Move-in checklist for landlords: documents, alarms, keys and readings
What a landlord in England gives the tenant before and on move-in day: the written statement, gas safety record, electrical report and EPC, then the deposit paperwork within 30 days. With alarms tested on day one, keys and meter readings, and the date of each.
England. Checked against the law on 27 September 2026. Information, not legal advice.
When to use this
Use it for every new tenancy, from the moment you accept an applicant until 30 days after the deposit is paid. It lists what the tenant must be given and when, so that you can show the date of each. Most of these duties stay with the landlord even when an agent does the work.
How to fill it in
- Write the date next to each item on the day it happens, not afterwards.
- Give documents in a way that leaves a record: a dated email, or a printed copy the tenant signs for.
- Test every alarm on the first day of the tenancy, with the tenant present if you can, and record it.
- Keep the finished checklist and the proof with the tenancy record.
The template
Move-in checklist
Property: [full address of the property]
Tenants: [names of every tenant]
Tenancy start date: [date]
Before the tenancy is agreed
| Item | Date done | How given, and proof kept |
|---|---|---|
| Right to rent check for every adult who will live there | [date] | [copy or online result kept] |
| Written statement of terms given | [date] | [how, proof] |
| Energy Performance Certificate given (band E or better) | [date] | [how, proof] |
| Rent in advance taken: no more than one month | [date, amount] | [receipt] |
Before the tenant moves in
| Item | Date done | How given, and proof kept |
|---|---|---|
| Gas safety record given (if there is any gas appliance) | [date] | [how, proof] |
| Electrical report (EICR) given | [date] | [how, proof] |
| Inventory and schedule of condition prepared | [date] | [where kept] |
On move-in day
| Item | Date done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke alarm on every floor tested and working | [date] | [floors] |
| Carbon monoxide alarm tested in every room with a boiler or fire | [date] | [rooms] |
| Meter readings taken and photographed | [date] | [gas, electricity, water] |
| Keys handed over and counted | [date] | [number and type] |
| Inventory signed by both sides | [date] | [copy given to tenant] |
| Tenant shown the stopcock, fuse box and boiler controls | [date] | [notes] |
| How to report a repair, and an emergency contact, given in writing | [date] | [how] |
Within 30 days of receiving the deposit
| Item | Date done | Reference and proof kept |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit received: no more than five weeks' rent | [date, amount] | [receipt] |
| Deposit protected in an approved scheme | [date] | [scheme and reference] |
| Prescribed information given to the tenant and anyone who paid for them | [date] | [how, proof] |
What happens next
The deposit must be protected and the prescribed information given within 30 days of receiving the deposit. If that is missed, the tenant can claim between one and three times the deposit. After each yearly gas check, give the tenant the new record within 28 days. LevelMoves keeps the dates and reminds you before a certificate lapses. The guides on certificates and deposits have the detail.
Information about the law in England, not legal advice. Checked on the date shown.
Where this comes from
Questions about this template
When must the deposit be protected?
Within 30 days of receiving it, in one of the three approved schemes, and the prescribed information must be given in the same 30 days.
Do I have to test the alarms myself?
The alarms must be tested on the first day of the tenancy and working. Record the test, whoever carries it out, and keep the record.
Does it matter how I give the documents?
What matters is that you can show the date each one was given. A dated email with the document attached, or a printed copy the tenant signs for, both work.
More templates
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