Move-out checklist

A move-out checklist is a one-page list that a tenant and manager walk through when a unit is vacated. Use the version below, fill in the brackets, and have both sides sign. It is general information, not legal advice.

When to use it

Hand it to the tenant when they give notice, and use it again on move-out day. A signed copy ends arguments about damage, balances and dates. Gate codes are handled in gate access. See the move-out guide for more on the process, and the glossary entry on move-out for terms.

What the law usually requires

There is little statute on ordinary move-outs. The lease controls: notice period, cleaning, lock removal and final billing. Statutes matter in one case: a tenant who owes money and leaves property behind.

• Lien rights. The lien attaches to property in the unit for unpaid rent. Texas lets the lessor enforce without a court only if the lease has the lien clause in underlined or bold print (Tex. Prop. Code 59.041). Florida requires a written notice before any sale (Fla. Stat. 83.806).
• Do not self-help. Do not dispose of left-behind goods before you know your state's process. Start with your state's lien page.

Say a tenant leaves March 12 with rent paid through March 31 and a $0 balance. Your lease charges full months, so there is no refund and no further charge. The checklist records that on both copies. If instead the tenant owes $140 and leaves a mattress, the form records the balance and the items, and you hold the next steps until you confirm what your state allows.

How to use it

1. At notice. Give the tenant the checklist and confirm the move-out date in writing.
2. Before move-out day. Check the ledger for the final balance and any late fees.
3. On the day. Walk the unit together. Note damage and cleanliness.
4. Lock and gate. Collect or cut your lock if you applied it. Shut off the gate code once the unit is confirmed empty.
5. Settle. Record the final balance and payment.
6. Sign and file. Both parties sign. Keep the copy with the lease.
7. Mark the unit vacant and schedule cleaning.

Common mistakes

• Shutting off gate access before the unit is empty.
• No record of the unit condition at move-out.
• Not recording that the lock was removed.
• Leaving the autopay active after move-out.
• Forgetting to update the unit status, so it stays "occupied" on your website.
• Treating left-behind property as free to dispose of.

The template

MOVE-OUT CHECKLIST
[FACILITY NAME]  |  [ADDRESS]  |  [PHONE]

Tenant: [TENANT NAME]            Unit: [UNIT NUMBER]
Notice given on: [DATE]          Move-out date: [DATE]
Rental agreement date: [LEASE DATE]

TENANT
[ ] Removed all belongings, including items in corners and overhead
[ ] Swept the unit clean
[ ] Removed my own lock
[ ] Returned all gate cards / remotes: [NUMBER]
[ ] Gave a forwarding address: [ADDRESS]

MANAGER
[ ] Ledger reviewed. Balance on move-out date: $[BALANCE]
[ ] Unit inspected. Condition: [CLEAN / NEEDS CLEANING / DAMAGE]
    Notes: [DAMAGE OR CLEANING NOTES]
[ ] Lock removed or confirmed removed by tenant
[ ] Gate code deactivated on [DATE] at [TIME]
[ ] Autopay stopped
[ ] Final charges: $[AMOUNT]   Paid: $[AMOUNT]   Refund (if any): $[AMOUNT]
[ ] Unit marked vacant in the system

PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND: [NONE / DESCRIPTION]
If any, do not dispose of it until the balance and your state's process are reviewed.

Tenant signature: ______________________   Date: [DATE]
Manager signature: _____________________   Date: [DATE]