How to Prepare an NYC Apartment for a New Tenant

1. 01

   Step 1: Confirm vacancy and get keys back

   Make sure the unit is empty and every key and fob is returned.

2. 02

   Step 2: Walk and photograph

   Document condition room by room before anything changes.

3. 03

   Step 3: Write the scope

   List what gets removed, repaired, painted, cleaned, and replaced.

4. 04

   Step 4: Clear debris

   Remove what the previous occupant left so work starts on clear floors.

5. 05

   Step 5: Repairs and patching

   Fix hardware, doors, caulk, and wall damage.

6. 06

   Step 6: Paint

   Touch-ups or a full repaint, depending on condition.

7. 07

   Step 7: Deep clean

   Kitchen, bath, floors, windows, and closets, after the dusty work.

8. 08

   Step 8: Change or rekey locks

   Secure the unit for the new tenant.

9. 09

   Step 9: Safety checks

   Alarms, window guards, and required notices.

10. 10

    Step 10: Final walkthrough and photos

    Check against the scope and document the result.

11. 11

    Step 11: Listing photos and showings

    Photograph the finished unit and plan access.

12. 12

    Step 12: Move-in day handoff

    Keys, notices, and move-in condition photos.

Turnover work starts when the unit is empty. Collect every key, fob, and mailbox key, and set up access for vendors: a lockbox, keys with the super, or a scheduled meeting. In co-ops, condos, and managed buildings, check the vendor work hours, whether the service elevator needs a reservation, and whether the managing agent needs a certificate of insurance (COI) from each vendor before work begins.

Photograph every room with a wide shot, then close-ups of anything damaged, in the same order you used at move-in. This record matters for the deposit timeline and for the vendor quote. Our NYC landlord move-out inspection checklist covers what to check and how to note it.

Turn the inspection notes into a written scope: what gets removed, repaired, patched, painted, cleaned, and replaced. Separate out anything that needs a licensed trade, such as electrical faults, plumbing leaks beyond simple fixture swaps, pests, or floor refinishing. A clear scope is what lets a vendor give you an accurate written quote and a realistic schedule.

Remove furniture, boxes, and anything left in closets, cabinets, and appliances. In a walk-up, that means carrying it down narrow stairs; in an elevator building, it usually means a reserved service elevator and building rules about where debris can go. Plan for loading and street parking on the block.

Handle the basic items: replace worn hardware and outlet or switch covers, adjust doors, cabinets, and drawers, re-caulk tubs, sinks, and counters, and patch nail holes, dings, and minor cracks. Prewar plaster can need more care than drywall. Our apartment make-ready services cover this level of work.

Decide between touch-ups and a full repaint based on condition, how long the last tenant stayed, and whether the color was changed. Paint walls, trim, doors, and closet interiors as needed. For the details, see painting an apartment between tenants in NYC.

Clean after the dusty work is done. That means kitchen counters, cabinets inside and out, appliance interiors and exteriors, the tub, shower, toilet, sink, and tile, plus floors, baseboards, doors, interior windows and sills, closets, and light fixtures. Apartment cleaning between tenants in NYC breaks this down room by room.

Change or rekey the entry lock once vendors no longer need the old keys. Cut and label the keys for the new tenant and record who holds copies (super, managing agent, leasing). Update the lockbox code when the job is done.

NYC HPD fire safety guidance (opens in a new tab) says owners must provide and install at least one approved and operational smoke and carbon monoxide detector in each apartment. Test each one and replace any that are missing or damaged before move-in; confirm current HPD requirements for placement and tenant notices.

For window guards, NYC Health rules for landlords (opens in a new tab) say owners of buildings with three or more apartments must install approved window guards in apartments where a child 10 or younger resides, and must give new tenants the window guard Lease Notice when they first sign their lease. Tenants without children may also request guards. Have the notice ready with the lease paperwork.

Walk the unit against the written scope, item by item. Open every cabinet and appliance, run every faucet, flip every switch, and check walls in daylight. Make a short punch list of anything missed, then take after photos in the same order and angles as the before set.

Schedule listing photos after the final clean, with blinds open and lights on. Agree with the broker or leasing team on showing access. If the unit is shown for a while, plan a quick touch-up clean before move-in.

Retest the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, confirm the keys and fobs, and have any required notices signed with the lease. Reserve the elevator if the building requires it, and take move-in condition photos for the file. Those photos become the comparison point at the next move-out.

Yes, for most of it. Apartment turnover and make-ready services for NYC landlords and property managers can cover debris removal, repairs, patching, paint, cleaning, lock changes, and photos under one scope.

With our apartment turnover services, you send the unit details, we review the scope and send a written quote with a proposed schedule, and nothing starts until you approve it. Timing depends on availability, access, and project scope. For ways to shorten the gap between tenants, read how landlords can reduce apartment turnover time.