Keep a readiness file with compliance evidence, condition records and unresolved work.
Check the property before advertising
Walk through the home and list repairs, supplied appliances and any work that affects the proposed start date. Review current Tenancy Services guidance on landlord obligations and healthy homes standards. Ask a suitably qualified person to assess matters beyond your knowledge. Do not describe the home as compliant just because an old report exists or a repair has been booked.
Build the readiness file
Property condition
Keep a dated room-by-room record and relevant photographs. Identify existing wear and the condition of supplied items.
Compliance evidence
Gather current healthy homes information, required statements, smoke-alarm records and supporting documents relevant to the property.
Agreements and insurance
Check the tenancy documentation and required insurance information with your manager. Confirm cover appropriate to the proposed use.
Practical handover
List keys, access devices, appliance instructions, rubbish arrangements and contractor contacts. Record who will complete outstanding work before move-in.
Agree the letting process
Mellow's residential service includes tenant sourcing, agreements, maintenance and financial administration. Ask how applicants are assessed, who approves the tenancy and how the initial condition inspection is completed. Agree when the property can be marketed and what must be finished before a tenant receives keys. Avoid a start date that depends on unresolved work with no confirmed completion.
Keep the first month organised
Record the tenant's reported issues and how they are assigned for action. Ask when you will receive your first statement and how maintenance approvals will work. Use the official landlord checklist as an ongoing reference, not a one-off certificate. This is general preparation guidance for a New Plymouth owner; current requirements and any property-specific exceptions should be checked with your manager or adviser.
Sources and further reading
Reviewed 30 September 2026. Confirm current terms for your own property.
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