# New Apartment Punch List: Day 7 and Day 30 > How to document and fix first-year defects in a new apartment: the 48-hour move-in form, written punch lists at day 7 and day 30, and repair tracking. URL: https://newapartmentsfortworth.com/guide/new-apartment-punch-list/ Last-Modified: 2026-10-26 Guide # First-Year Defects and the 7-Day and 30-Day Punch List How to document and fix first-year defects in a new apartment: the 48-hour move-in form, written punch lists at day 7 and day 30, the common first-generation issues, and how to track repairs. Written by New Fort Worth Apartment Team [/about/#new-fort-worth-apartment-team →](/about/#new-fort-worth-apartment-team) · Updated October 26, 2026 ![Close detail of a fresh drywall corner and new baseboard in a bright apartment](/images/featured/close-detail-of-a-fresh-drywall-corner-and-new-bas.webp) ## Why do new apartments need a punch list? A new unit is a first-generation unit. Nobody has lived there before, so nobody has tested the HVAC in August, run every faucet, or opened every window. Most of what turns up is small. A punch list is just a written record of those items, so they get fixed. At lease-up apartments [/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/ →](/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/) , where buildings are filling fast and crews are busy, writing it down matters even more. We use three checkpoints: the move-in form, a day-7 list, and a day-30 list. ## Checkpoint 1: The 48-hour move-in form Many communities give you a move-in condition form and want it back within 48 hours. It records the unit’s condition when you got the keys, which protects your deposit later. Here’s how we’d fill it: 1. **Walk every room before you unpack.** 2. **Photograph and video each room,** including floors, walls, counters, and inside appliances. 3. **Note every mark, scratch, or gap,** no matter how small. 4. **Keep a copy** of the signed form and your photos. ## Checkpoint 2: The day-7 punch list By day 7, you’ve used the unit enough to find the obvious issues. This is the list we send in writing. ![Punch list checklist graphic with day 7 and day 30 columns](/images/content/punch-list-checklist-graphic-with-day-7-and-day-30.webp) | Area | What to check | | --- | --- | | Doors and locks | Close and latch cleanly; deadbolt aligns | | Windows | Open, close, lock; screens in place | | HVAC | Each room cools; no rattles; thermostat responds | | Plumbing | Water pressure, hot water, no drips under sinks | | Electrical | Every outlet and switch works; GFCI resets | | Appliances | Installed, level, and working | | Finishes | Paint touch-ups, caulk gaps, cabinet doors | ## Checkpoint 3: The day-30 punch list Some issues only show up after a few weeks. A bedroom that runs warm in the afternoon might mean the HVAC needs balancing. A drain might slow. A door might start to stick as the building settles. Thirty days in, we send a second written list with anything new and anything not yet fixed. > **Common first-generation issues** > > HVAC balancing, door alignment, caulk and paint touch-ups, appliance leveling, loose fixtures, and the occasional slow drain. Most are quick fixes once they’re reported in writing. ## How do you track repairs? Submit every item through the resident portal, so each one has a ticket number and a date. Then: - **Keep a simple list** with the ticket number, the date reported, and the date fixed. - **Follow up in writing** if a ticket sits open longer than the community’s stated response time. - **Note warranty repairs.** New appliances and systems often carry manufacturer warranties, and the community handles those claims. ## How to write a punch list item that gets fixed A clear item gets fixed faster. Here’s the format we use: 1. **Location:** room and spot, like “primary bath, left sink.” 2. **Issue:** what’s wrong, in one plain sentence. 3. **Photo:** with the date visible. 4. **Since:** when you first noticed it. | Weak item | Clear item | | --- | --- | | “Bathroom leak” | “Primary bath, left sink: slow drip at the P-trap, photo attached, since move-in day” | | “AC not working” | “Second bedroom: room stays about 6 degrees warmer than the living room from 2 to 6 PM, photos of thermostat attached” | | “Door broken” | “Front door: deadbolt doesn’t line up unless the door is pushed, video attached” | Submit one ticket per item. A single ticket with ten items can get closed after the first fix. ## How does this fit with the tour? Many punch list items are things you can spot on the tour, like a sticky door or weak airflow. Our tour checklist [/guide/new-apartment-tour-checklist/ →](/guide/new-apartment-tour-checklist/) covers them room by room. If you’re moving in while amenities are still being finished, our guide on unfinished amenities [/guide/moving-in-while-amenities-unfinished/ →](/guide/moving-in-while-amenities-unfinished/) covers what to ask for in writing. For renters we place, we send the day-7 and day-30 lists and follow up with the community until items are closed. ## Learn more about Lease-Up Apartments We'll text you within minutes during our hours, then send a same-day shortlist. See the page [/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/ →](/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/) ## Questions renters ask about this ### What should I check in the first week? Doors, windows, locks, HVAC airflow, water pressure and hot water, outlets and switches, appliances, and finishes. Photograph everything with the date. ### Why a 30-day punch list too? Some issues only appear after weeks of use, like a slow drain, an HVAC room that won't cool, or a door that starts to stick as the building settles. ### Do you help with the punch list? Yes. For renters we place, we send a written punch list at day 7 and day 30 and follow up with the community until items are closed. ### What's the 48-hour form? The move-in condition form. Many communities want it within 48 hours of move-in. It records the unit's condition so you aren't charged for existing issues later. ### Do you guarantee the price or my approval? No. The community sets both pricing and approval, and we confirm them in writing before you sign. ## Related guides Guide ### Tour Checklist for a Brand-New Apartment A printable checklist for touring a brand-new apartment: the model vs. the actual unit, STC/IIC 50 sound, HVAC sizing for Tarrant's 101°F design temperature, unfinished amenities, and the 48-hour move-in form. [Tour Checklist for a Brand-New Apartment →](/guide/new-apartment-tour-checklist/) Guide ### Moving In While Amenities Are Still Unfinished What to expect living in a building that's still being finished: amenity opening dates, construction noise and access, parking during construction, and what to get in writing. [Moving In While Amenities Are Still Unfinished →](/guide/moving-in-while-amenities-unfinished/) Guide ### Pre-Leasing Delays: What Happens If Your Move-In Date Slips When a new building opens late: how Certificate of Occupancy timing works, what your lease says about delays, bridging options with your current lease, and getting dates in writing. [Pre-Leasing Delays: What Happens If Your Move-In Date Slips →](/guide/pre-leasing-delays-move-in-date-slips/) Guide ### What "Lease-Up" Means and Why Prices Move During It Lease-up is the stretch from a new building's first move-ins to stabilized occupancy. Here's why specials and rents change daily during it, and why we pull prices every morning. [What "Lease-Up" Means and Why Prices Move During It →](/guide/what-lease-up-means/) ## Where to use this ![New apartment community in lease-up with a few furnished balconies](/images/content/new-apartment-community-in-lease-up-with-a-few-fur.webp) Find ### Lease-Up Apartments Buildings in lease-up, with stage, fill curve, and what's actually finished. Open [Lease-Up Apartments →](/lease-up-apartments-fort-worth/) ![Aerial view of new apartment communities across the Fort Worth side](/images/content/aerial-view-of-new-apartment-communities-spread-ac.webp) Find ### New Build Board A map and cards for every new community in scope, with the whole price on each card. Open [New Build Board →](/new-construction-apartments/) ![Printed move-in special flyer beside a calculator and lease folder](/images/content/printed-apartment-move-in-special-flyer-beside-a-c.webp) Find ### Fort Worth Apartment Specials Confirmed move-in specials at new buildings, each with base and year two beside it. Open [Fort Worth Apartment Specials →](/fort-worth-apartment-specials/) Free to you · Your rent is the same either way ## Get the whole price before you tour Tell us your move date, budget, and where you need to be. We'll make the calls, collect the fee sheets, and do the math for every building that fits. Get my shortlist [/contact/ →](/contact/) See the New Build Board [/new-construction-apartments/ →](/new-construction-apartments/) What happens next: We'll text you within minutes during our hours, then send a same-day shortlist. We don't guarantee pricing or approval. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign.