Final Steps: Move-In Checklists, Inspections, and Getting Paid

‍Get your new tenants settled in and your rental off to the best start possible with these move-in best practices.

You’ve found the perfect tenant, signed the lease, and collected the deposit — time to put your feet up, right?

Not just yet. Before you hand over the keys, there are a few final (but crucial) steps to ensure a smooth move-in and a stress-free tenancy for both you and your tenant.

Miss something here, and you could be setting yourself up for avoidable issues such as maintenance disputes, confused tenants, or delayed rent payments. But handle this phase properly, and you’ll kick things off in the right direction, with a happy tenant and a rental that’s ready to perform.

In this final article of The Landlord’s Guide To Rental Listings, we walk you through the essential move-in tasks that every landlord needs to tick off. 

Common Mistakes Landlords Make During Tenant Move-In

After all the work of listing the property, screening applicants, signing documents, and coordinating logistics, it’s tempting to hand over the keys with a smile and call it a day. But rushing through the final steps of the move-in process is where many landlords make critical and potentially costly mistakes.

1. Skipping the Move-In Condition Report

One of the biggest missteps landlords make is failing to complete a thorough move-in condition report. This report is your primary protection against disputes over property damage. Without clear, time-stamped documentation of the property’s condition, how can you prove that a scratch on the floor or a broken blind wasn’t your responsibility?

A comprehensive move-in report, ideally with photos or video, helps set expectations and protects both you and your tenant if issues arise later.

2. Not Confirming Payment Details

Yes, the lease outlines the rent amount, due date, and payment method. But don’t assume your tenant has memorized those details. Take a moment before move-in to confirm:

• The rent amount
• When it’s due
• How it should be paid (e.g., online via Landlord Studio)

Clarifying this upfront can help you avoid late payments, misunderstandings, or surprise checks that show up a week after the due date.

3. Skipping the Walk-Through

Failing to do a walk-through with your tenant is a missed opportunity. This step lets you:

• Show them how things work (thermostats, appliances, fuse boxes)
• Clarify responsibilities (like lawn care or trash collection)
• Explain how to submit maintenance requests, especially if you’re using tools like the Landlord Studio tenant app

The walk-through also reinforces professionalism and helps set the tone for open communication.

These might seem like minor details, but skipping them can lead to confusion, disputes, and preventable maintenance issues.

The move-in process isn’t just the finish line; it’s your chance to lay the groundwork for a positive, professional landlord-tenant relationship. Take the time to get it right, and you’ll save yourself time, money, and stress down the road.

Make Move-In Stress Free with Landlord Studio

As with every aspect of managing your rentals, whether that’s creating and syndicating your listing, running tenant screenings, or managing your finances and taxes, having the right tools is essential.

And Landlord Studio gives you the tools you need to handle the final steps of listing and securing great tenants with confidence and clarity, so nothing gets missed and everything runs like clockwork.

Use a Pre-Move-In Checklist Template

Don’t rely on memory. Use a free property inspection checklist to walk through the unit with your tenant before move-in and make sure you don’t miss anything.

Document the condition of floors, walls, appliances, and more — and save the report digitally in the document sections of Landlord Studio for your records.

Schedule Reminders for Key Tasks

Need to follow up on a repair before move-in? Want to remind yourself to collect renters' insurance documents? Or, simply schedule a bi-annual or quarterly inspection?

Set custom task reminders inside Landlord Studio for important events like tenant follow-ups and property inspections, so nothing slips through the cracks.

Automated Online Rent Collection

Once the lease is signed and the deposit is secured, it’s time for the first rent payment. Enable online rent collection in the system and invite your tenant. They can quickly set up an account to start paying their rent online.

With Landlord Studio’s online rent collection, you’re in control and payments are automatically logged in Landlord Studio for automated and accurate income records.

• You set the rent due date and amount
• Block partial payments
• Automated tracking of rent payments

And it’s easier for the tenant, too. Tenants can log into the tenant app or web portal at any time to review the details of their lease, submit payments, and even make maintenance requests. 

And with auto-pay, tenants can set and forget their rent payments, meaning reliable, on-time rent payments, every single month.

Accurate Records — Just In Case

Store signed leases, inspection photos, payment receipts, and maintenance logs in one place with Landlord Studio.

If questions ever come up from tenants (or even in court), you’ve got the documentation to back you up.

From Listing to Move-In: With Landlord Studio, You’re Covered

That’s it! You’ve officially reached the final step in our rental listings guide. From crafting the perfect listing to screening tenants and now navigating tenant move-in like a pro, we’ve walked through everything you need to confidently fill your rental with the right tenant, the right way.

If there’s one big takeaway, it’s this: the details matter. A missed rent reminder, an undocumented scuff, or a rushed handover might not seem like a big deal until it is. But with the right tools in place, you can avoid the common pitfalls and start your new tenancy on solid ground.

Landlord Studio is built to support you at every stage — helping you find and screen great tenants and handle move-ins. From inspection checklists and automated rent collection to digital document storage and task reminders, we’ve got everything you need in one place.

Streamline your rental process from listing to move-in to tax time

Create your free Landlord Studio account today and manage your rentals with less stress and more confidence.