April 30th has a way of arriving faster than expected in Kingston. The lease ends, exams finish, and suddenly you have 72 hours to execute a move that you've been vaguely thinking about for weeks. Students who plan this out in advance leave cleanly. Students who don't spend May dealing with landlord disputes, unpaid bills, and items they forgot to cancel.
This is the checklist, ordered by when things need to happen.
6 Weeks Before Move-Out (Early-Mid April)
- ☐ Confirm your move-out date and key return procedure with your landlord in writing (email or text). Get confirmation of where to return keys and by what time.
- ☐ Start listing high-value items on Fliku — furniture, electronics, appliances. These take time to sell; starting early means better prices and less panic-selling on April 28th.
- ☐ Book a moving truck if needed — U-Haul and Enterprise trucks in Kingston book out completely for the last week of April. Book now, not later.
- ☐ Arrange storage or subletting if you're not moving everything home.
- ☐ Photograph your apartment thoroughly — every room, every wall, every existing mark. Date-stamp the photos. This is your protection against deposit disputes.
2 Weeks Before Move-Out
- ☐ Give notice to utilities — schedule your hydro, internet, and any other utilities to end on your move-out date (not before — you need power and internet for the cleaning process).
- ☐ Cancel or transfer subscriptions tied to your Kingston address — anything that auto-renews or delivers physically.
- ☐ List remaining items for free on Fliku and the Kingston Buy Nothing group — anything that didn't sell at a price.
- ☐ Confirm subletter arrangements if applicable — walk them through the apartment, document its condition with them present.
- ☐ Withdraw from any Kingston-specific gym memberships, clubs, or subscriptions you won't use next year.
Final Week
- ☐ Deep clean the apartment — oven interior, refrigerator, bathroom fixtures, window tracks, exhaust fans. These are the areas that generate deposit disputes. If you're uncertain, hire a cleaning service ($100-180 for a one-bedroom).
- ☐ Patch nail holes — small holes from picture hooks can be filled with toothpaste or spackle. Larger holes need proper patching; most hardware stores have easy patch kits.
- ☐ Return any borrowed items and collect anything you've lent out.
- ☐ Forward your mail — Canada Post mail forwarding costs $70-80 for 6 months. Set it up online before you leave. Alternatively, update your address with every service you use.
- ☐ Defrost the freezer if there's frost buildup — landlords charge for this.
- ☐ Empty and clean all appliances — dishwasher, microwave, oven, refrigerator.
Move-Out Day
- ☐ Do a final walkthrough before returning keys — check every room, every closet, under every bed. Students consistently leave things in storage areas they haven't opened since September.
- ☐ Take photos of the clean, empty apartment — timestamped, every room. This is your documentation if the landlord later claims damage.
- ☐ Return keys and get written confirmation of receipt. A text message from your landlord saying "got the keys" is sufficient documentation.
- ☐ Turn off all lights and lock all windows and doors before leaving for the last time.
After You Leave
- ☐ Follow up on your last month's rent — Ontario law limits what landlords can deduct from LMR. If they claim deductions, request itemized documentation in writing.
- ☐ Cancel your Kingston address from academic records if transferring programs or update with OSAP if applicable.
- ☐ Save all move-out documentation — photos, key receipt, communication with landlord — for at least 12 months. Disputes can arise months after move-out.
What happens if you leave your Kingston apartment dirty?
Your landlord can apply to the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board to recover cleaning costs from your last month's rent or through an LTB claim. In practice, most landlords will send a demand and documentation of cleaning costs rather than going straight to LTB. Cleaning the apartment properly is significantly cheaper than the dispute that follows if you don't.
Can a Kingston landlord keep your last month's rent?
Ontario landlords cannot keep last month's rent except through a formal LTB process. They can apply to the LTB claiming costs for damage or cleaning, but they cannot simply withhold LMR without going through the proper procedure. If your landlord refuses to return LMR improperly, file with the LTB — the process is free and landlords generally comply when formally challenged.
