When to prorate the rent and the start of lease!

[Dan Marl]

Hello everyone. It's 12/28/21 and I am listing my house for rent (it's empty right now).  I have a person who is going to send me back the rental application and a few interested people to want to see the property.

This is my question. If you were in my position and you find a good candidate, when do you make them start paying rent? It's at the end of the year so I doubt they will move in by 1/1/22. If they ask to move in on 2/1/22, then I would be 1 month out of rent.

Do many of you compromise and start the lease mid-month like 1/15/22?  Or 1/1/22 or 2/1/22? 

[Nathan Gesner]

This is your rental; you set the rules.

My policy is that I will hold a vacant unit for ten days. After that, they have to start paying rent, utilities, maintaining the lawn, etc. If someone applies January 1st but doesn't want to occupy until February 1st, I tell them they have two choices:

1. Rent the unit early on January 10th; or
2. Wait until February 1st and see if the unit is still available

Most of them rent it early. I'm not willing to hold a unit vacant for an entire month waiting for a renter when there's a very good chance I can find a different renter during that month. I disclose this policy before they apply which helps soften the blow.