What to tell the manager before you move
The first things to tell them are the day you leave, the inspection you want, the number of keys, and problems in the room you already know. Booking a moving company is a different task from checking the bill.
The aim is to keep your own record if “we were not told” and “I told you” later disagree. Telling them does not remove a charge.
Separate the lease deadline from the day you carry things out
The notice period in the lease, the day the furniture leaves, and the day you return the keys may not match. Leave all three dates in the message you send. Read the number of days of notice in the lease. Do not fill it from memory. Finding the clause is the same approach as What to look for in a lease special term: look for the cancellation clause.
Line up photos and problems before the inspection
Before the inspection, gather room photos and notes of problems you reported during the tenancy. The order of photos is in Photos to keep before you move out. For something that may be on the building side, such as a leak, also keep when you reported it.
At the inspection, add a photo of each place they point out, and read the agreement before you sign. Signing a statement is separated in How to read a security deposit statement.
Do not mix keys, mail, and utilities into the fee lines
The number of keys, a mail-forwarding notice, and stopping electricity, gas, and water are moving procedures. Later, see whether they are mixed into the move-out bill. The key charge itself is in What to check on a key-replacement charge.
When they recruit the next tenant, or when they schedule cleaning, is their plan. If your move-out day and their work day overlap, fix only the inspection time first.
Use a short message that remains
Spoken words alone cannot be compared later. Send the property name, the room, the move-out date, the inspection you want, the number of keys, and the problems you want them to know, in a short email or on paper, and keep the reply. A long argument can wait until the invoice arrives.