What to Prepare Before Listing and Handing Over Your Condo for Rent for the First Time

Split preparation into 3 stages

The first stage is before listing. Use it to confirm who has the right to rent out the unit, which unit will be rented out, and what the building rules allow. The second stage is before receiving money or signing. Use it to ensure that the parties’ information, expenses, and terms match. The final stage is before handover. Use it to record the unit condition, items in the unit, meters, and rights transferred to the tenant.

Do not skip a stage simply because there is already an interested person. Listing quickly but having to correct information later, or receiving money before the terms are complete, may cause the owner, tenant, and agent to understand things differently.

Before listing, confirm rights and building rules

Prepare documents confirming the unit owner and the person authorized to sign. If an agent will act on your behalf, write the scope of authority: who may list, arrange viewings, receive money, sign, hand over keys, or receive repair reports. The tenant should be able to clearly see who receives each payment and why.

Ask the condominium juristic person about rules affecting that unit, such as move-in procedures, lease duration accepted by the building, resident registration, parking use, pet keeping, moving belongings, and access cards. Do not use rights of another unit or old advertising in place of confirmation from the current building.

The Office of the Consumer Protection Board published a page compiling notices concerning the residential building rental business and sample contracts on 8 June 2026. Before using a contract form, the owner must check the scope into which their rental falls and which version of the requirements applies. If unsure, ask the OCPB or a legal professional based on the facts of that case.

Prepare listing information from what can be confirmed

Prepare one information sheet for this unit, stating the property type, location, unit size, number of rooms, furniture, electrical appliances, parking, pet terms, expenses, move-in availability date, and restrictions, using documents, photographs, and the latest confirmation from the owner and the juristic person.

Separate “available” from “included in rent” and “requires confirmation.” For example, a building having parking does not mean this unit has parking rights, and an owner permitting pets does not mean building rules permit them. Where confirmation is not yet available, remove that statement or state that it must be checked before arranging a viewing.

Use current photographs of the actual unit and disclose when any image is a project image or an illustrative image. Do not state views, unit condition, included items, travel times, or move-in availability dates beyond the evidence available, and do not use another unit’s listing as evidence for this unit.

Before receiving money, align the contract and evidence

Before receiving a booking payment, security deposit, or rent, clearly write the parties’ names, unit, term, start and end dates, payment date, expenses, money received, refund terms, repair responsibilities, unit inspection access, renewal or termination, and consequences of non-compliance with the agreement. Then issue evidence stating the date, amount, recipient, and purpose of every payment each time.

The Consumer Council published on 26 March 2026 that a rental-room contract should include the parties’ information, unit details, term, rent, security deposit, water and electricity charges, cancellation terms, and other important items. Owners should therefore compare the contract with the listing and the forms currently published by the OCPB, rather than use old files or online forms without checking suitability.

If there is an agent, separate the agency agreement from the lease agreement, and write who is authorized to receive money or provide confirmation on the owner’s behalf. Chat messages, listings, receipts, contracts, and the receiving account should be consistent before asking the tenant to transfer money.

Prepare an inventory and condition record before handover

Prepare an inventory table before the handover date, stating each item’s name, quantity, location, condition, and notes. Use dated photographs to help record existing marks, non-functioning equipment, and work agreed to be repaired. Separate items included in the rental from items the owner will remove.

Record relevant meter readings, the number of keys, key cards, remotes, parking stickers, and manuals handed over to the tenant. If there is a security deposit or expense tied to individual items, ensure the wording in the handover inventory matches the contract; do not add new terms on the key-receipt day.

Hand over with a problem-reporting channel and joint evidence

On handover day, the owner or agent and tenant should inspect the unit using the same inventory, record anything not yet completed and the date it will be handled, then both parties sign to certify the handover document. The tenant should receive copies of the contract, attachments, payment evidence, and a working contact channel.

Agree in advance how repairs will be reported, who is responsible for checking problems, and under what procedure the owner or agent will enter the unit. Keep payment evidence, problem reports, repair approvals, and changes to terms together, so that no one needs to rely on memory when there is a dispute.

Use a stop criterion when key information is not ready

Stop before receiving money when the signatory cannot yet show authority, the unit or usage rights do not match the listing, building rules remain unconfirmed, expenses are incomplete, the contract and chat messages do not match, the receiving account cannot be explained, or important repair work still has no written agreement.

This article is an information-preparation checklist, not individualized legal, tax, or investment advice. Matters depending on the number of units, business model, lease duration, contracting parties, or the tenant’s status should be checked against the latest notices, and advice should be sought from the directly responsible agency or professional.

Decision checklist

• Confirm the unit owner and the authority of the person who will sign or receive money
• Obtain current rules from the condominium juristic person regarding move-in, parking, pets, and access cards
• Prepare unit information from documents, actual photographs, and the latest confirmation
• Separate confirmed information from information that still requires checking
• Check the contract form against current OCPB notices and the scope that applies to the actual case
• Ensure the listing, chat messages, receipts, contract, and receiving account are consistent
• Prepare the property inventory, unit-condition photos, meter readings, keys, and key cards
• Sign the handover document and provide a copy to the tenant
• Set a repair-reporting channel and procedure for entering to inspect the unit
• Stop before receiving money if key information or the parties’ authority remains unclear

Frequently asked questions