First-time landlord checklist: 10 steps and the free resources for each

The short version

Most first-year landlord problems come from skipping a step, not from a bad tenant: no written screening criteria, a lease copied from the internet, no move-in photos, rent rules that change month to month, or missing receipts at tax time. Work through the ten steps below in order, and use the free checklist linked at each step.

Step 1: Check the rules where your rental is

• Ask your city or county whether you need a rental license, registration, business license, or inspection.
• Look up your state’s landlord-tenant law (your state attorney general or court self-help site is a good start).
• If it is a condo or HOA property, read the rental rules and any leasing limits.
• If you are renting a room in a home you live in, some rules differ; see the room rental checklist below.

Step 2: Insurance and your mortgage

• Ask your insurer about a landlord (dwelling) policy; a homeowner policy may not cover a rental.
• Consider requiring renters insurance in the lease, if your state allows it.
• Read your mortgage terms if you bought the home as a primary residence, and ask your lender if you are unsure.

Step 3: Get the unit rent-ready and safe

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fix anything that affects health or safety.
• Rekey or change locks between tenants.
• If the home was built before 1978, prepare the lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet.
• Photograph every room before anyone moves in.

Step 4: Set rent, fees, and the deposit

• Price rent from comparable local listings, not from what you need to cover the mortgage.
• Look up your state’s deposit cap, return deadline, and any local rules on fees before you advertise.
• Write down every fee (application, pet, late) and confirm each one is allowed where you rent.

Step 5: Write your screening criteria before you advertise

• Put your minimum income, credit, rental history, and occupancy standards in writing.
• Apply the same criteria to every applicant in the same order, and keep your notes.
• Get written consent before running credit or background reports, and send an adverse action notice when a report leads to a denial.
• Keep ads about the home, not about who you want to live there.

Step 6: Use a lease that fits your state

• Cover parties, term, rent and due date, late fees, deposit, utilities, repairs, entry, pets, and move-out.
• Attach required disclosures (lead paint for most pre-1978 housing, plus any your state adds).
• Compare any free template with your state law before you use it.

Step 7: Move-in day

• Walk the unit with the tenant and fill out a room-by-room inspection report with dated photos.
• Have both of you sign it and give the tenant a copy.
• Give a deposit receipt and any notice your state requires about where the deposit is held.
• Explain how to pay rent and how to report repairs, in writing.

Step 8: Rent collection and late rent

• Use one payment method with a record (not cash without a receipt).
• Decide your late-rent steps in advance and follow them the same way every time.
• Learn your state’s notice rules before you ever need them; never change locks or shut off utilities to force a tenant out.

Step 9: Repairs and maintenance

• Give tenants one way to report repairs and reply the same day.
• Log every request, your response, and the date it was fixed.
• Follow your state’s notice rules before entering the unit, except in a real emergency.
• Do a seasonal maintenance check before winter.

Step 10: Records and taxes

• Open a separate bank account for the rental.
• Keep the lease, applications, inspection reports, notices, receipts, and the lead disclosure (EPA says keep a signed copy for three years after the lease begins).
• Track income and expenses monthly; IRS Publication 527 explains deductible expenses and depreciation.

Free checklists for each step

These are free Owner’s Advantage pages. No signup needed to read them.

• Renting out a room in your house
• Rent-ready turnover checklist
• Lead-based paint disclosure for landlords
• Security deposit rules by state: what to look up
• Tenant screening checklist
• Rental application form: what to ask and what not to ask
• Screening tenants with pets
• Residential lease agreement checklist
• Move-in / move-out inspection checklist
• Tenant didn’t pay rent? Late-rent plan
• Eviction notice guide
• Tenant repair request log
• Fall and winter rental maintenance checklist
• Security deposit deductions: wear and tear vs. damage

Official places to start

• USA.gov: find your state attorney general — many publish free landlord-tenant guides
• USA.gov: tenant rights and landlord-tenant help by state
• HUD: Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
• 42 U.S.C. 3604: discrimination in housing — Cornell LII
• EPA: lead-based paint disclosure rule for sellers and landlords
• IRS Topic 414: rental income and expenses
• IRS Publication 527: Residential Rental Property