{"id":355,"date":"2019-11-06T15:29:07","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T15:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/7517085369"},"modified":"2026-05-03T15:47:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T07:47:21","slug":"i-have-found-my-suitable-tenant-whats-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/i-have-found-my-suitable-tenant-whats-next\/","title":{"rendered":"I Have Found My Suitable Tenant! What’s Next?"},"content":{"rendered":"

After you find a suitable tenant, do not hand over the keys immediately. First, confirm the tenant details, prepare the tenancy agreement, collect the agreed move-in payments, record the unit condition, and set clear rules for rent, repairs, utilities, and handover. This is where many future disputes are either prevented or created.<\/p>\n\n

Confirm the tenant before you proceed<\/h2>\n

A good viewing does not replace proper tenant confirmation.<\/strong> Before moving to signing, check that the tenant’s identity, contact details, intended occupants, move-in date, and payment ability are clear.<\/p>\n

If the tenant changes key details at the last minute, slow down. Sudden changes in occupant count, payment timing, or move-in urgency can become early warning signs.<\/p>\n\n

Prepare the tenancy agreement properly<\/h2>\n

The tenancy agreement should record the rental terms before keys are handed over.<\/strong> It should cover rent, tenancy period, payment deadline, deposits or move-in payments, utility responsibility, repair duties, house rules, and move-out obligations.<\/p>\n

Do not leave important promises in WhatsApp only. If a repair, furniture item, parking bay, or special condition matters, include it clearly in the agreement or written addendum.<\/p>\n\n

Collect and record move-in payments<\/h2>\n

Collect only the agreed payments and keep proof for every transaction.<\/strong> Both landlord and tenant should know what each payment is for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Payment record<\/th>\nWhat to show<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Rent<\/td>\nMonth covered and payment date.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deposit or move-in amount<\/td>\nPurpose, amount, and refund conditions if relevant.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Utility or other agreed charges<\/td>\nWho pays and when it is due.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Avoid mixing payments without labels. Unclear payment purpose is a common cause of deposit and arrears arguments.<\/p>\n\n

Document the unit condition before key handover<\/h2>\n

Take photos and videos before the tenant moves in.<\/strong> Record walls, floors, appliances, furniture, keys, access cards, meter readings, and any existing defects.<\/p>\n

Share the move-in condition record with the tenant and ask them to raise issues early. This protects both sides when move-out inspection happens later.<\/p>\n\n

Set the communication and repair process<\/h2>\n

Agree how the tenant should report repairs, payment issues, and urgent matters.<\/strong> A clear process keeps small issues from becoming emotional disputes.<\/p>\n

For repairs, ask for photos, a short description, and timing. For rent, keep reminders and payment proof in writing. For access, give reasonable notice and avoid entering without proper agreement.<\/p>\n\n

Need a safer handover flow?<\/h2>\n

SPEEDHOME can help structure the rental journey from tenant application to agreement and move-in records. If you want fewer loose ends before handing over keys, start from SPEEDHOME.<\/p>\n\n

FAQ<\/h2>\n

Can I hand over keys before the tenancy agreement is signed?<\/h3>\n

It is risky. Get the agreement and agreed move-in payments sorted first, or you may lose leverage if the tenant later delays signing or payment.<\/p>\n

What should I photograph before the tenant moves in?<\/h3>\n

Photograph the unit condition, furniture, appliances, keys, access cards, and utility meter readings. Save the photos in a dated folder or shared message thread.<\/p>\n

What is the common mistake after finding a tenant?<\/h3>\n

The common mistake is rushing the key handover because the tenant seems suitable. The safer path is to finish screening, agreement, payment, and condition records first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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Branded rental guide visual for I Have Found My Suitable Tenant! What\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s Next? step-by-step image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Branded rental guide visual for I Have Found My Suitable Tenant! What\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s Next? comparison image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Branded
Branded rental guide visual for I Have Found My Suitable Tenant! What\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s Next? summary image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The viewing appointment went great. You and the tenant hit it off well. Now where do you start to finally lease your home?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":356,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,11],"tags":[18,55],"class_list":["post-355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-landlord","category-for-tenants","tag-tenancy-agreement","tag-tenant-guide"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/LOGO20-20RECTANGULAR-2-11.png","author_info":{"display_name":"SPEEDHOME Editorial Team","author_link":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/author\/speedhome-editorial\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56870,"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355\/revisions\/56870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/speedhome.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}