Tenant Move-In Checklist: Day 1 to Day 30

The first 30 days of a tenancy set the pattern for the whole agreement, and they are the only window in which several things can be done at all. Deposit protection has a statutory deadline. The condition of the property can only be recorded before you have lived in it. Utility accounts opened late leave you arguing about someone else's usage. This checklist makes sure the deposit is safe, your rights are documented, and the inventory reflects what you actually found.

What has to happen inside the first month

Two things run on legal deadlines. Your deposit must be placed in a government-approved scheme and you must be given the prescribed information about it within the statutory period — check the scheme registers yourself rather than taking a landlord's word for it. And the documents you are entitled to receive, including the How to Rent guide, a current gas safety certificate and an energy performance certificate, should arrive at the start of the tenancy. Ask in writing for anything missing while the relationship is still new.

  • Day one: photograph and video every room before unpacking, read every meter, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
  • First week: return the inventory annotated with anything it missed, open utility accounts and register for council tax.
  • First month: confirm the deposit appears on the scheme's register, and report every defect you have found in writing so it is on record from the outset.

Missing this window has consequences that surface much later. Without your own dated photographs, an end-of-tenancy deduction becomes your word against the landlord's inventory. Without meter readings you may inherit the previous tenant's bill.

Since 1 May 2026, tenancies in England run periodically and Section 21 no longer exists, so there is no fixed end date pressing on you. Use the settling-in period properly.

On move-in day

0 of 6 complete

Within 7 days — paperwork

0 of 7 complete

Within 14 days — administration

0 of 6 complete

Within 30 days — protections

0 of 6 complete

Helpful organisations

Shelter

Charity

A housing charity providing advice and support for people who are homeless or at risk of losing their home.

Visit website0808 800 4444

Citizens Advice

Charity

Provides free, confidential, and independent advice on a wide range of issues including benefits, housing, debt, and employment.

Visit website0800 144 8848

Frequently asked questions

How do I check my deposit is actually protected?
Each approved scheme has a free online register you can search using the property address, your surname and the deposit amount. Do that yourself rather than relying on being told it is protected. You should also receive prescribed information setting out which scheme holds it and how to get it back. If you cannot find the deposit on any register and the landlord will not produce the paperwork, take advice — unprotected deposits give you a claim in the county court.
The landlord has not given me the required documents. Does that matter?
Yes, for your safety and for your position later. A current gas safety certificate and working alarms are safety matters and should be chased immediately, escalating to the council's environmental health team if ignored. Missing paperwork also matters in any future possession dispute, since compliance failures can affect a landlord's ability to proceed. Ask in writing, keep the request, and give a reasonable deadline before escalating.
Something needs repairing. Who is responsible?
Landlords are responsible for the structure and exterior and for installations supplying water, gas, electricity, sanitation and heating, regardless of what the agreement says. Report problems in writing with photographs, because a written trail proves the landlord knew and when. Damp and mould in particular must be dealt with promptly. If repairs are not carried out within a reasonable time, contact the council's housing standards team — and never withhold rent as leverage without taking advice first.
Can the landlord let themselves in during the first month?
No. You have the right to quiet enjoyment from the day the tenancy starts, so a landlord must generally give at least 24 hours' written notice and visit at a reasonable time, except in a genuine emergency such as a serious leak or a gas escape. A clause in the agreement does not override that. If unannounced visits become a pattern, object in writing and contact your council's tenancy relations team, who deal with harassment.

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Disclaimer

This information is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Always check official sources and seek qualified help where needed.