Quick answer
An apartment turnover checklist walks a vacant unit from move-out to move-in in a fixed order: secure the unit and keys, inspect and photograph, remove debris, make repairs, patch and paint, deep clean the kitchen, bath, and floors, check fixtures, locks, and safety devices, then do a final walkthrough and prepare for listing photos. Working in that order keeps dust and debris from undoing finished work and makes sure nothing is missed before the next tenant gets keys.
On this page
This checklist is general information for NYC landlords, not legal advice. Requirements change and depend on the building; confirm obligations with HPD, the NYC Health Department, your attorney, or your managing agent.
Print this list and carry it into the unit, or copy it into your own turnover template. Each group below matches a stage of the job, roughly in the order the work should happen. Tick off what applies, cross out what does not, and write notes beside anything that needs a vendor, a part, or a decision from the owner.
Empire Turnover is a New York City property turnover company that helps landlords and property managers prepare apartments and commercial spaces between tenants. If you would rather hand the list to one team, our apartment turnover services cover the cleaning, paint, basic repairs, debris removal, and lock changes on it. For background on how the full process fits together, see the complete guide to apartment turnover in NYC.
Immediately after move-out
Condition inspection
Walk the unit before any work starts. The detailed version of this step is in our NYC landlord move-out inspection checklist.
Remove debris
Walls and paint
Decide early whether the unit needs touch-ups or a full repaint, since it drives scheduling more than almost anything else. Our guide to painting an apartment between tenants covers that decision in more detail.
Cleaning (general)
Clean after paint and repairs, not before. For more on what a turnover clean should include, read apartment cleaning between tenants in NYC.
Kitchen
Bathroom
Floors
Fixtures
Most items here are basic make-ready work. See apartment make-ready services for what that usually covers.
Locks and access
Safety checks
Safety items are where a checklist matters most, because a missing device can delay move-in. Requirements depend on the building type and age, so confirm what applies to yours.
Final walkthrough
Listing preparation
Before the new tenant arrives
Showings can leave footprints and dust behind, so plan a quick refresh close to move-in. The full sequence is laid out in how to prepare an NYC apartment for a new tenant.
Sources
- NYC HPD: Fire Safety (smoke and carbon monoxide detectors) (opens in a new tab)https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/fire-safety.page
- NYC Health: Window Guards, information for landlords (opens in a new tab)https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/window-guards-landlord.page
- NYC HPD: Lead-Based Paint (opens in a new tab)https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/lead-based-paint.page
Related Empire Turnover services
Written by Empire Turnover
Empire Turnover is a New York City property turnover company that helps landlords and property managers prepare apartments and commercial spaces between tenants. We serve Manhattan and Brooklyn. How we write and update these guides