Tenant Move-In Checklist

Confirm credit, background, eviction, and rental-history reports are on file with applied screening criteria documented uniformly. If any co-applicant was denied based on a consumer report, confirm the FCRA adverse-action notice was sent with the reporting agency's name and contact.

Pre-1978 housing triggers the federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure requirement. Pull the year-built from the property record before drafting the lease packet — missing the disclosure carries per-violation HUD/EPA penalties.

Send the EPA-approved disclosure form and the "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home" pamphlet. The form must be signed by every adult tenant before lease execution, not at move-in. File the signed copy in the tenant folder for the full federal retention period.

Common state-required attachments: mold disclosure, bedbug history (NYC, Maine), Megan's Law notice (CA), flood-zone disclosure, smoke/CO detector certification, and any local rent-stabilization rider. Use the NAA state-specific lease packet or the form your state landlord-tenant act requires verbatim.

Service animals and ESAs are accommodations under the Fair Housing Act — no pet rent, no pet deposit, no breed or weight restrictions. Charging fees on a documented service animal or ESA is an FHA violation. Ask carefully and document the classification before drafting the lease.

Use the pet addendum that names the specific animal (breed, weight, age) and lists pet rent and refundable pet deposit per firm policy. Some states cap pet deposits or fold them into the security-deposit cap — check the state landlord-tenant act before setting the amount.

For an ESA, collect the letter from a licensed mental health provider on letterhead. For a service animal, no documentation is required beyond confirming the two HUD-permitted questions. File the accommodation memo and confirm no pet rent, deposit, or breed restriction is applied.

Send through DocuSign or the PMS-native e-sign (AppFolio, Buildium, Yardi). Bundle every required disclosure inside the same envelope so signing order is enforced. Confirm all adult occupants over 18 are listed as signers.

Funds must clear before key handoff — never hand keys against an uncleared ACH or personal check. Calculate proration from the move-in date through month-end using the firm's standard convention (30-day vs actual-day month).

Many states require the deposit be held in a separate escrow or interest-bearing account (MA, NY, NJ) with written notice to the tenant of where it is held. Issue the deposit receipt with bank name and account type as required by the state landlord-tenant act.

Verify minimum liability per the lease (commonly $100K) and that the property owner is named as an additional interest. The COI lives in the tenant folder; calendar a renewal reminder for one year out.

Confirm paint, flooring, appliance, and fixture items are signed off by the maintenance lead. Test stovetop, oven, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, refrigerator ice/water, and the HVAC at both heat and cool settings.

Most states require working detectors at every move-in; failure is a habitability defense if a fire or CO incident occurs. Replace batteries, log the test date, and have the technician sign the detector certification (required at sale and turnover in MA, CA, and others).

Rekey or full lock change at every turnover; the $50–150 cost is far less than the liability if a prior tenant retains keys. Update the master key log and the smart-lock code in the PMS before handoff.

Walk every room with the tenant present, opening every cabinet, closet, and appliance. The walk-through is the baseline against which move-out damage is judged — without a signed move-in inspection, deposit deductions are nearly indefensible in small-claims court.

Use HappyCo, zInspector, or the PMS-native inspection module so timestamps and GPS metadata are preserved. Capture wide and detail shots of every wall, floor, appliance, and fixture; pre-existing scratches and stains documented here are what defeat "was this here when I moved in?" disputes at turnover.

Tenant signs acknowledging the documented condition. An unsigned inspection is functionally useless at move-out. Provide a copy to the tenant and retain the original in the tenant folder.

Verify electric, gas, water/sewer, and trash are transferred effective the move-in date. Owner-paid bills bleeding into a tenant-billed period is a common owner-statement complaint; closing the owner account on time prevents it.

Hand over unit keys, mailbox key, amenity fobs, garage remotes, and any smart-lock app credentials. Have the tenant sign the key receipt listing each item and serial number; this is the inventory you reconcile against at move-out.

Include the after-hours maintenance line, work-order portal link, trash and recycling schedule, parking rules, amenity access, and HOA rules where applicable. Setting expectations on day one prevents the first-week flood of "how do I…" calls.

Lease, all disclosures, move-in inspection with photos and signature, ID copies, COI, screening reports (per FCRA retention), and the key receipt. Use the firm's standard folder structure in AppFolio, Buildium, or Yardi so it can be pulled cleanly at renewal or move-out.

Mark the unit occupied, set the lease start and end dates, configure recurring rent and any pet rent, and close out the days-vacant counter. Economic-vacancy reporting depends on this entry being made the day of move-in, not at month-end.

A short call or email surfaces early issues — minor punch-list items the tenant didn't catch on day one, neighbor concerns, or process questions. Catching a leaking valve at day 30 is far cheaper than at day 90 when subfloor damage starts.