Your First 30 Days in a Coronado Rental

In your first 30 days in a Coronado rental, document the home's condition with dated photos, set up rent payment and maintenance requests through the resident portal, put renters insurance and utilities in place, register with the homeowners association if there is one, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Those steps protect your security deposit, keep repairs moving and make sure the paperwork California requires is in your hands before small problems turn into disputes.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the details for your situation with a California attorney or tax professional. Legal points are stated as of October 2026.

Key takeaways

• For tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025, the landlord must photograph the unit at the start. Take your own dated photos too.
• McKee residents pay rent and request maintenance online through the resident portal.
• Your landlord's insurance does not cover your belongings. Renters insurance does.
• Except in an emergency, a landlord must give reasonable written notice before entering, and 24 hours is presumed reasonable (Civ. Code § 1954).
• Smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide devices where required, must work when you move in. Report any that do not.

Days 1 to 3: Document the condition

Under Civil Code § 1950.5(g) (opens in a new tab), for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025, the landlord must take photographs of the unit immediately before or at the start of the tenancy. Those photos go with any deduction statement at the end.

Make your own record as well:

1. Before you unpack, photograph every room: walls, floors, counters, appliances, windows, screens, doors, cabinets, and the yard, garage and storage.
2. Note anything worn, stained, chipped or not working, and send the list to your landlord or manager in writing so there is a dated record.
3. Keep the files somewhere you will still have them when you move out.

Move-out deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and cleaning back to move-in condition, never damage that was already there. Your photos prove the difference.

Days 1 to 7: Set up the resident portal

If your home is managed by McKee Properties, the tenant portal is where you pay rent online and submit maintenance requests. Set it up in the first week:

• Create your login and confirm your contact details.
• Set up your rent payment method and note the due date.
• Submit any repair items from your move-in list as maintenance requests, so they are on record from week one.

California requires landlords to accept at least one payment method that is neither cash nor electronic transfer, with no fee for paying by check (Civ. Code § 1947.3). If you pay electronically, your deposit balance must also come back electronically unless you agree otherwise in writing.

The tenant FAQs answer common questions about the portal, payments and requests.

Days 1 to 7: Insurance and utilities

Renters insurance. The landlord does not insure your personal property. A landlord policy covers the building and the owner's items; tenant possessions are not covered. Many landlords require renters insurance with liability coverage and set minimum terms in the lease. Have the policy start on your move-in date. Standard policies exclude earthquake damage; earthquake coverage is sold separately. A California Earthquake Authority renters policy must be bought from the same company that writes your renters policy, and some private insurers sell stand-alone earthquake policies.

Flood information. Your lease should include California's flood disclosure, which points you to the state's MyHazards tool (opens in a new tab) to look up the hazards for your address and notes that renters and flood insurance are recommended.

Utilities. Put the utilities your lease assigns to you in your name from move-in day. If the building bills internet to every unit, California lets you opt out of paying for a third-party internet subscription for tenancies that started, renewed or continued month to month on or after January 1, 2026 (Civ. Code § 1942.8).

Days 1 to 14: HOA registration and building rules

If the home is in a condo building or a planned community, the owner must give the association your name and contact information before renting (Civ. Code § 4740(c)). Ask your manager what else the association needs (vehicle details, pet registration) and how you get keys, fobs and amenity access. Learn the parking, trash and moving rules early. The condo or house rentals guide explains how association rules interact with your lease, and if you have an animal, the renting with pets guide covers pet rules.

Days 1 to 30: Alarm and appliance checks

Smoke alarms. The owner of a rented apartment or single-family home must test and maintain smoke alarms and make sure they work when a new tenancy begins (H&S § 13113.7). Press each test button in your first week, and tell the owner if one is inoperable; the owner must correct reported problems.

Carbon monoxide. A carbon monoxide device is required in homes with a fossil-fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, and it must be operable when you take possession (H&S §§ 17926, 17926.1). Report any defect.

Stove and refrigerator. For leases entered into, amended or extended on or after January 1, 2026, the landlord must provide a working stove and refrigerator (Civ. Code § 1941.1). A recalled appliance must be repaired or replaced within 30 days of the landlord receiving notice of the recall.

Your entry rights

Under Civil Code § 1954 (opens in a new tab), a landlord may enter only for specific purposes: an emergency, necessary or agreed repairs or services, showing the home to buyers, lenders, tenants or contractors, the pre-move-out inspection, after abandonment, under a court order, or for certain inspections required by statute.

• The landlord must give reasonable written notice stating the date, approximate time and purpose. 24 hours is presumed reasonable; a mailed notice sent at least six days before is also presumed reasonable.
• Entry must be during normal business hours unless you consent at the time.
• No notice is needed in an emergency, if you are present and agree, or after you have abandoned the home.
• Agreed repairs can be arranged orally within one week.

The landlord may not use the right of entry to harass you.

The paperwork you should have

By the end of the first month, check that your file includes:

Many landlords must also offer to report your on-time rent payments to at least one credit bureau (Civ. Code § 1954.07). Landlords of buildings with 15 or fewer units are exempt unless they own more than one rental building and are a REIT, a corporation or an LLC with a corporate member, so ask whether it applies to your home.

For your rights in detail, see landlord entry rules and California security deposit rules.

Step-by-step guides

The statewide California Rental Handbook walks through each stage in detail:

• The Move-In Inspection, Step by Step (California Photo Rules)
• Requiring Renters Insurance in a California Lease
• Handling Maintenance Requests in a California Rental

Frequently asked questions

Should I take my own move-in photos if the landlord already did?

Yes. California requires the landlord to photograph the unit at the start of tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025, but your own dated photos and a written list of existing damage, sent to the landlord, give you an independent record if a deduction is disputed when you move out.

How much notice does a California landlord have to give before entering?

Reasonable written notice stating the date, approximate time and purpose, with 24 hours presumed reasonable under Civil Code § 1954. Entry must be during normal business hours unless you consent. No notice is required for an emergency or when you are present and agree to the entry.

Who replaces smoke alarm batteries in a California rental?

The owner is responsible for testing and maintaining smoke alarms in rented homes under Health and Safety Code § 13113.7, and must ensure they work when a new tenancy begins. Your part is to tell the owner when an alarm is not working. The owner then has to correct it.

Do I have to get renters insurance in Coronado?

It depends on your lease. Many California landlords require renters insurance with liability coverage and set minimum terms, according to the state Department of Real Estate's tenant guide. Either way, the owner's policy does not cover your belongings, so check the lease for any requirement and minimum coverage amounts.

How do I request a repair in a McKee-managed home?

Submit it through the resident portal, where McKee residents pay rent online and request maintenance. Include photos and a clear description of the problem. For an emergency, follow the instructions in your lease.

Questions after move-in

McKee Properties has managed rentals from its Coronado office since 1989. If you are still looking for a home, browse current listings, schedule a showing and apply online from the Properties for Rent page. The application guide walks through the process, and the Coronado Rental Guide has the full series.