What should you send a tenant before lease signing day?
Send the lease itself a few days ahead so the tenant can read it, then a short message listing what is due at signing, the move-in date and how signing works. Nothing in the message should surprise them: every amount, date and rule in it should match the lease and the listing. Clear steps beat a long welcome note.
Send the lease ahead of time
A tenant should not see the lease for the first time at the table. Send it two to five days before signing, with a note that they are welcome to ask questions or take it to someone they trust. It reduces surprises, speeds up signing and shows you have nothing to hide.
If you sign electronically, say so. Federal law gives an electronic signature the same legal effect as a handwritten one for most contracts, and, for disclosures the law requires to be in writing, requires the consumer's consent to receive them electronically (15 U.S.C. 7001). A line in your message that explains how it works and offers a paper option is enough to start.
Say exactly what is due, and when
Money is where move-in goes wrong. Put each amount on its own line, with the due date and how to pay. Pay attention to the first month's prorated rent if the lease starts mid-month.
Example a made-up amounts list for a lease starting the 10th of a 30-day month at $1,500 a month. Security deposit: $1,500. Prorated first month, 21 days from the 10th through the 30th at $50 a day: $1,050. Total due at signing: $2,550.
Those numbers add up: $1,500 plus $1,050 is $2,550, and $1,500 divided by 30 days is $50 a day. Check your own state's limits on deposits and what may be collected up front before you set amounts; the rules vary.
A sample message
Example a made-up message. "Hi Priya, we are set to sign on Thursday at 5. I attached the lease so you can read it first. At signing, please have the security deposit of $1,500 and the prorated first month of $1,050, for a total of $2,550, paid by bank transfer to the account on the lease. Move-in is the 10th at noon. You will receive the keys after the move-in condition report is signed. Reply with any questions, and I am happy to walk through anything."
- Attach the lease and any addenda, such as a pet addendum, and name them.
- List the amounts, the due date and the payment method, and nothing else.
- State the move-in date and time and who meets them.
- Say what they need to bring, such as photo ID or proof of renter's insurance if the lease requires it.
What to leave out of the message
A signing message is not the place to restate rules not in the lease. Informal promises, such as "we will probably let you paint", can later contradict the written terms. Anything you agree to should be in the lease or an addendum.
Keep the wording the same for every tenant. Offering a flexible deposit to one household and not another, or describing the building in terms that suggest who belongs, can break the rule against different terms and conditions based on a protected class (42 U.S.C. 3604).
After signing, confirm in writing
Right after signing, send a confirmation with a copy of the signed lease, a receipt for what was paid and the move-in details. This is also the natural moment to begin the tenant file. Next steps are in what to do after lease signing.
How DoorKeeping handles it
In DoorKeeping the lease is sent for e-signature when you tap Send for signatures on doorkeeping.com, and you can see who has signed and when. Ask your own Claude or ChatGPT to draft the pre-signing message from the lease terms, so the amounts match the lease. Once the tenant is on the lease, a message sent through DoorKeeping is shown to you first and goes out only after you say yes.
Sources
- Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. 7001 (Cornell LII), read Oct 30, 2026
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3604 (Cornell LII), read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- How early should I send the lease before signing?
- Two to five days is a good window, so the tenant can read it and ask questions without being rushed.
- What should I list as due at signing?
- Each amount on its own line, such as the security deposit and the prorated first month, with a due date and how to pay.
- Can leases be signed electronically?
- Generally yes, with the signer's consent to do business electronically. Offer a paper option if someone prefers it.
- Should I promise extras in the message?
- No. Put any agreement, such as permission to paint, into the lease or an addendum so the written terms are the whole deal.