New Tenant Move-In Checklist

Pull the build year from the county assessor record or the property file. Anything pre-1978 triggers the federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (Title X / 24 CFR 35) — the signed form must be in the file before lease execution. Per-violation HUD/EPA penalties apply, so this is a hard gate, not a paperwork formality.

Forward the EPA-approved disclosure plus the "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home" pamphlet. Both landlord and tenant signatures are required before the lease is executed — not after. Save the signed disclosure to the tenant file; HUD has fined landlords thousands per unit for missing forms during audit.

Many HOAs require a lease addendum, tenant registration, or board approval before occupancy. Pull the current CC&Rs and confirm whether a lease addendum, gate-code request, or rental cap waiver applies. Skipping this surfaces as a fine to the owner months later.

Use the state-standard lease (NAA form, state association template, or firm template). Attach all required disclosures: lead paint (pre-1978), mold, bedbug (NYC), Megan's Law (CA), HOA addendum if applicable. Confirm rent, term, security deposit amount, pet terms, and prorated rent calculation against the application.

Set the signing order so all named applicants sign before the landlord countersigns. Include FCRA-required language if the lease references screening criteria. The leasing agent owns this step and tracks the envelope until completion.

Reservation fee should be cleared funds — ACH, cashier's check, or money order. Scan the instrument, post to the tenant ledger as a holding deposit (not yet rent), and route to the trust account per your state's broker trust-fund rules.

Mark the unit leased on Zillow Rental Manager, Apartments.com, Realtor.com Rentals, the firm website, and any MLS / FMLS feed. Disable Rently (or your self-show provider) so prior leads cannot still book a tour. Stale listings drive avoidable showing requests for weeks.

Book the cleaner with a current COI on file to land 24-48 hours before move-in — early enough to catch missed punch-list items, late enough that the unit shows fresh. Confirm scope covers appliance interiors, baseboards, blinds, and inside cabinets, not just surface clean.

Press-test every unit, replace any expired (10-year) detector, and swap batteries. Most states require working detectors at every move-in (MA requires a certificate at sale; CA requires functional units before occupancy). A failed detector creates a habitability defense if a fire or CO incident later occurs.

Rekey or full lock change at every turnover — TX Property Code §92.156 requires it within 7 days; other states are silent but the liability calculus is identical. Log the new key code in the unit file so the maintenance lead can dispatch a tech without a full re-key on the next service call.

Submit the tenant name, cell number, and move-in date to the HOA management company. Most call-box updates take 2-5 business days, so a same-week request risks the tenant arriving to a gate that won't open and movers idling on the clock.

Accept only cleared-funds instruments — cashier's check or money order made out to the firm's trust account. Personal checks risk an NSF after the tenant has already moved in, leaving the deposit uncollected and eviction the only recovery path. Verify amount matches the lease exactly, including any pet deposit.

Confirm the declaration page lists the property as additional interest, shows at least $100K liability, and is effective as of the move-in date. Save the PDF to the tenant file. Without it, any tenant-caused water or fire loss falls on the owner's policy with a much higher deductible.

Walk every room with the tenant using HappyCo, zInspector, or the firm's standard form. Photograph any pre-existing wear: scuffs, carpet stains, appliance dings, fixture chips. The tenant's signature on this form is the single most important piece of paper in the file at move-out — without it, deposit deductions are nearly indefensible in court.

Hand over house keys, mailbox key, garage remotes, gate fobs, and any pool or amenity access cards. Decommission the listing lockbox and remove it from the property. Document the count and types of keys issued on the lease addendum so move-out reconciliation matches.

Bookkeeper enters the deposit in AppFolio / Buildium / Yardi as a liability, not income. Apply any holding deposit collected earlier against the security deposit balance per the lease. Confirm prorated first-month rent posted correctly against the move-in date.

Many states require the deposit held in a separate trust or escrow account (NJ requires interest-bearing; MA requires the bank name disclosed to the tenant within 30 days; FL requires a notice within 30 days naming the depository). Confirm your state's rule and the specific notice requirement before depositing.

Property manager emails the tenant a week after move-in to surface anything that didn't show up on the inspection — slow drains, HVAC quirks, appliance issues. Catching these in week one keeps them from becoming month-three habitability complaints.