For a calmer move-in
Understand the home you rent.
A rental can come with unfamiliar appliances, controls, schedules, and responsibilities. HouseManual gives useful, approved information one place—without confusing tenant care with owner-only work.
Yes. A rental home manual can organize appliance instructions, authorized control locations, property contacts, move-in condition notes, maintenance requests, building information, and lease-aligned care expectations.
A renter’s useful record
Know what to do—and who should do it.
A clear record can reduce uncertainty, but the lease and property manager still define responsibilities. Use HouseManual to understand and communicate, not to take on hazardous or unauthorized repairs.
- Save the right contacts. Management, maintenance, after-hours support, utilities, and building services.
- Record approved controls. Thermostat, local water shutoffs, breakers identified for tenant use, and emergency instructions.
- Match appliances to manuals. Model information makes a support request clearer and everyday operation easier.
- Keep a request history. Record the date, description, response, and documents you are entitled to retain.
Leave owner-only work to the owner
- Gas and combustionReport concerns, leave unsafe conditions, and use emergency or utility help.
- Electrical systemsDo not open panels or perform work unless qualified and authorized.
- Shared utilitiesDo not shut down services affecting other residents.
- Building systemsFollow property instructions for elevators, fire systems, access, and water.
If there is immediate danger, leave the area and contact local emergency services or the utility from a safe place.
Privacy during a transition
A move-out handoff should describe the home, not the household.
Remove names, schedules, personal photographs, network credentials, correspondence, payment data, and anything unrelated to operating the property. Share only what you are permitted and intend to pass on.
Renter questions
Useful, with clear boundaries.
What home information should a tenant keep?
Keep approved instructions for utilities and controls, appliance manuals, maintenance requests, move-in condition records, emergency and management contacts, and responsibilities stated in the lease.
Can a tenant create a home manual without the landlord?
A tenant can organize information they are entitled to have and record. They should not access restricted systems, collect private information about others, or perform work beyond the lease or the property manager’s authorization.
Should a rental manual include door or alarm codes?
Avoid putting persistent credentials in a broadly shared home guide. Use the property manager’s approved secure method, limit access, and change transferable credentials at turnover.
What happens to the manual at move-out?
Export any condition or maintenance records you are entitled to retain, remove personal data, and provide only the useful property knowledge requested or authorized for the next resident or manager.
Make a new rental easier to know.
HouseManual is coming soon to iPhone and Android for owners, tenants, and the people who help homes change hands.