Tenant gave notice tenant will not renew. Now what?

Question

Hi!

My tenant gave notice that she was not renewing her lease, set to expire Oct 3rd. This will be my first time having to look for a tenant. How does this process work? See a few questions below, I'd appreciate any feedback. I'm a new land lord.

• 1. Should I put the property for rent on Zillow now and notify the tenant? Or do I need to wait until the property is vacant?
• 2. Should I do a walkthrough now and have any repairs done while the lease is in place to minimize the property in not rented? Or do I need to wait to inspect/ make repairs after the property is vacant?
• 3. I know I need to collect all keys and the garage door opener. Should I also change the locks anyway?
• 4. I know I should put utilities back in my name, check all lights, kitchen sink, bathroom sinks, and faucets. What other things am I not thinking of?.
• 5. Security deposit must be returned in 30 days.

1. Should I put the property for rent on Zillow now and notify the tenant? Or do I need to wait until the property is vacant?

2. Should I do a walkthrough now and have any repairs done while the lease is in place to minimize the property in not rented? Or do I need to wait to inspect/ make repairs after the property is vacant?

3. I know I need to collect all keys and the garage door opener. Should I also change the locks anyway?

4. I know I should put utilities back in my name, check all lights, kitchen sink, bathroom sinks, and faucets. What other things am I not thinking of?.

5. Security deposit must be returned in 30 days.

Any other things I need to think about?

Anthony Njoroge · Answer

Which state are you in? Point 5 is the one I'd check before anything else. 30 days is right in a lot of states and wrong in others — California is 21 calendar days from when she moves out, not 30, and not from when repairs finish (Civ. Code §1950.5(h)(1)). Getting that one wrong can cost you the whole deposit plus damages, so it's worth ten minutes on your own state.

1. List now, you don't have to wait. Showings while she's still there need proper notice to enter — 24 hours in writing in CA. Tell her before she sees it on Zillow.

2. Walk it now, but repair after she's out. Photograph every room before any cleaning or work starts — if you repair first you've destroyed the evidence for your own deductions. California has required those photos since April 2025.

3. Yes, change the locks regardless of what keys come back.

4. The one new landlords miss: get her forwarding address in writing before she hands over the keys. That's where deposit returns fall apart.

I'm not a landlord — I build compliance software for California landlords, so §1950.5 is the part I know cold. If you're not in CA, have someone local check my answer to 5.

Jim Johnson · Answer

You can get quite a bit moving before she’s actually out.

• Listing: I’d start getting the property ready to market now rather than waiting until Oct. 3. If you’re doing showings while it’s occupied, coordinate with the tenant and follow the required notice rules.
• Walkthrough: I’d do a pre-move-out walkthrough so I know what vendors or materials I may need, then do the real turnover inspection once everything is out of the unit.
• Keys: Collect the keys, garage remotes, mailbox keys, etc., but I’d still rekey between tenants.
• Inspection: Check more than lights and faucets. Appliances, HVAC/filter, smoke/CO detectors, toilets, under sinks, windows/locks, water heater, floors, walls, and exterior areas all make my list. Take photos of everything.
• Deposit: Double-check the actual state/local requirements on the return deadline and itemization. I wouldn’t rely only on what you remember or what the lease says.

Listing: I’d start getting the property ready to market now rather than waiting until Oct. 3. If you’re doing showings while it’s occupied, coordinate with the tenant and follow the required notice rules.

Walkthrough: I’d do a pre-move-out walkthrough so I know what vendors or materials I may need, then do the real turnover inspection once everything is out of the unit.

Keys: Collect the keys, garage remotes, mailbox keys, etc., but I’d still rekey between tenants.

Inspection: Check more than lights and faucets. Appliances, HVAC/filter, smoke/CO detectors, toilets, under sinks, windows/locks, water heater, floors, walls, and exterior areas all make my list. Take photos of everything.

Deposit: Double-check the actual state/local requirements on the return deadline and itemization. I wouldn’t rely only on what you remember or what the lease says.

The other piece I’d get ahead of now is scheduling. Cleaning, repairs, photos, listing, screening, and the next move-in can overlap a lot more than people realize. Your first turnover will teach you pretty quickly where the dead time is.

Diana Khan · Answer

@Austin Bright, for your first turnover, I’d make a simple timeline now instead of waiting until the tenant moves out. Start with a move-out checklist, confirm how and when you can enter or show the property under your lease and local law, and schedule a final walkthrough with plenty of photos once the tenant is out.

I’d also plan ahead for the little things that can delay the next tenant, like rekeying the property, testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, checking for leaks, cleaning, and documenting any damage before repairs are made.

One thing I would double-check is the security deposit deadline, since the rules and required notices can vary by state. Having the whole turnover process written out now will make your first one much less stressful.

Richard F. · Answer

Nearly 30 years as a PM, I never once showed an occupied LTR. A pre-inspection is, IMHO, also a waste of time. Prospective tenants cannot "see through" the clutter and dirt of an occupant, so your "first impression" usually sucks, and that is just IF the occupant doesn't bad mouth the place during viewing. And, you cannot possibly see all of the issues that will need to be addressed once it it vacant.

I'm guessing you didn't view, much less actually inspect, the unit prior to current tenant moving in, so NOW is the time to perform a thorough inspection...not just cosmetics, but every system and fixture of the home. Depending on the actual age of the property, and any "preventative" maintenance or updates that have occurred, there are a lot of potential issues that if ignored now, will cost you much more to address six months, or even 18 months, from now when the tenant is in crisis mode.

Of course you change or re-pin the locks. All of them, due to the liability if you do not.

Utils vary in how they are handled by region, but yes, you do need to have the water and electric active to perform repairs and for showing once it is ready. I advise against "leave on" agreements, that automatically change billing to the owner when tenant stops service. I have seen numerous occasions where the tenant turned them off, but had no intention of moving. Of course, some locales require they are in owner name, others charge unpaid utils to the owners tax bill, so you need to find out what the options are and act accordingly.

You need to check EVERYTHING. Period. It is much less costly to find/fix now, with workers on site, than it will be to send someone at 5 PM on a Friday to fix something that cannot wait for an occupied unit. Not inspecting the roof (from the ground, with binoculars, if you can't walk it) can cost you more than nearly any other oversight, because leaks usually start slowly, in obvious locations, but their damage usually does not show up for a very long time.

If your electrical system is underrated or overloaded, this will, at some point, affect the value to tenants that have increasingly higher electrical demands. If the plumbing system has low flow at sinks, or issues with clogging or backing up, or serious main line issues, if you wait until these issues turn catastrophic, it will cost you many thousands of dollars PLUS potentially alternate housing for your tenants and all of the associated costs.

HVAC units need to be serviced, and safety checks made.

Doors and windows need to function AND seal properly, with proper locking mechanisms, and no cracked, broken, or missing panes.

Flooring and stairs need to be solid, secure, and free of hazards that could cause a trip, such as loose carpet, protruding nails, or loose handrails.

The list goes on, and includes the exterior of the unit as well...from attic vent screens, to condition of siding/paint, gutters, downspouts (including proper drainage), and foundations.

Be sure you understand what you can and cannot charge against the SD, AND be sure you have the move IN documentation and photos to back up your claims.

Austin Bright · Answer

appreciate it. Should I take current photos with the tenants stuff or use my old photos?