Giving Keys to Future Tenants 2 Weeks Prior to Lease Start?

[Lokesh W.]

Hello,

I am renting my upper unit of my duplex. They are starting the lease in June. The guy is a local TV host. His fiancé, their kids ( 1 kid each from previous relationships) and he are moving in. They asked me to give keys 2 weeks in advance to help them move their stuff.

They said that they liked my place so they are moving even though they both will have separate another 30 days rental lease at their current residences. i.e. they don’t want me chose other applicants who are ready to move in by June. This came as a surprise to me. I agreed to give the keys for 2 weekends prior to them moving in. Now, they requested me to give them the keys 2 weeks before and let them keep it so they can move their stuff. They seem like nice people but I don’t want to set the wrong tone that they can just break rules.

Also, I am wondering about the things that they keep before the renters’ insurance commences. They promised that they don’t plan on living there before the lease starts.

What are some of the issues of giving the keys in this situation?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Jon Holdman]

Tenants get keys when we sign the lease and they hand over the money. Period. Money in cash or money order for the first month and full deposit. Period.

I will give tenants a few days free if a property is vacant. But its May 8 and they want to move in June 1 (I think you're saying.) I would tell them "You're approved, but the first person to sign a lease and pay gets the property." If they were willing to start a lease on May 15, I might be willing to give them the next week for free. Otherwise, I would continue to market the property. In my market, I'd be pretty confident I could get someone in there in less than three weeks. If I did find another acceptable applicant and they were willing to move in sooner, I would go back to this first applicant and tell them "I have someone willing to move in on (say) the 15th, but I approved you first, do you want to move in on that date?" If no, the new applicant gets it. If its still available when they actually want to pay, they can have it.

I have, on ocassion, agreed to hold a property. Not for three weeks, but maybe for a week to 10 days. I'll only do that if they pay me a non-refundable holding deposit equal to the security deposit. If your market is on the slow side, I might agree to that. They pay now, and when we get around to signing a lease, that becomes the deposit. There's a date on that agreement, and if they don't sign by that date, I keep the deposit. In a case like this, I might make that date about a week before the first and I would continue to take calls and keep phone numbers. If they don't sign, call those people back.

Even if you start the lease on May 15th, you want a full month's rent. Nothing wrong with making the lease run from the 15th to the 14th of the next month. But if they want is 1st to last, then on June 1 they would owe you half a months rent. But ALWAYS a full months rent to move in.