Handle Tenant Move-In and Move-Out

Accurately handling tenant move-ins and move-outs in STRATAFOLIO is essential for maintaining clean records, ensuring correct accounting, and keeping your portfolio reports up to date. STRATAFOLIO makes this process straightforward by allowing you to manage tenant move-in details when a new lease begins and record tenant move-out activities when a lease ends.

Manage Tenant Move-In in STRATAFOLIO

When a tenant moves into a unit, you’ll need to set up their lease information so invoicing, rent escalations, and alerts function properly.

1. Navigate to Properties > Units in the left-side navigation menu.
   
2. Find the unit where the tenant is moving in.
   
3. Click the (…) button next to the unit and select Add Lease.
   
4. Fill in the lease details, including:
   
   • Tenant Information, Lease Type and Status (e.g., Future Lease that updates to Occupied when active)
     
   • Lease Duration (start and end dates)
     
   • Invoicing details such as accounting customer, classification, and invoice template
     
   • Lease rate including the rent amount, base rate, and income item
     
   • Lease Expiration Alerts (utilize this to get notifications before a Lease is set to expire)
     
   • Lease Renewal
     
   • Lease Restrictions
     

📌 See also: Add a Lease in STRATAFOLIO for step-by-step details on entering a new lease.

Once saved, the tenant’s lease will show up in your Rent Roll and related reports, ensuring your occupancy records stay accurate.

📌 See also: How to Run the Rent Roll.

Record Tenant Move-Out for Accounting and Operations

When a tenant vacates a property, STRATAFOLIO allows you to properly close out their lease while preserving historical records.

1. Navigate to the lease you want to close. Do this by going to Operations > Leases. Once you find the lease, click on (…) and then Edit Lease.
   
   
2. Scroll down until you get to Closing Out Your Lease. Enter the Tenant Move-Out Date. This will automatically update the lease status to Expired.
   
   
3. In the Closing Out Your Lease section, record:
   
   • Deposit Withheld (any portion of the deposit not refunded)
     
   • Refunded Deposit (amount returned to the tenant)
     
   • Lease Closing Notes (such as early termination, bankruptcy, or eviction details)
     
4. Upload supporting documents like move-out photos, receipts, or agreements in the Files tab.
   

This process ensures your accounting records reflect the tenant’s departure correctly and keeps your reports accurate for future analysis.

📌 See also: How to Close Out a Lease.

Why This Matters

• For Accounting: Recording tenant move-out properly ensures that rent charges stop on the correct date and deposits are tracked accurately in your books. This eliminates errors in reconciliations and helps maintain compliance.
  
• For Portfolio Management: Keeping unit statuses updated (Occupied, Expired, Vacant) ensures that your Rent Roll and occupancy reports are always reliable.
  
• For Historical Records: STRATAFOLIO never requires you to delete leases. Instead, by recording tenant move-outs, you retain a full history of tenant activity, which is critical for reporting, re-tenanting, and compliance.
  

Best Practices

• Always update lease start and end dates to reflect renewals or extensions.
  
• Record security deposits and their status at both move-in and move-out.
  
• Upload important documents (leases, amendments, insurance, move-in/out photos) into the Files tab for easy reference.
  
• Use STRATAFOLIO alerts to stay ahead of upcoming lease expirations.
  

📌 See also: How Lease Alerts Work.

Summary

By following these steps, you can confidently manage tenant move-in in STRATAFOLIO and record tenant move-out for accurate accounting and reporting. Keeping these records current ensures you have a clear financial and operational picture of your entire portfolio at all times.