The House TruthThe House Truth Field Notes
The SFR Leasing Handoff: From Confirmed Lease-Ready to Move-In
By Ben Vinson (Bennett Vinson)
After a single-family rental is confirmed lease-ready, hand Leasing the signed test record, access details, and applicable closeout documents. If a required item fails before move-in, hold the keys and use the awarded scope and approved change orders to determine who owns the repair.
What Leasing receives
- The confirmed lease-ready date, who signed off, and the completed room-by-room function test.
- Applicable closeout records and a reference to the awarded scope, approved changes, and warranty contacts.
- Keys, codes, showing access, and the name of the person responsible for the home until move-in. Record who accepted the handoff.
Route a failed item before handing over keys
| What the job record shows | Who gets the issue |
|---|---|
| The item was repaired under an approved scope line or change order | Call back the contractor who performed the work for warranty service. Send the line ID, failed test, and evidence. |
| The repair was never on the bid | Escalate for emergency repair. Record the failure, who can authorize the work, and who owns getting it done before move-in. |
| The repair was bid, but the investor declined it | Escalate for emergency repair. Include the declined line and the current failure so the investor or designated approver can act quickly. |
Illustrative Phoenix example. A garage opener fails before move-in. If the approved scope included repairing it, call back the contractor who did that work. If the repair was never bid or was declined, escalate it for emergency repair. In either case, Leasing holds the keys until field staff retest the opener, record a passing result, and clear the handoff.
Capture the move-in baseline
Once the handoff is cleared, record the move-in date and what was handed over. Use the same room labels and photo angles from the property walk so the condition can be compared at move-out. Keep the record with the move-out documentation and use the renovation warranty guide for any callback that needs tracking.
After move-in, use the first-30-days service call guide to trace issues back to the renovation or turn.