Check smoke and CO alarms, patch and paint walls, fix doors and caulk, and photograph the unit. Keep receipts for any deposit deductions.
Between tenants, check the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, patch and paint walls, fix doors and locks, redo worn caulk, and photograph the unit. A written checklist keeps turnover to one or two handyman visits.
Safety items first
Illinois' Smoke Detector Act, 425 ILCS 60, requires a smoke detector in operating condition within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping, and the State Fire Marshal describes carbon monoxide alarm requirements on its site. The Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector Act, 430 ILCS 135, sets the same 15-foot rule for CO alarms.
Under both Acts, the owner supplies and installs the alarms. The tenant tests them and replaces batteries, except that the owner must make sure the batteries work when the tenant takes possession. So at turnover, test every alarm and put in fresh batteries or replace old units. Check the State Fire Marshal's page for which homes the CO requirement covers. Local rules may add more.
The turnover checklist
Do this walk the day the tenant returns the keys, then again before the next tenant moves in.
- Photos and video: every room, every wall, floors, appliances, inside cabinets. Date them.
- Keys and locks: collect all keys. Check that every lock works. Many landlords re-key between tenants.
- Walls: fill nail holes and dings, sand, prime patches and repaint where needed.
- Doors: check hinges, strikes, knobs, closers and door stops.
- Caulk: redo cracked or moldy caulk at tubs, showers, sinks and windows.
- Cabinets: tighten hinges and pulls, adjust doors, check drawer tracks.
- Blinds and screens: replace broken ones.
- Lights: replace bulbs, check switches and cover plates.
- Smoke and CO alarms: test and replace batteries, as above.
- Appliances: run each one. Clean filters.
- Floors: repair what can be fixed. Note damage for the move-out record.
- HVAC filters: replace.
- Plumbing, electrical and roof items: any leak, drain issue, outlet problem or roof leak goes to a licensed independent contractor. Illinois licenses plumbing and roofing, and electrical work is regulated by each city or village. See Handyman vs. licensed contractor in Illinois.
Group the work
Write the list before the unit empties. Sort it by area, and give the handyman the full list at once, with photos. Paint, caulk, hardware, door fixes and blinds fit in the same visit. Ordering a turnover around one shared list is faster than calling for each item as you find it.
Keep receipts and photos
Illinois has rules on how and when a landlord returns a security deposit, and they can depend on the size of the building and on recent amendments. Check the current text of the Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) on ilga.gov or ask an attorney before you decide what to deduct. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Whatever the rule is for your building, keep every invoice and a dated photo of the unit before and after in one folder per unit.
FAQ
What is the first thing to check between tenants?
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Under Illinois law the owner must make sure alarm batteries work at move-in.
How soon do I need to return a security deposit?
It depends on the building and the current law. Check 765 ILCS 710 on ilga.gov or ask an attorney, and keep receipts and photos either way.
Can a handyman do all of the turnover work?
Not all. A handyman covers paint, patching, caulk, doors, hardware and blinds. Plumbing, electrical and roofing go to licensed independent contractors.
Should I re-key between tenants?
It is common practice and not an Illinois requirement in the sources we checked. At minimum, collect every key.
Send your turnover list and photos to Enhaus at (847) 877-1877.
