Lease & Move-In Checklist
Print this. Bring it on every tour. Use it through move-out.
Before signing
Do all of this before you put pen to paper.
- Read the entire lease and every addendum (pet, parking, mold, etc.)
- Search the PDF for: renew, fee, deposit, terminate, waive, attorney, arbitration, as-is
- Get a written breakdown of every fee (application, admin, deposit, pet, parking, utilities)
- Confirm the start date, end date, and any auto-renewal notice window
- Confirm the early-termination buyout amount in writing
- Verify who is on the lease and how joint liability works
- Run a Property Peeker report on the address
- Tour the unit at the time of day you'll actually live there (and after dark)
- Test water pressure, all appliances, HVAC, every outlet, every window
- List every existing defect in writing and get it added as an addendum
- Confirm renters insurance requirement and minimum coverage
- Ask about the average maintenance response time
- Get the leasing agent's name, email, and direct number in writing
At move-in (within 24 hours)
Do this before bringing in any furniture.
- Record a slow narrated video of every room, wall, floor, and fixture
- Photograph every defect close-up with something for scale
- Open every cabinet, drawer, and appliance on camera
- Fill out the move-in condition report room by room
- Note every defect, no matter how small
- Sign and date the condition report
- Email a scanned copy to the landlord; ask for written confirmation of receipt
- Save the lease, addenda, condition report, and all media to cloud storage
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors; replace batteries if needed
- Locate and photograph the breaker panel, water shutoff, and HVAC filter
- Change the locks (where permitted) or request rekeying in writing
- Set up renters insurance and email proof to the landlord
During tenancy
Habits that protect you for the entire lease.
- Always communicate important things in writing (email, not phone)
- After every call or in-person conversation, send a confirming email
- Submit every maintenance request through the official portal AND email
- Keep a repair log: date reported, issue, photo, date acknowledged, date resolved
- Pay rent in a traceable way (bank transfer, portal) — keep receipts
- Screenshot any landlord text threads monthly and email them to yourself
- Save every rent receipt, notice, and email in your apartment cloud folder
- Know your state's repair-and-deduct, rent escrow, and notice rules
- Calendar the lease's renewal-notice deadline 90 days in advance
- Report habitability issues in writing with a deadline (certified mail for serious issues)
Move-out
The week before, the day of, and after you leave.
- Send written notice of non-renewal or termination with your forwarding address
- Schedule a move-out walkthrough with the landlord present
- Patch nail holes and replace burned-out bulbs you installed
- Deep clean kitchen, bathroom, baseboards, oven, fridge, floors
- Remove every personal item — abandoned property triggers fees
- Print your move-in condition report and photos for the walkthrough
- Compare each room to the move-in condition with the landlord
- Record a final narrated walkthrough video on your way out
- Return every key, fob, garage remote, and mailbox key
- Get a written receipt for the keys (or email confirmation)
- Forward your mail with USPS
- Cancel utilities the day after the lease ends, not before
- Calendar the statutory deposit-return deadline for your state
- If deposit isn't returned on time, send a certified-mail demand letter
Property Peeker — propertypeeker.com — General renter education, not legal advice. Tenant law varies by state and city.