Move-in inspection checklist for landlords, room by room

Most deposit disputes come down to one question: what did the unit look like on day one? If you can't show it, it's your word against the tenant's. A good move-in inspection takes about an hour for a typical house and saves far more than that at move-out.

Before you start

• Do it with the tenant if you can. Walking through together, then both signing, removes most arguments later. If they can't attend, give them a copy and a few days to add notes.
• Do it before furniture goes in. Empty rooms show floors and walls clearly.
• Use daylight and turn every light on. Dark photos are almost useless as evidence.
• Make sure photos are dated. Phone photos store the date. Keep the originals, not screenshots.

How to photograph each room

1. Stand in each corner and take one wide shot, so every wall is covered at least once.
2. Take one shot of the floor and one of the ceiling.
3. Take close-ups of anything that isn't perfect: scuffs, nail holes, stains, chips, cracked tiles, worn carpet. Put a coin or pen in the frame for scale.
4. Open appliances, cabinets and closets and photograph the inside.
5. Write one line per item: the room, what it is, the condition (good, fair, poor or damaged) and a short note.

Room-by-room checklist

Entry, living and dining areas

• Front door, locks, deadbolt, peephole, doorbell
• Walls and paint, baseboards, ceiling
• Flooring: carpet stains and wear, hardwood scratches, tile cracks
• Windows, screens, blinds or curtains, window locks
• Light fixtures, switches and outlets (test each one)
• Smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm (test and note the date)

Kitchen

• Refrigerator inside and out, freezer, ice maker
• Stove burners, oven, range hood and light
• Dishwasher (run a short cycle if you can), garbage disposal
• Sink, faucet, sprayer, under-sink plumbing for leaks
• Countertops for chips, burns and stains; cabinets, drawers and hinges

Bathrooms

• Toilet: flush, seat, base for leaks
• Sink, faucet, drain speed, vanity
• Tub and shower: caulking, grout, tiles, shower head, drain
• Exhaust fan, mirror, towel bars, toilet paper holder
• Signs of moisture: ceiling spots, peeling paint, soft floor near the toilet

Bedrooms

• Doors and closet doors, closet rods and shelves
• Walls, ceiling, flooring, windows and screens
• Outlets, switches, ceiling fan

Laundry, garage and systems

• Washer and dryer if provided, hookups, dryer vent
• Water heater: age label, signs of rust or leaks
• Heating and air conditioning: run both, note the filter date
• Garage door and opener, remotes handed over
• Electrical panel labeled and accessible

Outside

• Yard, landscaping, irrigation, fences and gates
• Exterior paint and siding, gutters, visible roof condition from the ground
• Patio, driveway and walkways for cracks
• Keys, mailbox key, gate codes: write down exactly what you handed over

Get it signed and stored

When you're done, both of you sign and date the report. Give the tenant a copy the same day. Keep the report and the original photos together for the whole tenancy plus a few years after it ends. When the tenant moves out, inspect in the same order with the same rooms, so you can compare item by item.

The move-out half

At move-out you're comparing, not starting fresh. Ordinary wear and tear (light scuffs, carpet worn by normal use, small nail holes) usually can't come out of the deposit. Damage beyond that can, if your move-in record shows it wasn't there before. That's why the move-in photos matter so much.