What to do when Moving In
Move in Inspection. When moving into your rental property, your landlord should provide you with a “Move-In Inspection” sheet. When you move in, prepare a “move-in” condition report as thorough and complete as you can. Also, prepare a “fix-it” list of all things that need to be fixed, repaired, and/or cleaned. Date and sign them, keep copies for yourself and give copies to the landlord.
If you are not provided a move in inspection list, you can get some information about what you should be looking for by looking up “move in checklist” on www.google.com.
Take Pictures. Along with the move in inspection, you should also make sure that you are taking pictures or video of the property before you move in. The clearer the pictures, the better (it is better to use a digital camera as opposed to a disposable camera). Keep these pictures for yourself, and ask your landlord if he or she would like a copy of the pictures.
Turn on Utilities. It is usually best to call your utility companies about a week in advance and set a date for the utilities to turn on. Also, speak with your landlord about your utilities, the utilities may have changed in your landlords name between tenants, or some utilities may be included in your rent payment. Utilities that need to be turned on include: water, electric, gas (if you have it), trash, cable/internet/telephone (if you prefer these).
Get your mail forwarded. If you need to get your mail sent to your new address, go to the local post office and you can fill out a form. For a small fee your mail will be forwarded for a short period of time. It is good to do this at least a week in advance, so that all of your mail can be caught and forwarded before you move. It is up to you to make sure that you give your new address to all places you get mail from (e.g. credit card statements, bank or loan statements, EIU, etc).
Get Renter’s Insurance. The landlord does not insure or cover the tenant’s personal property. If a tenant wants their personal property protected from damage, he/she should obtain their own "Tenant's Insurance", or see if the tenant is covered by his/her parent's "Homeowner s Policy"
