Tenant turnover is one of the most operationally demanding parts of owning a rental property. Done poorly, you rush to fill a unit that isn't quite ready — and start a new tenancy on the wrong foot. Done well, it's a chance to get the property into genuinely good shape, protect your investment, and set up a positive relationship with the incoming tenant from day one.
Here's a practical walkthrough of the process, from the day your tenant moves out to the day the new one gets the keys.
Step 1: The Move-Out Inspection
The move-out inspection is your first and most important step. Do it on or as close to the move-out date as possible, ideally with the outgoing tenant present.
Walk through the entire unit with the move-in inspection report (you should have completed one when the tenant first moved in — if you didn't, start doing this for every tenancy). Compare the current condition against move-in condition, accounting for normal wear and tear.
Normal wear and tear includes: minor scuffs on walls, small nail holes from picture hanging, slight wear in carpet traffic areas, and faded paint over several years. These are the expected results of someone living in a home, and they cannot be charged back to the tenant.
Damage beyond normal wear is fair game for a claim. This includes:
- Large holes or gouges in walls
- Stains, burns, or tears in carpet or flooring
- Broken fixtures or appliances due to misuse
- Pet damage (scratched floors, urine odour, chewed door frames)
- Excessive filth requiring professional cleaning beyond standard turnover
Photograph everything. These photos, compared with your move-in photos, are your documentation if you need to pursue a claim.
Step 2: Understanding the Last Month's Rent Deposit
In Ontario, you hold a last month's rent deposit — not a damage deposit. That deposit must be applied to the tenant's last month of rent.
If there's damage beyond normal wear and tear, you cannot simply keep the deposit and put it toward repairs. You apply the deposit to last month's rent and then pursue the damage amount separately — either by agreement with the outgoing tenant, through Small Claims Court, or through an LTB application.
This trips up a lot of landlords. The deposit is not a damage fund; it's prepaid rent.
Step 3: Clean and Repair Thoroughly
Once the unit is empty, work through it systematically.
Cleaning Checklist
- Full kitchen deep clean: inside appliances, under and behind the fridge, oven interior, exhaust fan filter
- Bathroom deep clean: grout, inside toilet tank if needed, exhaust fan
- Wash all windows inside (and outside where accessible)
- Wipe down all surfaces, baseboards, light switches, door frames, window ledges
- Professional carpet cleaning if the unit has carpet — essential if there was a pet
- Clean all light fixtures and ceiling fans
Repairs and Maintenance Checklist
- Patch and repaint walls — or repaint entire rooms if scuffs are widespread
- Test all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors; replace batteries and units as required by law
- Test all locks: door locks, window locks, deadbolts
- Test all appliances: run the dishwasher, test stovetop and oven elements, check fridge temperature
- Check all plumbing: flush toilets, check under sinks for leaks, run taps hot and cold
- Test electrical outlets and light switches throughout
- Inspect for any signs of moisture, mould, or water intrusion
- Service the furnace or HVAC system and replace the filter
Step 4: Think About Improvements
Turnover is also the best time to make upgrades that are harder or more disruptive to do with a tenant in place. With the unit empty, consider:
- Repainting a room that's overdue for a refresh
- Replacing worn flooring that's past its useful life
- Updating dated fixtures — light switches, cabinet hardware, faucets — that would make the unit more appealing to quality applicants
- Addressing deferred maintenance items you've been putting off
Small improvements can meaningfully increase what the market will bear for rent and attract more competitive applicants — particularly in markets like London and Sarnia where tenant expectations have risen.
Step 5: The Move-In Inspection with the New Tenant
Before the new tenant gets the keys, walk through the unit together and complete a written move-in inspection report. Note the condition of every room, appliance, and fixture. Both you and the tenant sign it.
This document protects both of you. It establishes the baseline condition so there's no dispute at move-out about what damage existed before the tenancy began. Courts and the LTB take this document seriously.
At move-in, provide the new tenant with:
- All keys (and confirm you've retained a copy)
- Information about how to reach you for maintenance issues
- Utility account information if relevant
- Copies of the signed lease and move-in inspection report
Timing: Don't Rush the Turnover
In an ideal world, you're marketing the unit before the current tenant leaves, screening applicants, and signing a new lease with minimal vacancy. In practice, you also need adequate time to properly prepare the unit.
For most units in London, St. Thomas, or Sarnia, budget 5–10 days minimum for cleaning and basic repairs. For a unit that needs painting, carpet replacement, or more significant work, two weeks or more is realistic.
Rushing a turnover to avoid even a week of vacancy often means starting a new tenancy with small but persistent issues — a sticky lock, an unfinished patch, an appliance that wasn't tested. Those details set the tone for the landlord-tenant relationship more than most landlords realize.
At Prospera Properties, we coordinate the full turnover process: move-out inspection, cleaning crews, trades for repairs, and re-listing — so vacancy periods are as short as possible without cutting corners. For landlords managing the process themselves, having a reliable roster of local cleaners and tradespeople on call makes the whole thing faster and less stressful.
The Short Version
- Do a move-out inspection with photos, compared against the move-in inspection
- Last month's rent deposit goes to last month's rent — pursue damage claims separately
- Deep clean the entire unit; test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors; replace the furnace filter
- Fix everything that needs fixing; consider upgrades while the unit is empty
- Complete a move-in inspection report with the new tenant before handing over keys