Move In - Landlord Forum thread

Move In by Nick (OH) on October 31, 2009 @12:33

What are the proper steps to moving a tenant in?

My new tenants told me that I am supposed to be there while they move in for the following reasons.
a- to help them move their things in
b- to fix anything that needs it should they discover a problem
c- to introduce them to the neighbors

I am new at this, but are these things normal?

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Re: Move In by Nick (OH) on October 31, 2009 @12:34	[ Reply ]
Forgot to mention they said they will have the rent check for me when we are finished moving them in at the end of the day!

Re: Move In

Re: Move In by Anonymous on October 31, 2009 @12:59

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A - Not your problem. You are not being paid to move in their stuff.

B - You should do a walkthrough with tenant and have a checklist prior to them moving in. Have them sign the checklist and keep it. When they leave, you can compare condition of the unit before and after. Take pictures for reference. Fix anything that needs to be fixed that both of you find warranted for fixing.

C - Can't they do anything by themselves?

They surely sound like PITAs to me. Beware!

Re: Move In by Anonymous on October 31, 2009 @13:20

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Get all money prior to handing over keys. Also, have pics of the place prior to handing over keys, preferably have newspaper included in some pics to prove date. On first day of lease, first before allowing tenant to move anything in, do walkthrough and have tenant fill out and sign move in condition report. Then give tenant keys and leave. Let tenant know any repairs needed must be submitted in writing. It may be nice to have a welcome kit with things such as important numbers for cable company, emergency numbers, pizza place, etc. I recommend having roll of toliet paper and shower curtain liner in bathroom too.

Re: Move In

Re: Move In by Va Landlady (VA) on October 31, 2009 @15:18	[ Reply ]
Oh my gosh, you better tell them to meet you at the bank or bring you cash. NEVER, NEVER take a check for the first months rent or the deposit! DO NOT hand over the keys until you have CASH IN HAND or you will be back here asking how to evict these deadbeats! Also, not your job to help them move, or introduce them to the neighbors.

Re: Move In by Ultimate M-Bone on October 31, 2009 @16:22	[ Reply ]
I didn't read all of this, but RUN, RUN FAST. DO NOT RENT TO THOSE PEOPLE, BAD NEWS ALL THE WAY. I'll respond further if needed after I read the rest.

Re: Move In by Paul (IL) on November 1, 2009 @07:54

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Nick,

Sounds like you are a new landlord. First and foremost, it is YOU who calls ALL the shots - not the tenants!! Ill try to answer in order of your question:

A) Tell them to pound sand! It is not your responsibility to move them and their crap in! This can actually be a liability to you if you break or damage something. DO NOT help ANY tenant move their crap in!!! EVER!!!!

B) Fixing things is a job for any landlord but not at the whim of the tenant. Somethings need to be fixed and some things dont. Use your own best judgement. Otherwise, you get dumbass tenants pestering you about really stupid shit that doesnt even matter. Also, ALL consumables should be paid for and installed by the tenant (light bulbs, soap, etc...)

c) Introduce them to the neighbors!? Holy shit thats a good one!! Nothing wrong with being nice as long as it fits your schedule but it is certainly not required you do so.

Remember, tenants NEVER bully the landlord. I always tall ALL new tenants to make sure they pay their rent on time and in full and we wont have a problem. THe day their money is 1 day late is when my teeth come out and I issue a pay or quit notice.

This is a GREAT forum for new LandLords so keep those questions coming!

Re: Move In by OK-LL on November 1, 2009 @10:19

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Wow, that was great for a laugh! You're totally joking, right? ROFL.

But in case you aren't,
a. Why would you touch the belongings of total strangers? They should hire a moving company.
b. If they find anything that needs repair, they must submit it to you in writing and you will let them know if it is a non-issue -- remember, they are renting the property as-is. If they mess something up moving in, they pay to fix it.
c. They don't sound like someone the neighbors would actually want to know! Their personal relationships are not your concern.

Re: Move In