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Most guides about moving to St. Kitts stop at the lease. They tell you what to sign and what to pay. What they do not tell you is what happens when you actually arrive at the apartment, open the door, and figure out what needs to be done in the next 24 to 48 hours before you are properly settled.
That first day matters more than most tenants realise. The photographs you take, the meter reading you record, the WhatsApp you send to your landlord, the order in which you set up electricity, internet, and phone, and the specific local details that only people who have lived on this island know, these are the things that protect your deposit, prevent arguments months later, and mean that your first week on St. Kitts is about settling in rather than firefighting.
This checklist is organised by timeframe: what to do before you arrive, what to do within the first hour, what to handle in the first 24 hours, what to sort in the first week, and the ongoing habits that will serve you throughout your tenancy. Every item is specific to St. Kitts. You will not find generic advice here about forwarding your post or cancelling your US gym membership. This is the on-island checklist.
If you are still looking for an apartment, browse current SKN Real Estate listings across Frigate Bay, Bird Rock, Basseterre, and the student housing areas. If you have already signed a lease, this guide picks up from the moment you get the keys.
Before you arrive: what to confirm with your landlord or agent
The checklist starts before you land. Several things are much easier to resolve before your arrival than after it, particularly for overseas tenants who are travelling a long distance and arriving jet-lagged or after a long journey.
Confirm the key collection arrangement. Who is meeting you, where, and at what time? In St. Kitts, keys are typically handed over by the landlord, their property manager, or an agent at the property. Confirm this exchange at least 48 hours before your flight. If you are arriving late or your flight is delayed, have a contact number you can call from the airport. SKN Real Estate arranges key handover for all managed properties and can coordinate airport pickup on request.
Confirm whether SKELEC electricity is already active. In most furnished managed apartments, the electricity account is either in the landlord’s name between tenancies or transferred to the previous tenant. Ask whether electricity is active when you arrive, and whether you need to set up your own account on day one or whether the landlord is handling the first transfer. If you need to set up your own account at SKELEC, bring your passport and a copy of your signed lease to the SKELEC office on Central Street in Basseterre. SKELEC requires two forms of government ID and proof of tenancy.
Confirm whether internet is included in your rent. This is the question most new arrivals wish they had asked before landing. If internet is included in the rent and the router is already installed in the apartment, great. If internet is not included and you need to arrange your own, both Digicel and Flow require a signed agreement, a deposit, and a technician visit for home broadband installation. That visit takes time to schedule, often several days. If you need internet immediately for work or study, know this before you arrive so you can either arrange it in advance or plan to use mobile data in the interim.
Confirm what is in the apartment. A furnished apartment in St. Kitts should include furniture, kitchen appliances, air conditioning, a television, and a washing machine. Dryers are uncommon. Most apartments have washers but not dryers, confirmed by multiple long-term residents including a British expat who lived on the island for over four years. If you have items you specifically depend on, such as a particular kitchen appliance or a second set of bedding, confirm what is there before you pack your suitcase.
Arrange transport from the airport. Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport is roughly 15 to 20 minutes from Frigate Bay and about 10 minutes from central Basseterre. Airport taxis are available at fixed semi-negotiated rates. The standard fare to Frigate Bay runs approximately US$20 to US$25. If you are arriving for the first time with heavy luggage, a pre-arranged taxi or pickup from your agent is far simpler than navigating the airport forecourt. Ask your agent to confirm a recommended taxi contact.
Within the first hour: condition report and photographs
The single most important thing you will do in your entire tenancy happens in the first hour after you get the keys. Every minute you spend on this task is worth potentially hundreds of dollars at the end of your lease.
Walk every room and photograph everything. Open every cupboard, look in every corner, check every wall, photograph every appliance. Be systematic. Start at the front door and move through the apartment room by room. Photograph the condition of every surface, every piece of furniture, every appliance, every fixture. Photograph any existing damage, no matter how minor: scratches on walls, marks on floors, chips in tiles, stains on ceilings, cracks in fittings. If it is already there when you arrive, you need a timestamped photograph proving it.
Do not rely on your phone’s camera roll alone. The timestamp on those photographs is your protection. Email the full set to your landlord or agent on the same day, ideally within the first two hours of taking possession. The email creates an independent timestamp and puts the photos somewhere you can access years later from any device. A brief message is sufficient: “Attaching move-in condition photographs taken today, 2026, for your records.” Keep that email thread for the entire duration of your tenancy.
If your landlord or agent provides a formal condition report form, fill it in together during the handover. Sign it only when it accurately reflects what you have both observed. If there is damage that the landlord or agent does not acknowledge, note it in writing on the form before signing, or do not sign and follow up with your photographs by email instead.
Record the SKELEC meter reading. Find the electricity meter, which is usually in or near the fuse box, often in a utility cupboard, on an external wall, or in a communal area of the building. Photograph the meter with the reading clearly visible. This is your baseline. If the previous tenant left an outstanding balance or if the opening reading is later disputed, your photograph proves what the meter showed on the day you arrived. Send this photograph with your condition report email.
Test every appliance. Turn on the AC in every room. Turn on the stove and test each burner. Open the refrigerator and check it is cooling. Run the washing machine through a short cycle. Test every tap and the shower. Flush the toilets. Check that every light switch works. Note anything that is not functioning in your condition report email. A broken burner or an AC unit that does not cool is a landlord maintenance responsibility. Reporting it in writing on day one means you cannot be held responsible for it and you establish the landlord’s obligation to fix it.
Locate the water cistern and check the water supply. Most residential properties in St. Kitts have an underground or rooftop water cistern that supplements the mains supply. Find out where yours is and whether it currently has water. Water pressure can vary across the island and is occasionally interrupted. Knowing where your cistern is and how the water supply to your apartment works means you are not caught out if mains pressure drops.
Test the internet connection. If internet is included in your rent, check that the router is working and that the WiFi password is available. If the connection is not working, contact your agent or landlord immediately and in writing. Do not assume it will sort itself out.
Confirm all locks work. Test every key on every lock. External doors, internal doors, security gate if there is one, and any padlocks. If a lock is stiff, damaged, or not functioning properly, report it in writing to your landlord on day one. Security features including functioning locks are a landlord responsibility.
Within the first 24 hours: utilities and essentials
Set up your SKELEC electricity account if required. If you need to transfer the electricity account into your name, go to the SKELEC office on Central Street in Basseterre during business hours. Bring your passport and a copy of your signed lease as proof of tenancy. SKELEC requires two forms of government ID for account setup. Students at Ross University should note that a valid student visa stamp in your passport is required to open a bank account, but you do not need this for SKELEC. Your passport and lease are sufficient for the electricity account. SKELEC can be reached on 869-465-2000 if you have questions before visiting.
Confirm your electricity voltage is 110v. St. Kitts operates at 110 volts and 60 Hz, matching the North American standard. This is confirmed by multiple expat residents who have lived on the island for extended periods, including a British professional who noted that online resources incorrectly stating 240v caused unnecessary equipment decisions before they arrived. Your North American electronics work without adapters or converters. UK, Australian, and European appliances rated at 220-240v will need a voltage converter, not just a plug adapter. Check the voltage rating on any appliance you have brought before plugging it in.
Set up your mobile phone. The two providers on St. Kitts are Flow and Digicel. Both have stores in central Basseterre. You need to present your passport to purchase a SIM card or mobile plan. Both provide 4G LTE coverage across the main residential and student areas including Frigate Bay, Bird Rock, and Basseterre. Flow has stores on Central Street. Digicel has stores in Basseterre and other locations. If internet is not yet active in your apartment, a mobile data plan covers you in the interim.
Arrange home internet if needed. If internet is not included in your rent, contact either Digicel or Flow to arrange a home broadband connection. Both require a signed agreement, a deposit, and a technician visit to install the router and connect the service. Allow at least several business days for the installation appointment to be scheduled. In the meantime, a mobile data plan with one of the providers gives you connectivity. If reliable internet for remote work is critical to your daily life, start the home broadband process before you arrive if your lease allows it.
Stock the basics. Your furnished apartment will have kitchen equipment but it will not have food, toiletries, or consumables. The Ram’s Express in Frigate Bay is the most convenient option for a first day shop and is open daily. For a fuller shop, Ram’s main store in Basseterre, IGA Valu Mart, and Best Buy are the three main supermarkets. Ram’s also offers delivery through their RamsToGo service for those who prefer not to navigate a new supermarket on a tired first day. The Saturday morning market on Liverpool Row and Pond Road in Basseterre has the best prices for fresh local produce. Budget approximately US$50 to US$100 for an initial basics shop.
Save your landlord’s and agent’s contact numbers. Add your landlord or property manager to your phone contacts with a clear label. Do the same for your SKN Real Estate agent if you rented through us. You need to be able to reach the right person quickly if a maintenance issue arises, particularly for anything that affects your daily life like a water leak, a broken AC, or a security concern.
Within the first week: practical setup and orientation
Locate the nearest supermarket and pharmacy to your apartment. Ram’s Express in Frigate Bay is the most convenient daily option for residents in that area. Best Buy in the Bird Rock area is popular for competitive prices. The main Ram’s, IGA Valu Mart, and Best Buy in Basseterre have the broadest range of imported goods. The Saturday market is the best source of affordable local produce. Know which pharmacy is nearest to your apartment for prescription and over-the-counter medications. Several pharmacies operate in Basseterre and one serves the Frigate Bay area.
Get a local driving permit if you are using or planning to buy a vehicle. Driving is on the left in St. Kitts. To drive legally you need a local temporary driving licence, obtained from the Traffic Department. Bring your home country driving licence. The fee is EC$62.50 (approximately US$23) for a three-month permit or EC$125 (approximately US$46) for a full year. Most expat residents confirm the adjustment to left-side driving takes a few weeks. The roundabouts in and around Basseterre follow standard give-way-to-traffic-already-in-the-roundabout rules.
Open a local bank account if needed. For students at Ross University, a local bank account is required to receive financial aid. Ross University’s own guidance notes that students need their student visa stamp in their passport before a bank account can be opened. The banks accepting student account applications are SKNANB (St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank), Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Republic Bank. Republic Bank on campus has the fastest processing for Ross financial aid. For non-students, a local account is useful for paying SKELEC and other local bills but is not mandatory for most expats who use international bank cards for daily spending.
Identify the nearest USD ATM. US dollar ATMs are available at Port Zante in Basseterre and at Frigate Bay. Eastern Caribbean dollars are the local currency at EC$2.70 fixed to US$1.00. US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, but having local currency is useful for market shopping and local bus fares. Most cards with the Cirrus or Plus symbol work at local ATMs.
Register your address with your employer or university. For Ross University, UMHS, and Windsor students, your St. Kitts address needs to be on file with your institution. For professionals, your employer will need your local address for HR and payroll records. For overseas renters, inform your home country bank and any relevant financial institutions of your new address to prevent card issues or flagged transactions.
Note the public bus route from your apartment. Public minibuses operate across St. Kitts for EC$3 to EC$6 depending on distance. The routes are not formally timetabled but buses run frequently during daylight hours along the main roads. If you are in Frigate Bay or Bird Rock without a car, knowing which bus passes your road and where to catch it saves money and provides a useful backup when taxi costs add up. Ask your neighbours or your agent about the nearest bus stop.
Familiarise yourself with hurricane season preparation. Hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June through November, with the peak risk period from August to October. If you are arriving in or around that period, ask your landlord whether the apartment has storm shutters and where they are stored, confirm the location of the water cistern so you understand your water supply resilience, and note that SKELEC power outages are more frequent during storm season. A small battery power bank and a flashlight are practical items to have on hand. Your landlord is responsible for the structural integrity of the property during a storm; you are responsible for your own safety planning and securing your personal belongings.
Ongoing habits throughout your tenancy
Keep a record of all maintenance requests. Every time you contact your landlord or agent about a repair, do it in writing by WhatsApp or email. One line is sufficient: “The AC in the bedroom stopped cooling last night. Can you arrange for someone to look at it?” That message creates a timestamp and a paper trail. It establishes that you reported the issue promptly and that the responsibility for repair lies with the landlord. For tenant rights in St. Kitts and your lease, written records are your protection.
Monitor your SKELEC bill. Electricity is billed separately from rent and in most apartments the account is in your name. Budget EC$400 to EC$550 per month for regular AC use in a one-bedroom (approximately US$148 to US$204). The first bill after moving in sometimes appears higher than expected because of the billing cycle overlap. If a bill seems unexpectedly high, photograph your meter and compare the reading to the previous bill. SKELEC can be contacted about billing queries at 869-465-2000 or customerservice@skelec.kn.
Keep your deposit documentation safe. Store your deposit receipt, your signed lease, your condition report email thread, and your move-in photographs in a cloud folder you can access from anywhere. Do not rely on your phone’s camera roll. When you leave the apartment at the end of your tenancy, this documentation is what protects your deposit against unwarranted deductions.
Give proper notice when you plan to leave. Most leases require one month’s written notice before vacating. If your lease auto-renews at the end of the term, there is usually a notice window before that renewal date. Missing that window can commit you to another full year’s rent. Set a reminder in your calendar for the notice deadline on the day you sign your lease. When you give notice, do it in writing and keep a copy. For full details on your rights and the process, see our guide to understanding your lease agreement in St. Kitts.
The complete St. Kitts move-in checklist at a glance
Before arrival: Confirm key collection time and person. Confirm SKELEC status. Confirm internet included or not. Confirm apartment contents. Arrange transport from airport.
First hour: Photograph every room, wall, surface, and appliance. Email photos to landlord immediately. Record SKELEC meter reading and photograph it. Test every appliance, light, tap, and lock. Locate water cistern. Test internet. Note any issues in writing to landlord on day one.
First 24 hours: Set up SKELEC account if required (passport and lease to Central Street office). Confirm 110v electricity. Set up mobile phone with Flow or Digicel (passport required). Arrange home internet if not included. Stock kitchen essentials from Ram’s Express or Ram’s main store. Save landlord and agent numbers in phone.
First week: Locate nearest supermarket, pharmacy, and Saturday market. Get local driving permit if needed (Traffic Department, home licence, EC$62.50 for 3 months). Open bank account if required (passport with student visa stamp for Ross students). Note nearest USD ATM (Port Zante or Frigate Bay). Register address with employer or university. Learn nearest bus route. Note hurricane season preparations if arriving June to November.
Throughout tenancy: Keep all maintenance requests in writing. Monitor SKELEC bill against meter readings. Store lease, deposit receipt, and move-in photos in cloud backup. Observe notice periods before vacating.
A note for students at Ross University, UMHS, and Windsor
The checklist above applies to all tenants but a few items are specifically relevant for university students arriving in St. Kitts for the first time.
Your condition report photographs are arguably more important than for longer-term tenants. Student leases often turn over at the end of each semester and landlords may be less patient about move-out inspections when they have a new cohort arriving in a few weeks. The photographs protect you regardless of how rushed the end-of-tenancy process feels.
Ross University’s own guidance confirms that students need their student visa stamp in their passport before opening a bank account. This stamp is obtained after arrival, not before. Plan to visit the bank within the first week once you have your visa stamp, particularly if you are expecting financial aid to be deposited there.
If you are sharing a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate, decide before move-in who takes the SKELEC account in their name and how electricity costs are split. The person whose name is on the account is responsible to SKELEC regardless of the internal arrangement between housemates. Have a clear written agreement between you about the monthly split before the first bill arrives.
For everything you need to know about finding and securing housing near Ross University, see the SKN Real Estate guide to apartments near Ross University in St. Kitts.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to set up electricity on move-in day in St. Kitts?
It depends on the arrangement with your landlord. In some managed complexes the electricity account is handled by the building management and you pay your share as part of service charges. In most standalone apartments and many complexes, the SKELEC account needs to be in the tenant’s name. Confirm with your landlord or agent before you arrive whether you need to visit SKELEC on day one or shortly after. If you do, go to the SKELEC office on Central Street in Basseterre with your passport and signed lease. The process is straightforward and can typically be completed in one visit.
What happens if I find damage in the apartment that was not disclosed before I moved in?
Document it immediately in photographs with timestamps and email those photographs to your landlord or agent the same day. This is the most important step. It establishes that the damage was pre-existing and prevents it from being attributed to you at the end of the tenancy. If the damage affects your ability to use the apartment properly, such as a broken AC or a non-functional appliance, state in the same email that you expect the landlord to arrange repair. Under common law in St. Kitts, landlords are responsible for maintaining the habitability of the property.
The internet was described as included in my rent but it is not working. What should I do?
Contact your landlord or agent in writing immediately and request that they arrange the connection or repair. If internet is stated as included in your lease, the landlord is contractually obligated to provide it. If the lease is silent on internet, but it was represented verbally or in the property listing as included, you still have grounds to request it. Keep the exchange in writing. If the matter is not resolved within a reasonable time, that failure to maintain a represented amenity is relevant to your rights under the tenancy.
Can I decorate or make changes to the apartment?
Minor personalisation such as hanging pictures with small nails or hooks is generally tolerated in most St. Kitts furnished apartments. Major changes, including painting walls, installing fixtures, or making any structural modifications, require the landlord’s written consent. Your lease will typically address this under a permitted alterations clause. If it does not, ask your landlord in writing before making any change you are unsure about. Changes made without consent can be a basis for deposit deductions at the end of the tenancy.
What should I do if there is a power outage?
SKELEC scheduled maintenance outages are announced in advance on their Facebook page and via local media. Unplanned outages, which are more common during the hot season from June to October, are usually resolved within a few hours. If power has been out for an extended period and you have not seen an announcement, call SKELEC on 869-465-2000 to report the outage. Do not attempt to investigate the electrical panel yourself. If you suspect the outage is specific to your apartment rather than building-wide, contact your landlord who is responsible for the internal electrical system.
Do I need to clean the apartment when I move out?
Yes. Standard tenancy expectations in St. Kitts require you to return the apartment in the same clean condition it was provided. This includes cleaning appliances, wiping down surfaces, and removing all personal belongings. Professional cleaning is sometimes expected for higher-value properties and this may be stated in your lease. The cost of professional cleaning if the apartment is left in poor condition is a legitimate deposit deduction. Leaving the apartment in good order protects your deposit and, in a small island community where landlords talk to each other, your rental reputation for any future tenancy.
Where can I find more information about my rights as a renter in St. Kitts?
The full legal framework covering residential tenancies, including the Rent Restriction Act Cap. 307 and the common law protections that apply, is covered in detail in our guide to tenant rights in St. Kitts and Nevis. For everything you need to know before you sign your lease, see our guide to understanding your lease agreement. For a comprehensive look at long-term rentals in St. Kitts across all areas, browse current listings at SKN Real Estate or contact our agents directly via WhatsApp on +1 869 763 4441.
Last updated: April 2026 | SKN Real Estate, Central Street, Basseterre, St. Kitts | sknrealestate.com/ | info@sknrealestate.com | +1 869 763 4441
