Unit Turnover Checklist: What Actually Happens Between Tenants
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Episode Summary
A turnover is one of those parts of being a landlord that quietly determines whether your rental is actually profitable. Do it fast and thorough, and you protect your income and set the tone for your next tenant relationship. Rush it, or drag it out, and you either miss something that costs you later or lose weeks of rent you’ll never get back.
In this episode, Kevin and I walk through our entire turnover process, from the moment a tenant gives notice to the day a new tenant gets their keys. We cover the safety and maintenance checks we never skip, how we make decisions on paint and flooring, the deep cleaning details that make the biggest first impression, and how we decide when to start marketing a vacant unit.
We also share several of our own real turnover stories along the way, including the one that’s still, hands down, our most expensive and nastiest turnover to date.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why the days right after move-out matter more to your bottom line than most landlords realize
- The safety checks we run on every unit before handing over new keys, and why we photo-document them
- Our approach to re-keying locks, checking gas lines, and other non-negotiable safety steps
- How we decide between touch-up paint and a full repaint, and why we standardize our paint color
- When carpet needs replacing versus deep cleaning, and why we use an 8-pound pad
- The deep cleaning details that make the biggest difference to a prospective tenant
- What we include in our tenant welcome gift and unit binder, and why
- How we decide when to start marketing a vacant unit, and why we don’t always list early
- Why your tenant screening criteria needs a fresh look before every new listing
Key Takeaways
1. Safety and Maintenance Come First, No Exceptions
Every turnover starts with a full safety check: smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, re-keyed locks, working egress windows, fire extinguishers, and gas line checks. We test everything, photo-document our smoke detector batteries with install dates, and re-key every lock for every new tenant, no exceptions.
We also walk through leaks in every sink, toilet, and window. It’s the step we think gets skipped most, and it’s saved us from a serious problem before. We share the story of a washing machine leak that went unreported, and the mold remediation it cost us by the time we caught it.
2. Paint and Flooring: Spend Smart, Not Everywhere
We don’t repaint every wall on every turnover. We touch up scuffs and only repaint a wall if more than about 40% of it is marked, using one standardized, neutral paint color across all of our units so touch-ups always match. For flooring, carpet typically lasts five to fifteen years, and when we do replace it, we always upgrade to an 8-pound pad, which extends the carpet’s life and helps with noise between units.
3. Deep Cleaning Is the Detail That Sells the Unit
Cleanliness is, in our opinion, the single biggest factor in whether a prospective tenant gets excited about a unit or turns around and walks out. We clean every surface, inside every appliance, every vent, every light fixture, with no exceptions. We also leave a small welcome gift and a unit binder with move-in essentials, which sets the tone for the entire tenancy.
4. Get Ready for the Next Tenant the Right Way
We talk through when it makes sense to start marketing a unit before the old tenant is even out, and why we generally prefer to wait until we know exactly what work is needed. We also cover why your tenant screening criteria needs a fresh look before every new listing, since landlord tenant law changes often enough that an old listing can create real legal risk.
Legal Disclaimer: Nothing in this episode constitutes personalized legal or financial advice. Always consult a licensed real estate attorney or CPA for guidance specific to your state, city, and situation.
Links & References Mentioned in This Episode
Episode 7: A Guide to Move Out Procedures and Security Deposits
Episode 23 & 24: Marketing Your Rental Property (2-Part Series, starting at EP23)
Episode 28: The Cash Reserves Blueprint: Protecting & Expanding Your Portfolio
Episode 32-34: Our Lease and Addendums Masterclass (starts at EP32)
Episode 55: Preventative Maintenance That Brings Peace of Mind
Episode 124: How to Shoot Rental Property Photos That Get Attention
Episode 128: AI Tools for Landlords
“Welcome” Toilet Paper Stickers
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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
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