Your landlord responsibilities are easier to manage when every bill, repair, disclosure and resident request has an owner and a record. Keep a property file, a payment calendar and a maintenance log. A lease is one part of that system; it does not replace your safety, privacy or fair-housing duties.
This checklist combines general rental-management practices with clearly identified California legal examples and federal screening and lead-disclosure rules. Other states, counties and cities have different requirements. It is general information, not legal advice; verify the rules for your property rather than applying a California example nationwide.
Keep mortgage, tax, utility and insurance records current
Keep the bills and repair records for each property together. When a payment or repair is disputed, you need to find what happened without searching through months of messages.
Mortgage and property taxes
Put loan payments, property taxes, insurance and HOA dues in one calendar. Check statements to confirm that each bill was paid. If your lender holds tax or insurance money in escrow, review that account and any shortage notices too. Ask your accountant which records to keep.
Utilities
Write down who pays each utility, who holds the account and how residents are billed. Keep the agreement consistent with the actual metering arrangement. A shared gas or electric meter needs particular attention: Civil Code §1940.9 and the DRE guide, printed pages 25–26, address disclosure and written agreements. Do not claim that every utility must always be in one party’s name.
Do not shut off water or electricity to force someone out. The California Attorney General’s lockout guidance identifies that as unlawful self-help under Civil Code §789.3. A disputed balance does not replace the legal process.
Insurance
Tell your insurance professional how the property is actually occupied and rented. Review dwelling coverage, liability, rental-income protection, deductibles and exclusions. Do not assume water, flood, fire and earthquake risks all have the same coverage. The California Department of Insurance explains policy limits and common exclusions; ask about the appropriate rental-property policy.
It is also a good idea to advise your tenants to consider renter’s insurance for their possessions. Your property policy is not a substitute for their own contents coverage. Do not promise that either policy covers every loss.
Handle deposits as refundable tenant money
Each state has its own deposit collection, holding, deduction and return rules. There is no nationwide two-month ceiling. Keep the amount collected, payment evidence and condition records with the tenancy file, and confirm any local interest or account requirements.
California generally caps deposits collected under the rules effective July 1, 2024 at one month’s rent. Refundable pet and cleaning deposits count toward that security. A qualifying small landlord can collect two months’ rent, except from a service member. The owner must be a natural person, qualifying family trust, or LLC whose members are all natural persons. The owner must have no more than two residential rental properties with no more than four units for rent in total. The Berkeley Rent Board explains these statewide AB 12 conditions. Check older deposits or unusual advance-rent arrangements separately.
Return the balance and an itemized statement within 21 days after move-out. You can deduct lawful, reasonably necessary costs such as unpaid rent, cleaning to restore move-in cleanliness and tenant-caused damage beyond ordinary wear. A deposit does not pay for routine upgrades or damage that existed at move-in. See the Attorney General’s deposit guidance.
Offer the applicable pre-move-out inspection. For tenancies beginning July 1, 2025 or later, photograph the unit immediately before or at the start. Since April 1, 2025, deposit-related cleaning and repairs also need before-and-after photographs. Send the required photos, cost explanation and supporting documents with the accounting. If unfinished work or a missing invoice allows a good-faith estimate, provide the final accounting within 14 calendar days of completion or receipt. Receipt exceptions do not remove the itemized-statement duty.
In 2026, return the deposit digitally when the tenant paid the deposit or any rent digitally, unless both parties agree otherwise in writing. Email the statement only with the tenant’s agreement; otherwise follow personal-delivery or mailing rules. The DRE guide, printed pages 76–81, explains inspections, photographs, receipts, estimates and delivery.
Maintain a safe home and a repair trail
In California, Civil Code §§1941 and 1941.1 govern important habitability duties. The Attorney General identifies safe plumbing, heat, electrical equipment, floors and stairs, weather protection, working locks and protection from vermin. A tenant’s knowledge of a defect at move-in does not remove the owner’s duty to provide habitable housing.
Inspect the property’s actual safety systems and repair needs. Your working checklist should cover:
- Roof, drainage, gutters and weather protection.
- Heat, safe electrical equipment, hot and cold water, plumbing and toilets.
- Floors, stairs, handrails, doors and window locks.
- Ventilation, moisture intrusion, pests and sanitary trash facilities.
- Required smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, with location and maintenance checked against the applicable building and fire rules.
- Common-area lighting, walkways and other shared safety concerns.
- Required cooking and refrigeration equipment, plus the appliances and amenities supplied under the lease.
For new or renewed California leases starting in 2026, AB 628 adds a working stove and refrigerator to the habitability requirements. The Berkeley Rent Board’s statewide update confirms the change. Check the actual lease and any applicable exception before arranging tenant-supplied equipment. The DRE guide, printed pages 52–57, also covers safety devices and tenant care.
For each repair, record the report date, the problem, its urgency, the contractor and the result. Give residents separate contacts for urgent and routine work. Tell them when to expect the next step and confirm when the repair is done. Response time depends on the hazard.
Tenants should keep the home reasonably clean, use fixtures properly and report problems. The lease can explain agreed yard care and other upkeep, but it cannot erase the owner’s housing-code responsibilities. A disputed damage charge should not become a reason to ignore an active safety problem. The DRE discussion distinguishes tenant-caused damage from the owner’s continuing duties.
Dampness, mold and older materials
Dampness or visible mold that creates a health hazard can make a California home substandard under Health and Safety Code §17920.3. The law excludes minor mold on surfaces that get wet in their proper, intended use. See the CDPH renter booklet, page 3.
Investigate and correct the moisture source as well as the affected materials. Painting over mold without fixing a leak is not a repair plan. For older paint or other suspect materials, obtain suitable professional advice before disturbing them; a disclosure document is not a substitute for safe work.
Occupancy, window protection and snow
Check the actual building and occupancy rules for the address and apply them lawfully. A bedroom-area formula taken from another state is not a California standard. Under the CRD’s housing guidance, occupancy rules also need to respect familial-status protections and disability accommodations.
Window locks, guards and fall-prevention devices serve different purposes. Verify which devices the local code requires for this building and household; do not carry a particular city’s child-age trigger into a national checklist. In a snowy market, identify sidewalk clearing, access and ice-control obligations from the local rules and agreement. Do not assume the owner and tenant always have equal responsibility or liability.
Build a California disclosure handoff checklist
Create a list for the specific property and mark what applies, who supplied it and when the prospective tenant received it. Keep the relevant documents and acknowledgments with the signed lease. The DRE lease and disclosure sections, printed pages 27–34, are a starting point, not an exhaustive list for every city or property.
- Management and legal-notice contacts: supply the required owner or agent details and payment information under Civil Code §1962.
- Bed-bug information: supply the required prospective-tenant notice under Civil Code §1954.603. Do not show or rent a unit known to have a current infestation, as the DRE guide explains.
- Flood and shared-meter information: review the actual property’s circumstances and the applicable notices; do not assume every address has the same trigger.
- Megan’s Law and tenancy protections: include the required statutory notice and review applicable Tenant Protection Act coverage or exemption notices.
- Dampness and mold: provide the CDPH renter booklet before entering the rental agreement as described by the issuing agency under Health and Safety Code §26148. Identify known conditions for appropriate disclosure and remediation review.
- Lead-based paint: for most covered pre-1978 housing, provide the approved pamphlet, known hazard information, available records and required warning/disclosure language before signing. Use the EPA’s guidance and official lessor forms. Exempt housing and short-term arrangements have specific conditions.
- Death in the unit: the DRE guide describes California’s disclosure of a death and its manner within the preceding three years, the HIV/AIDS-related exception and the rule against intentional misrepresentation in response to a direct question. Review Civil Code §1710.2 rather than making an unlimited disclosure claim.
- Other property-specific matters: check pest-control notices, contamination or demolition orders, local notices and any required lease translation with qualified advice.
Lead disclosure is not automatically repeated in full at every renewal. The EPA/HUD interpretive guidance, questions 16–17, distinguishes a missing initial disclosure from new information obtained after the initial disclosure. Review any new hazard information before the tenant becomes obligated to the changed or renewed agreement.
Do not promise that any missing disclosure automatically invalidates the lease. Different statutes attach different consequences. Keep a record of the actual handoff and get advice about a discovered omission.
Use lawful screening criteria and handle accommodations
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act protects tenants and applicants from discrimination based on protected characteristics. The CRD’s housing page covers advertising, screening, source of income, familial status, disability and other protections. Exceptions are specific; ordinary landlords should not assume that a shared-housing exception applies to a separately rented unit.
Write down lawful screening criteria and record each decision. Asking everyone the same questions does not make an unlawful criterion lawful. You must still consider needed disability accommodations. Check criminal-history criteria rather than banning every applicant with a record, and account for protected income sources and rental subsidies.
A necessary service or emotional-support animal is not a pet. Handle the request promptly; the resident need not use special words or write it down. If the disability or need is not clear, ask only for information needed to establish the disability-related need. Do not demand a diagnosis or medical records. Reliable proof need not come from a doctor.
Residents cannot be charged pet rent or a pet deposit for necessary assistance animals. The request still needs an appropriate assessment; an unspecified letter does not make every animal or every requested arrangement automatically acceptable. Follow the CRD’s reasonable-accommodation guidance, including its treatment of direct threats and substantial property damage, and seek qualified advice on a difficult case.
Use consumer reports properly and protect resident information
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act applies when you use a consumer report to make a housing decision. The FTC’s landlord guidance explains permissible purposes, housing-purpose certification and adverse-action notices.
If a consumer report plays any part in an unfavorable decision, give the required adverse-action notice. Examples include a rejection, higher rent or deposit, or a required co-signer. Give the reporting company’s name, address and phone number. Explain that it did not make the decision and cannot give the reasons. State the right to dispute errors and request a free report within 60 days. Using a credit score or an investigative report adds duties listed in the FTC guide. Deposit caps still apply.
Protect other resident information too. Limit who can see applications and account details. Decide what you need to keep and for how long, protect those records, and dispose of them securely when due. The FTC’s data-security guide explains these practices. Contractors should receive only what they need for the job.
Respect privacy and record lawful entry
California Civil Code §1954 allows entry only for specified purposes. Necessary or agreed repairs and services, qualifying showings, emergencies, surrender or abandonment, and court-authorized entry are common examples. A routine desire to look around does not create a general inspection right. The DRE entry section, printed pages 48–50, explains both purposes and procedures.
For normal non-emergency entry, give reasonable advance written notice with the date, approximate time and purpose. Normally, enter during business hours. The law usually treats 24 hours’ notice as reasonable, but contrary facts can change that. Mail at least six days before entry has a similar presumption. Deliver notice personally, leave it with a suitable person at the unit, or place it at the usual entrance where it is likely to be found.
Advance notice is not required for an emergency, surrender or abandonment, or entry with the tenant present and consenting. An oral repair or service agreement must set the date and approximate time, with entry within one week. The tenant may agree to shorter notice or entry outside business hours.
For oral notice of purchaser showings, first give written notice that the home is for sale and showings may be arranged orally. Give that written notice within 120 days before the oral notice. State the showing’s date, approximate time and purpose, and leave written evidence of entry. The usual reasonable-notice and business-hours rules still apply unless the tenant agrees otherwise. Keep the notice and entry record. Never use access to harass a tenant.
Plan renewals and respond to complaints
Schedule renewal discussions early enough to resolve repairs, proposed terms and questions. A renewal discussion date is not a universal 60-day termination rule. In California, review the property’s just-cause coverage, lawful reason for termination and actual notice requirements before telling a resident to leave. The Attorney General’s guidance on Civil Code §1946.2 explains why both state and local protections matter.
Acknowledge complaints, keep the correspondence and assign a person to respond. California law prohibits retaliation for exercising tenant rights, as the Attorney General explains under Civil Code §1942.5. Deal with repair or discrimination concerns on their merits rather than treating them as a reason to reduce services.
When a resident asks to leave early, distinguish a negotiated release from an ordinary breach or a statutory right. Our guide to lawful early lease termination sets out the separate questions. Use clear lease clauses, but keep checking how the property is actually managed after signing.
Photo by Romain Dancre on Unsplash
Frequently asked questions
What are a landlord’s core responsibilities?
Keep property payments and records organized, maintain safe housing, handle deposits correctly, provide applicable disclosures, respect privacy and follow fair-housing and consumer-report rules. The legal requirements depend on the property’s jurisdiction. A lease does not replace the owner’s statutory duties.
What should a rental habitability checklist cover?
Check weather protection, heat, water, plumbing, electrical equipment, structural safety, locks, pests, sanitation, required safety devices and applicable appliance requirements. Record defects, requests and completed repairs. California’s requirements should not be assumed to describe every other state’s law.
What safety devices are required in a rental?
Check the building and fire rules for the property, including smoke alarms, applicable carbon monoxide alarms, locks and any required fall-prevention devices. Placement, equipment and maintenance rules depend on the building and jurisdiction. Do not treat a particular city’s window-guard rule as a nationwide requirement.
Sources
Agency sources checked October 7, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. California examples apply to California; federal rules and other jurisdictions have their own coverage and exceptions.
- California DRE: 2026 tenant-landlord guide — utilities, lease details, disclosures, deposits, entry, appliances and repairs; printed pages 25–57. Relevant provisions include Civil Code §§1940.9, 1962, 1954.603, 1710.2, 1950.5, 1954, 1941 and 1941.1.
- California Attorney General: landlord-tenant issues — deposit duties, habitability, just-cause protections, lockouts and retaliation; Civil Code §§1950.5, 1941.1, 1946.2, 789.3 and 1942.5.
- Berkeley Rent Board: new state and local laws — statewide AB 12 deposit ownership conditions and AB 628 appliance update. Berkeley-only rules are not applied elsewhere.
- California CDPH: information on dampness and mold for renters — booklet handoff under Health and Safety Code §26148 and substandard conditions under §17920.3.
- EPA: real-estate lead disclosures — covered housing, exceptions, materials and issuing-agency forms.
- EPA/HUD: lead-disclosure interpretive guidance — questions 16–17 on initial disclosures, renewal and new information.
- California CRD: housing discrimination — screening, occupancy, accommodations and assistance animals.
- FTC: using consumer reports as a landlord — FCRA purposes, notices and disposal duties.
- FTC: protecting personal information — collection, access, retention and secure disposal practices.
- California Department of Insurance: residential insurance — coverage, exclusions and renters’ personal property.
