · Agent
Compare move-out photos with the move-in record room by room and propose candidate charges.
-
Decision · Agent
Chargeable only if on the move-in record and beyond normal wear; prorate by age.
-
Action · Agent
Price each line from the price list or vendor invoice.
-
Decision · Agent
Attach receipts where the state requires them (California, above $125).
-
Human review · The manager
The manager approves each deduction with before and after photos side by side.
-
Action · Agent
Post charges, apply the deposit and generate the letter from the state template.
-
Decision · Agent
Delivery and refund method by state, including electronic refunds where required.
-
Action · Agent
Issue the refund, record the mailing, and hand any balance to collections.
✓ Done
Rules vs judgment
| Exact rule | The model reads | A person decides |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger event and deadline per state | Move-out photos against move-in photos | Every deduction |
| Receipt thresholds and photo rules | Notes like "carpet stained BR2" | Lines with missing move-in evidence |
| Proration by remaining life | Wear or damage, as a proposal | Objections after the letter |
| Letter template and delivery by state | Handwritten move-in forms | Abandoned property |
When it stops
-
No move-in photos exist
The line goes to review, and in Washington it drops.
-
The forwarding address is missing
The letter step escalates well before the deadline, not on it.
-
A final utility bill arrives after the letter
It becomes a separate balance-due notice.
-
The resident left without returning keys
A person decides the trigger date under the state's rules.
-
An install date is missing
No full-replacement charge goes out without one.
-
The resident is transferring units
The deposit moves to the new lease and no letter is generated.
What you end up with
An on-time letter where every line carries its photos, its price source and its approval, plus a mailing record that proves when it went out. The deposit account stays tied because the refund and transfer are logged together.
Questions
Which date starts the deposit clock?
It depends on the state: after vacating, after surrender, or after termination. The rules table stores the trigger event, not just a day count.
What if a California repair is not finished in 21 days?
The letter can use a good faith estimate, followed by a final itemization within 14 days of completing the work. The agent opens that second clock automatically.
Does the agent charge for damage from an assistance animal?
It proposes damage the same way for every unit, but never a pet fee or pet deposit against an approved assistance animal.
More in Workflows
- Owner StatementsProperty Management
- Application ScreeningProperty Management
- Utility Bills & RecoveriesProperty Management
- Vendor Invoices & COIProperty Management
- Work Orders & DispatchProperty Management
- Affordable Housing RecertsProperty Management
- Bank Rec & Month-EndProperty Management
- CAM ReconciliationProperty Management
No prompts. No babysitting. No Integrations.