Apartment Tour Checklist: 40 Things to Check Before Signing
Before signing, test water pressure, outlets, appliances, locks, and windows; check for pests and damp; ask about utilities, deposits, and lease terms.
A tour isn't a vibe check — it's the only inspection this apartment will ever get from someone on your side. Fifteen minutes of running faucets and flipping switches now beats twelve months of cold showers later. Take photos as you go, and don't be shy about testing things: a landlord who gets annoyed at you checking the stove is telling you something too.
Water & plumbing
- Run every faucet — check pressure AND how fast the water gets hot
- Flush every toilet; listen for running water that doesn't stop
- Look under sinks for leaks, water stains, or a suspicious bucket
- Run the shower for a full minute — pressure drops show up late
- Check drains: fill the sink an inch, then watch how fast it empties
- Sniff near drains and the water heater — sewage or gas smells are dealbreakers
Power & appliances
- Test outlets in every room (a phone charger works fine)
- Flip every light switch; note dead fixtures or flickering
- Turn on every stove burner and the oven
- Open the fridge and freezer — running, cold, and not roaring
- Check for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that actually beep on test
- Find the breaker box — you want it inside your unit, and labeled
Doors, windows & locks
- Lock and unlock the front door from both sides — deadbolt included
- Open every window; confirm each one locks and has an intact screen
- Check for drafts around windows and doors (a hand on the frame works)
- Make sure bedroom windows open — that's your fire exit
- Ask whether locks are changed or re-keyed between tenants
Pests & damp
- Check under the kitchen sink and behind appliances for droppings or traps
- Look at ceiling corners and closet walls for water stains or bubbling paint
- Sniff for musty smells — air freshener working overtime is a clue, not a comfort
- Look for mold around window frames, bathroom corners, and behind the toilet
- Scan hallways and building trash areas — pest problems are rarely one-unit problems
Building & neighborhood
- Check your cell signal in every room, especially the bedroom
- Visit the laundry room — working machines, reasonable prices, not scary
- Walk the hallways and entry: clean and lit says management cares
- Test travel time to work or campus at the hour you'd actually commute
- Come back after dark — street lighting, noise, and how the block feels
- Stand in the unit silently for a minute: traffic, neighbors, that one dog
Landlord & lease red flags
- Pressure to sign today or pay a 'holding fee' before you've read the lease
- Any request for cash, wire transfer, or payment apps for the deposit
- A landlord who can't or won't show the actual unit you'd be renting
- Verbal promises ('we'll fix that') that they won't put in writing
- Vague answers about which utilities you pay or what the deposit covers
- Rent dramatically below every comparable listing — that's bait, not luck
Questions to ask before you leave
- What do utilities typically run per month in this unit?
- How do I submit maintenance requests, and what's the usual response time?
- What exactly gets deducted from deposits, and when is it returned?
- What's the guest policy, and what are the rules on subletting or roommates?
- What's the early termination clause if I need to break the lease?
- Why did the last tenant leave? (Watch the face, not just the words)
Walk away if…
Some problems get fixed with a work order. These don't. Walk away if you see active mold or serious water damage, smell gas or sewage, spot signs of roaches or rodents, or the deal itself smells wrong: cash-only deposits, pressure to sign on the spot, a lease they won't let you read, or a "landlord" who can't get you inside the actual unit. There is always another apartment. There is not always another deposit.