Renting 101
Moving in: the checklist we give every new resident
Forty-five minutes on day one saves an argument at move-out. This is the list our leasing team hands over with the keys.
· 4 min read · by the leasing team at Regard at Med Center
Photograph everything, before you unpack
Every room, wide and close. Floors, walls, counters, appliance interiors, the inside of cabinets, window blinds, the patio. Include the things that are not your fault — a scuff, a chipped tile, a stained grout line. Email the images to the leasing office the same day so there is a dated record on both sides.
Test what you cannot see
- Run every tap hot and cold, and check under the sinks for damp
- Run the dishwasher and the washer through one empty cycle
- Turn on the heat and the air conditioning, even out of season
- Try every socket and light switch
- Open and close every window and the patio door, and check the locks
- Press the test button on the smoke detectors
Anything that fails goes on a maintenance request in the first week, not the first month. It is routine then and a dispute later.
Find these before you need them
The water shut-off, the breaker panel, the nearest fire extinguisher, and where to go for after-hours emergency maintenance. Five minutes, once.
Paperwork
Keep the signed lease, the move-in condition form, your renters insurance certificate and the utility account numbers in one place. Digital is fine; findable is the point.
Register the practical things
Parking decal, gate or fob access, package delivery preferences, and pets on the pet policy. All of it is quick at the office and irritating to retrofit.
Questions
What if I find a problem after the move-in form is submitted?
Submit a maintenance request anyway and say it was pre-existing. What matters is that it is documented and dated, not which form it lands on.
Written by the leasing team at Regard at Med Center, 8877 Lakes at 610 Dr, Houston, TX 77054. If something here is out of date or you think we’ve got it wrong, tell us — we would rather fix it than leave it.
