Client purchased a property for rental purposes. Due to Covid, improvements have been slow and property will not be rented until 2021. 

I ask because I have seen conflicting information. In the past I have waited until income was received to "place" the rental in-service and taken the repair expenses as "prior to in service" expense.  However that was because it all occurred within the tax year.

Now I have a situation where the "rental" was purchased in one year and will not received income until the following year. Can I still file a Sch E and place it in service on date of purchase for purposes of depreciation and expenses incurred in 2020? Are there any exceptions to reporting ex