Moving In Checklist for Tenants: What to Check on Day One

General information for England as at October 2026, not legal advice. The documents and rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check gov.uk or a qualified adviser for your situation.

When you move into a rented home, check you have the key documents (the written tenancy terms, gas safety record, electrical safety report, EPC and your deposit protection details), take meter readings, test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and record the condition of every room with dated photos in a check-in inventory within the first few days. Report anything wrong in writing straight away. That record is what protects your deposit when you leave.

Before you move in: what to check and sign

• Read the tenancy terms. Since 1 May 2026, under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, most new private tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies (rolling, no fixed end date), and landlords must give a written statement of the terms.
• Check what you’re paying. In England the deposit is capped at five weeks’ rent (six if the annual rent is £50,000 or more), and most other fees are banned under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. See deposit protection rules.
• Right to rent. In England the landlord or agent must check your right to rent before the tenancy starts, so have your ID ready.
• Agree the move-in time, who will hand over the keys, and whether an inventory has been done.

Thinking about the area too? The free property report shows the EPC, flood risk and crime for any UK postcode.

Documents your landlord should give you

Landlords: book a Gas Safety certificate, EICR or EPC, and keep track of expiry dates with the free landlord dashboard.

Moving in day checklist

1. Collect and count the keys, fobs and remotes. Photograph them and note how many.
2. Read the meters (gas, electric, water) and photograph each with the reading clear. Send the readings to the suppliers. See meter readings when moving house.
3. Find the stopcock, fuse box and gas shut-off, so you can act fast in an emergency.
4. Test the alarms. In England there must be a smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (such as a gas boiler), and they must work on the day the tenancy starts. See smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules.
5. Check the heating and hot water work, and that the boiler isn’t showing a fault.
6. Try every appliance, tap, window and lock.
7. Look for damp and mould, especially in bathrooms, bedrooms and behind furniture. See damp and mould in rented homes.

Do your check-in inventory in the first week

This is the step most tenants skip, and the one that matters most at the end. If the landlord gave you an inventory, compare it with what you see and add anything missing before you sign it. If there isn’t one, make your own.

• Every room, including the hallway, stairs, garden, shed and loft if you use them.
• Every item: walls, ceiling, floor, doors, windows, lights, sockets, radiators, kitchen units, appliances, bathroom fittings, furniture.
• Its condition and cleanliness, with any marks, stains, chips or scratches written down.
• Dated photos: a wide shot of each room, then close-ups of each item and every mark. Photos with the date and time in the picture are hard to dispute.
• Send it to the landlord or agent and ask them to confirm they’ve received it.

DIY Inventory does this on your phone browser with no app to install: a photo checklist for every room (at least 8 photos per room), the date and time burned into each photo, conditions, meters, keys and alarms, then a signed declaration. You can send your landlord a link to check, comment on and sign it, and you get a professional PDF the moment it’s signed, for £30 per report. See how it works, the example report, or the full guide to doing a check-in inventory. Prefer paper? Use the free inventory template.

First week: settling in and setting up

• Energy and water: confirm who supplies the property and set up accounts in your name.
• Council tax: register with the council (gov.uk/council-tax).
• Broadband, TV licence and contents insurance: your landlord’s insurance won’t cover your belongings.
• Electoral register: register at your new address (gov.uk/register-to-vote); it can help your credit score.
• Rent: set up a standing order for the right date and keep your receipts or bank records.
• Report repairs in writing, by email, with photos, and keep a copy.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

In Wales you should get a written occupation contract under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. In Scotland most new lets are private residential tenancies, and deposits are capped at two months’ rent. In Northern Ireland deposits are capped at one month’s rent for tenancies since April 2023. Safety certificate rules vary, so check gov.wales, mygov.scot or nidirect.

Questions

Updated 27 October 2026