Lease Signing Checklist: 12 Things to Confirm

A lease signing is the cheapest hour in the entire tenancy to fix things. After signatures, every correction is a negotiation. This is the checklist we run on every lease signing we handle in Boston and the South Shore.

Before the signing

1. IDs match the names on the lease — photo every ID.
2. Income and screening reports are final and stored.
3. Lease term, rent, and security deposit on the signature page match the application offer.
4. All addenda are attached and initialed in advance (pet, parking, lead paint, snow removal).

At the table

5. Walk the lease section by section — no skipping to signatures.
6. Confirm move-in date and the time keys will be available.
7. Explain how to submit a maintenance request and what counts as an emergency.
8. Hand over the Massachusetts lead paint disclosure and get the signed receipt.

Money

9. Collect first month's rent in certified funds — no personal checks for move-in.
10. If collecting a security deposit, give the statement-of-condition form within 10 days and explain the interest requirement.
11. Confirm where future rent will be paid (portal, ACH) and who to contact about it.

Close

12. Hand the tenant a signed PDF copy before they leave the table. Email a duplicate within the hour.

The 24-hour follow-up

Send a short welcome message the next day: maintenance number, trash day, and the move-in inspection time. See the tenant communication playbook for the wording we use, and the move-in inspection checklist for what to run on day one.

Want lease signings handled for you, in person, on the South Shore or in Boston? Get in touch and we will walk through how it would work for your portfolio.