It's move-in day! For landlords, this is often a day of excitement and nervousness. You are about to entrust your property to someone else, probably for an extended period of time. You want to be sure that they will take care of it and not cause any damage.
For tenants, this is a day of excitement and nervousness too. You are about to move into a new home and start a new chapter in your life. You want to be sure that you have everything in order and that you are prepared for the move.
To help both landlords and tenants be prepared for move-in and move-out days, we have put together a guide here. It includes sections on the tenant's responsibility, the landlord's responsibility, and a general checklist for both parties.
We hope that the following information will help you have a pleasant move-in and move-out experience. At the end of the article, you'll also learn how Flatio makes this process easier for you.
Move-in checklist for tenants
- Pack all of your belongings in boxes and label them clearly.
- Arrange for transportation of your belongings to your new home.
- Schedule a time to pick up your keys from the landlord.
- Make sure the post office and other important organizations have your updated address.
- Give your current landlord a forwarding address so they can send you any letters or packages you may receive before you change your address with the post office, etc.
Move-in checklist for landlords
- Make sure that the property is clean and in good repair.
- Provide the tenant with a copy of the lease.
- Provide the tenant with the keys to the property.
- Forward the previous tenant's mail to their new address.
- Send the previous tenant's deposit refund to their new address if it's to be paid by check.
- Give the tenant a copy of the move-in checklist and ask them to sign and date it.
- Keep a copy of the checklist for your own records.
General checklist for both parties
- Walk through the property together and make note of any existing damage. This could include things like a broken fridge, a leaky faucet, a non-functioning light fixture, holes in the walls, stains on the carpet, or cracked tiles.
- Take photos of the property to document the condition.
- Review the lease agreement and make sure that you understand all of the terms.
- Sign the lease agreement.
- Move in and enjoy your new home!
Move-out checklist
Just as it's important to do a walk-through of the property before a tenant moves in, it's also crucial to do a walk-through after they move out.
This will help you assess any damage that may have occurred during the tenancy and determine whether the tenant is responsible for repairing it. The move-out checklist is similar to the move-in checklist.
By following these steps, you can create a thorough move-in and move-out checklist that will help you protect your investment and avoid any misunderstandings with your tenants.
How Flatio streamlines the move-in and move-out process
When landlords and tenants use Flatio to rent out their property or rent a rental unit, they don't have to go through some of the steps above. You may be wondering, why?
Because the lease agreement is signed directly between the landlord and the tenant online, which streamlines the rental process.
What's more, tenants and landlords don't have to worry about move-in and move-out checklists, because Flatio provides landlords with sample forms called handover and takeover protocols that can be shared with the tenant and then signed by both parties.
Visit this page and this page if you want to know more about how the move-in and move-out process works on Flatio.
