Tenant Turnover Checklist
Download REI Grove’s tenant turnover checklist to inspect, clean, repair, refresh, and prepare your rental unit before a new tenant moves in.
Key Takeaways
- A tenant turnover checklist keeps landlords organized and ensures no critical steps are missed.
- Inspections are crucial for identifying damage, wear and tear, and necessary repairs.
- Deep cleaning and routine maintenance prepare the unit for a fresh start.
- REI Grove’s tenant turnover checklist makes it easy to schedule preventative maintenance and safety updates during turnover.
- Preparing documents, changing locks, and welcoming the new tenant ensures a smooth move-in process.
In this article
- Learn what a tenant turnover checklist is
- Understand why tenant turnover matters
- Review inspection, cleaning, repair, and maintenance tasks
- Prepare safety features, locks, keys, and new tenant materials
- Download REI Grove’s tenant turnover checklist
Tenant Turnover Checklist
In the time between one tenant moving out and another tenant moving in—called tenant turnover—your responsibility as a landlord is to hit the reset button on the entire unit to prepare it for your new residents. While this may seem straightforward at first, there are a number of tasks you’ll need to complete to ensure the property is ready for new tenants, and managing these tasks can become tricky if you’re not vigilant about staying organized.
Whether you’re a landlord experiencing tenant turnover for the first time or a property manager looking to make your tenant turnover experience more efficient, we’re here to help. We’ve created REI Grove’s tenant turnover checklist so you can properly inspect, repair, and prepare your unit for the beginning of a new lease.
Tenant Turnover Checklist at a Glance
| Checklist Section | What It Covers | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1: Inspection | Unit condition, damage, wear and tear, security deposit deductions, and documentation. | Helps landlords understand what needs attention before repairs begin. |
| Section 2: Deep Clean | Abandoned belongings, appliances, floors, bathrooms, high-touch areas, carpets, and outdoor areas. | Gives the unit a clean, fresh start before move-in. |
| Section 3: Repairs | Wall holes, appliances, lightbulbs, hardware, drains, leaks, laundry machines, and pests. | Restores the rental to move-in-ready condition. |
| Section 4: Preventative Maintenance | Air filters, HVAC, water heaters, and water filters. | Helps catch maintenance issues before they become larger problems. |
| Section 5: Paint/Cosmetic Updates | Paint touch-ups, caulk, registers, and cabinet or drawer pulls. | Makes the unit look fresh, clean, and well cared for. |
| Section 6: Safety Features & Tech | Smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, electronic locks, and smart thermostats. | Improves safety and keeps the rental updated. |
| Section 7: New Tenant Materials | New locks and keys, welcome packet, emergency contacts, local information, and moving-day availability. | Creates a smoother move-in experience for the new tenant. |
What is a Tenant Turnover Checklist and Why is It Important?
When a tenant decides not to renew their lease and instead moves out of your unit, you’ll be tasked with turning over the apartment to prepare it for a new tenant. Many landlords underestimate the amount of effort required to effectively refresh their units until they’re already in the middle of the process, unsure of what to do next.
A tenant turnover checklist alleviates this issue by compiling all the tasks you’ll need to finish before a new tenant moves in onto one document that you can organize and carry with you during the turnover process. By putting each task into your list, you can ensure that no step is forgotten and that the apartment will be in presentable shape for new residents upon move-in.
What is a Tenant Turnover Checklist Used For?
Tenant turnover checklists are used to help you keep track of several different aspects of the tenant turnover process in great detail so you can be confident that nothing in the process gets overlooked or skipped. Let’s take a look at the categories that tenant turnover checklists keep organized.
Inspecting the Unit
The first thing you’ll need to do in the turnover process is inspect the unit. How did the previous tenant leave the space? Are there any major issues to take note of or unique circumstances that will affect the turnover process? Your tenant turnover checklist will allow you to check for various damages or signs of wear and tear and document them so you can take appropriate action.
Making Repairs and Restoring the Space
Next, landlords will act on any repairs needed to get the unit back up to standards, as well as complete a deep clean of the apartment and doing any maintenance or other improvements. This is where most of the action in your checklist will be—think replacing lightbulbs, repainting walls, deep cleaning floors, or updating the home. Tools like Innago's maintenance request feature can help you track and document repairs as you complete them.
Preparing the Rental for New Tenants
Finally, your tenant turnover checklist will help you organize tasks that prepare the new space for tenants. From changing locks, to preparing paperwork or other printed documents, to finally handing off the keys, a tenant turnover checklist will help keep you organized for a smooth move-in process.
What Does the Tenant Turnover Checklist Cover?
REI Grove’s tenant turnover checklist gives landlords and property managers a detailed way to move through the turnover process from move-out to move-in. The checklist is organized around inspection, deep cleaning, repairs, preventative maintenance, cosmetic updates, safety and technology updates, and new tenant materials.
This checklist includes:
- Unit condition assessment
- Damage documentation
- Wear and tear review
- Security deposit deductions
- Abandoned belongings
Section 1: Inspection
How did the last tenant leave the apartment? Are there urgent issues or emergencies you need to address? Now is the time to inspect each part of the unit to determine what is wear and tear and what is damage that needs to be deducted from the tenant’s security deposit.
This section includes:
- Assessing the overall condition of the unit
- Documenting damage and necessary repairs
- Checking for normal wear and tear
- Taking detailed notes, photos, or videos
During inspection, landlords should look for damage beyond normal wear and tear, cosmetic issues, worn flooring, holes, broken fixtures, and anything that may affect the next tenant’s move-in.
Section 2: Deep Clean
Even if a tenant did a suitable job cleaning before they moved out, this is still an opportunity to ensure the unit is given a fresh start before the next resident moves in. You’ll need to give attention to each room in the home, as well as each surface and appliance, so keeping the checklist handy can help you track the many cleaning tasks that still need to be done.
This section includes:
- Removing abandoned belongings
- Disposing of trash and non-valuable items
- Reviewing local rules for valuable abandoned property
A thorough deep clean can make the rental feel fresh, professional, and ready for the next tenant.
Section 3: Repairs
Now is the time to ensure that damages are fixed and that everything in the apartment is repaired. Look for holes in the wall, broken appliances or furniture, possible leaks, and even signs of pests. These issues need to be fixed before a new tenant moves in.
This section includes:
- Patching holes in the wall
- Sanding and touching up patched areas
- Completing an appliance audit
- Checking refrigerator, oven, stove, microwave, dishwasher, washer, and dryer
Completing repairs before move-in reduces the chance of early maintenance complaints and gives the new tenant a better first impression.
Section 4: Preventative Maintenance
Even if the unit is in good shape, you should take the time to replace air and water filters and inspect HVAC and water heaters. This will keep your rental in good shape and prevent more involved maintenance and repairs down the line.
This section includes:
- Replacing air filters
- Inspecting the HVAC system
- Checking for HVAC leaks, unusual noises, and signs of wear
Turnover gives landlords easy access to the entire unit, making it a good time to complete routine maintenance that may be harder to schedule during an active tenancy.
Section 5: Paint and Cosmetic Updates
Touching up paint is a common step in the turnover process, but landlords can also use this step for touching up caulking or even updating or replacing cabinets and drawers. These are small differences that will make the home feel cohesive and well-maintained.
This section includes:
- Refreshing or touching up paint on walls, trim, and doors
- Covering scuffs, chips, patched areas, or faded paint
- Applying tub and tile caulk
These updates can make the rental feel cleaner and more modern without requiring a full renovation.
Section 6: Update Safety Features and Tech
You should update safety features and tech products in the home periodically to upkeep the rental and keep its modern feel. This includes tasks ranging from replacing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to installing new thermostats or electronic locks.
This section includes:
- Testing smoke alarms
- Replacing smoke alarm batteries
- Testing carbon monoxide detectors
- Replacing carbon monoxide detector batteries
Section 7: Prepare New Tenant Materials
Finally, you’ll want to change the locks or keys, put together a welcome packet with helpful tips and information for the tenants, and hand off the keys on move-in day. Congratulations! You’ve just completed your tenant turnover checklist tasks.
This section includes:
- Replacing locks and keys
- Creating new keys for the tenant
- Preparing a welcome packet
A strong move-in process can make the new tenant feel more comfortable and set the tone for better communication throughout the lease.
Get REI Grove’s Tenant Turnover Checklist
Check out REI Grove’s tenant turnover checklist below for a list that contains all the information you’ll need—with room to add or subtract bullet points to meet your needs.
The checklist can help landlords and property managers move through turnover tasks in order, from documenting the condition of the unit to handing off keys to the next tenant.
How Can a Tenant Turnover Checklist Benefit Landlords?
A tenant turnover checklist gives landlords a clearer process for preparing a unit between tenants. Instead of relying on memory or handling tasks out of order, landlords can follow a documented process for inspection, cleaning, repairs, maintenance, cosmetic updates, safety checks, and move-in preparation.
This can be especially useful for:
- First-time landlords
- Property managers handling multiple units
- Landlords trying to reduce vacancy time
How REI Grove Can Help With Tenant Turnover
REI Grove helps landlords organize property management tasks, tenant communication, maintenance requests, lease records, and rental documentation.
During turnover, organized systems can help landlords document damage, track repairs, coordinate maintenance, store records, and communicate with incoming tenants more efficiently.
Conclusion
As a landlord, property manager, or investor who plans on housing different tenants in one unit over time, you’ll need to be familiar with the tenant turnover process and your responsibilities in completing it. With this new knowledge of how to turn over a rental unit, as well as REI Grove’s tenant turnover checklist, you’ll be prepared to hit the reset button on each of your units and hand over the keys as a new lease begins.
FAQs
What is tenant turnover?
Tenant turnover is the period between one tenant moving out and the next tenant moving in.
How long does tenant turnover take?
Tenant turnover timing depends on unit condition, cleaning needs, repairs, vendor availability, inspection results, and the next move-in date.
What should landlords do after a tenant moves out?
Landlords should inspect the unit, document damage, deep clean, make repairs, complete maintenance, change locks, and prepare new tenant materials.
What is normal wear and tear?
Normal wear and tear generally includes ordinary deterioration from normal use, such as minor scuffs, faded paint, or small nail holes.
What counts as property damage?
Property damage may include broken fixtures, large wall holes, damaged flooring, missing items, or harm beyond normal wear and tear.
Can landlords deduct repairs from a security deposit?
Landlords may be able to deduct repair costs for damage beyond normal wear and tear, but they must follow state law, lease terms, and itemization rules.
What should go in a tenant welcome packet?
A welcome packet may include lease details, maintenance contacts, emergency numbers, utility setup instructions, local amenities, community rules, and move-in guidance.
Should landlords change locks between tenants?
Yes. Changing locks or rekeying between tenants can improve security and give the new tenant peace of mind.
What should landlords clean between tenants?
Landlords should clean appliances, bathrooms, floors, carpets, cabinets, windows, doors, light fixtures, high-touch areas, and outdoor spaces.