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About this tool
Score a rental move-in against a weighted, code-referenced security and safety checklist.
The Renter Security Checklist scores a rental property against 25 move-in safety checks and returns a weighted percentage, where each item carries 5 points if it is life-safety or entry critical, 3 for high risk, 2 for medium and 1 for good practice. The items come from published rules — NFPA 72 for smoke and CO alarm placement and the 10-year replacement life, ANSI/BHMA A156.5 for the 1-inch minimum deadbolt throw, and NEC 210.8 for GFCI protection at bathroom, kitchen, laundry and outdoor sockets. It is built for tenants doing a handover inspection, and for anyone who wants a written list to send a landlord or agent.
Open Renter Security Checklist on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.
Tick items across the six sections — Doors and entry, Fire and gas safety, Windows and outdoor, Utilities and electrics, Digital and privacy, Paperwork and proof — each labelled Critical (5 pts) down to Good practice (1 pt) with the standard it comes from.
Under Smoke alarm age check enter Date of manufacture and Check against date to get Alarm age, Replace by, and whether the unit is past its NFPA 72 10-year service life.
Read the Weighted security score with Items complete, Weighted points earned, Open critical items and Rating, then press Copy report; Reset restores the checklist defaults.
A missing CO alarm costs 5 points; unclipped shrubs cost 1, so the score tracks real danger.
Each check shows the standard or reason behind it, so you can quote it in a repair request.
One click produces a plain-text report of open critical items and section-by-section progress.
Every 10 years from the date of manufacture printed on the unit, under NFPA 72 — not 10 years from installation, which is usually later. NFPA also calls for testing alarms monthly, and an alarm is required inside every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every storey of the home.
Start with the eight critical items: rekeyed exterior locks, a deadbolt with at least a 1-inch throw, working smoke alarms in every bedroom, a CO alarm if there is gas or an attached garage, GFCI/RCD protection on wet-area sockets, factory-reset smart locks and cameras, dated move-in photos of every room, and proof that the landlord actually owns or is authorised to let the property.
At least 1 inch (25 mm). ANSI/BHMA A156.5 sets a 1-inch minimum bolt projection for a graded deadbolt, and the strike plate should be fixed with 3-inch (76 mm) screws that reach the wall stud — short screws hold only the jamb trim, which is the usual failure point in a forced entry.
Rules differ by jurisdiction, so there is no single answer — some US states and Indian states require rekeying between tenancies while others leave it to the agreement. Whatever the local rule, treat it as a critical item: you cannot know how many keys previous tenants, cleaners or agents still hold, and a rekey is inexpensive compared with the risk.