A tenant is moving into a new flat next week. They have questions: When do I pay the first month's rent? How is my deposit protected? Where do I collect the keys? Do I need to set up the energy account? What happens at the inventory check? They email the property manager, who answers the same questions for every new tenant.
The start of a tenancy brings a predictable wave of questions. Answering them clearly sets the tone for the whole tenancy.
The move-in questions
- When is the first rent payment due?
- How do I pay rent each month?
- How is my deposit protected?
- When and where do I collect the keys?
- What is the inventory, and do I need to be there?
- Who do I contact to set up utilities?
- What about council tax and broadband?
- Who do I call if something goes wrong in the first week?
Example conversations
These scripts use information a property manager might publish. Your answers should come from your own tenant guide.
Tenant: How is my deposit protected? Assistant: The move-in guide explains that your deposit is registered with a government-approved protection scheme, and you'll receive the scheme details within the required time after paying it.
Tenant: When do I collect the keys? Assistant: Keys are collected from the office on your move-in date, once the first rent and deposit have cleared, as the move-in guide explains. The office hours are listed there too.
Tenant: Can I get part of my deposit back early? Assistant: That's something the property team would need to look at for your tenancy. I'll pass your question on; could you share your name and property address?
Deposit questions need care
General deposit information can be published. Individual questions, and especially disputes, need a person. Some deposit questions are sensitive, particularly when tenants are worried about money. An approach to sensitive questions is described in how to handle sensitive questions in your chatbot.
Utilities and council tax
New tenants are often unsure which bills are theirs. Explain which utilities are included in the rent, if any, and which the tenant needs to set up. Say whether meter readings are taken at the inventory, and how to find the current suppliers. Council tax is another common question, especially for tenants new to the area or the country. A short checklist of "things to set up in your first week" answers most of it and saves both sides a string of emails.
Pets, guests and rules
The tenancy agreement usually covers pets, guests, decorating and subletting, but tenants rarely read it closely. A plain summary of the key rules in the move-in guide prevents misunderstandings that later become disputes.
Before the tenancy starts
Many questions come before the tenancy is even agreed, during the application stage. Those are covered in rental application questions answered before viewing.
Ongoing tenant questions
Once tenants have moved in, questions shift to repairs, rules and renewals, as described in tenant questions that swamp property managers.
Landlords value a smooth start
Landlords judge property managers on how smoothly tenancies start. A clear move-in process is a selling point, as described in landlords looking for a manager and what they ask.
Answering at any hour
SpideyChat for property management companies answers move-in questions from your own tenant guide at any hour, in the tenant's language, and passes individual questions to the team.
Writing the move-in guide
Put a move-in guide online covering rent, deposits, keys, inventory, utilities and first-week contacts, and send the link with every new tenancy. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about answers on the features page.