If you have to clean up a rental property after a tenant has left, you have a big job ahead of you. A dumpster rental can help you easily dispose of waste; often, this speeds up the renovation process. Before you get started, read the following tips.

Line Up Contractors Before Choosing a Dumpster

Assuming you’re planning to do some work on the house and you’re going to be hiring some professionals, meet with all contractors before choosing a dumpster.

Dumpster rentals typically last for seven days, although you may be able to extend your rental if the situation requires it. Having all contractors come in to do their work within this seven-day period is the easiest way to ensure easy disposal of remodeling debris.

Sign contracts with the contractors specifying their start date, to ensure that you’ll know when to start the dumpster rental. When meeting with contractors, be sure to ask them these two questions:

How long will they be working on the house?
How much debris will their work produce?

When you have this information, you can secure a dumpster rental of the proper size and for the right length of time. Get this information written into the contract so you can be sure it’s accurate.

Know What Can’t Go in the Dumpster

You can make plans for your rental home remodel when you know in advance what can or can’t go in the dumpster. The following types of debris cannot go in the dumpster and will need to be handled specially:

Hazardous waste
Liquids (paints, oils, solvents, pesticides, etc.)
Special waste
Asbestos

You can find out how to dispose of these items on the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website or by contacting the Illinois EPA on the phone.

Think through the work you’ll be doing in the house. Will you be removing a popcorn ceiling? Asbestos may be a concern. Will you be painting the interior or exterior? Find out what the contractor plans to do with the leftover paint.

Before signing on the dotted line with any contractor, write into the contract what cannot be thrown into the dumpster. Make arrangements for the contractor to dispose of these items separately, or take on that responsibility yourself. If the contractor throws these items away in your dumpster, you could face penalties from the dumpster rental company.

Inform the Neighbors

It’s important to maintain a good relationship with neighbors, even for a rental home. Tell the neighbors that there will be a dumpster on the property and when. This is especially important if the dumpster will be parked in the street. If the neighbors know when the dumpster will be gone, they may be more with its presence.

Get the Proper Permits

You are allowed to park a dumpster in the street of the City of Chicago, but you’ll need a right of way permit from the Chicago Department of Transportation. Make arrangements for this permit before the dumpster rental.

If you plan to park the dumpster in the driveway, contact the Chicago Department of Transportation to find out if there are any limitations on the dumpster rental or if any permits are needed. If there are any associations in the neighborhood controlling activity of the residents, find out from the association if you need special permission to get a dumpster.

Know What to Do With Belongings the Tenant Left

Abandoned property is a common problem that landlords must deal with. If you wrote a policy for abandoned property into your rental agreement, follow the policy exactly to dispose of the If the tenant left belongings in the home.

If you haven’t written a policy like this into your rental agreement, you may need to take a picture and inventory of the items, send notice to the tenant, and hang on to the items for a specific period of time. Check with a lawyer before proceeding. If you’re required to hang on to the renter’s items for 30 days, this could affect when you start cleaning out the home.

Break Down Furniture Before Putting It In the Dumpster

Furniture takes up a lot of space in dumpsters, especially when it’s in its fully assembled state. Taking furniture apart will help you save space and maximize your rental. Disassemble all furniture before placing it into the dumpster, especially if you’re concerned that space will be tight. The contents of the dumpster should go no higher than the top of the dumpster.

Know the Rules for Landscape Debris

You can dispose of items like patio pavers or dirt in your dumpster, but these loads must be clean (meaning no other items are mixed in), and the dumpster can only be filled about ¾ of the way full. Talk to your dumpster rental company before dumping landscaping debris.

Contact Your Dumpster Rental Company

If you’re going to be cleaning out your rental home soon and need a dumpster, contact a dumpster rental company. At Tri-State Disposal, we’ll be happy to answer your questions about dumpster rental. Call us to find out more.