Signing the lease is the easy part. Here's everything to handle between signing and move-in, plus how to keep the landlord relationship smooth for the length of your stay.

First Steps After Signing

Keep a copy of your signed lease somewhere you can actually find it — a folder, a cloud drive, whatever system you'll stick with. Some landlords require proof that utilities are set up in your name before handing over keys, so don't leave this until moving day.

Set up utilities. Get electricity, gas, water, and internet transferred into your name before you move in, and cancel service at your old place to avoid getting billed for both. SaveOnEnergy lets you compare energy plans and set up or transfer service in one place. On move-in day, test the lights, water pressure, and internet before you're fully unpacked — it's much easier to get an issue fixed on day one than day thirty.

Schedule your move-in date with the property manager or landlord, accounting for movers' availability and whether you need to reserve a freight elevator or loading dock. Confirm the date in writing so there's no confusion later.

Get renter's insurance. Many leases require it, and it covers your belongings and liability in the event of theft, fire, or other damage. Check your lease for whether it's mandatory, and keep proof of coverage with your other lease documents.

Documenting the Property Condition

Move-in documentation protects your security deposit and heads off disputes later — security deposit rules vary significantly by location, so thorough documentation is your best defense regardless of what state you're in.

Take photos and videos of every room from multiple angles on move-in day, before you've unpacked anything. This is your evidence that pre-existing damage wasn't yours.

Complete a walk-through checklist with your landlord if one's offered (or make your own if not), noting every visible issue. Getting both parties to agree on the property's condition at move-in is worth the twenty minutes it takes.

Understanding Your Lease Agreement

Review your lease for the rent amount, lease term, maintenance responsibilities, and termination policies before you're locked in, not after something comes up.

Lease term and rent price. A fixed-term lease typically runs one year; a month-to-month lease offers more flexibility but usually requires 30 days' notice to end. Many landlords use a "3x rent" guideline for approval — your gross monthly income should be at least three times the rent — though this varies by market, with some landlords accepting 2.5x and others requiring 3.5x for higher-end units.

Security deposit. Traditionally around one month's rent, but this is genuinely state-dependent, and the rules are changing in places. California's AB 12, for example, capped most security deposits at one month's rent starting July 2024 (two months for small landlords who own four or fewer units) — down from a prior cap of two to three months (TLD Law). Check your specific state's current rules rather than assuming a national standard, and note that a pet deposit typically counts toward the same overall cap rather than stacking separately.

Rules and responsibilities. Clarify who handles what (maintenance, alterations, restrictions on things like subletting or pets) before you sign, so there are no surprise charges later.

This is general information, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies significantly by state and city — check your local rules or consult a tenant's rights organization for specifics.

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Setting Up Your New Home

You can make a rental feel like yours without violating your lease: removable wall decals, temporary molding, soft furnishings like rugs and throws, and neutral furniture that'll work in whatever place you live next. Save anything permanent (paint, fixtures, wall-mounted shelving) for a conversation with your landlord first.

Knowing Local Ordinances

Beyond your lease, local rules on noise, waste disposal, and property maintenance still apply to you — non-compliance can mean fines or, in serious cases, jeopardize your tenancy. A quick search of your city's municipal code before you move in is worth the ten minutes.

Building a Good Relationship With Your Landlord

Communicate clearly and promptly, especially about repairs — reporting a small leak immediately is a lot cheaper (for both of you) than waiting until it's a bigger problem. If a disagreement comes up, address it calmly and directly rather than letting it build; most landlord-tenant friction comes from unclear expectations rather than genuine bad faith on either side.

Lease Renewal and Termination

Renewal. Some leases (and some states) require landlords to offer renewal terms with meaningful advance notice — Washington state, for instance, requires 90 days' notice if a renewal includes a rent increase, and New York scales the requirement (30 to 90 days) based on how long you've lived there. Plenty of other states have no such requirement at all, so check your lease and local law directly rather than assuming a specific timeline applies to you.

Termination. Thirty days' notice is a common baseline for ending a month-to-month tenancy without cause, but several states extend this for longer-term tenants — California, for example, requires 60 days' notice for tenants who've been in place a year or more. Confirm your state and lease-specific notice period, and follow it to the letter if you want your security deposit back without a fight.