Move-In Inspection Checklist for Renters
The condition of a rental on day one is the baseline for every later conversation about repairs and deposits. A methodical walk-through before the boxes come in takes an hour and saves a lot of argument.
4 min
Before unpacking anything, walk through every room of a new rental and record its condition in writing and in dated photos. Compare what you find with any inventory or check-in report the landlord or agent provides, note every difference, test the fittings, read the meters and send your notes back within whatever deadline the tenancy agreement sets. Keep a copy of everything. That record becomes the starting point when the tenancy ends.
Before the walk-through
A little preparation makes the inspection faster and the record more useful:
- A fully charged phone with the date and time stamp switched on in the camera settings, or a separate camera with the clock set correctly.
- The landlord's inventory or check-in report, printed or on a second device.
- A notebook or a simple form with one section per room.
- A torch for cupboards, under sinks and behind appliances.
- A phone charger to test sockets, and a small object to test plugholes and drains.
Try to inspect in daylight and before furniture or boxes hide floors and walls. If the landlord or agent offers a joint walk-through, accept it; two people agreeing on the spot reduces disputes later.
Room-by-room move-in inspection checklist
| Area | What to check and record |
|---|---|
| Walls and ceilings | Marks, scuffs, holes from fixings, cracks, flaking paint, stains, any damp patches or mould spots |
| Floors | Carpet stains, wear in walkways, burns, loose or lifting boards, chipped tiles, gaps in vinyl |
| Windows | Cracked panes, misting between double-glazed panes, handles and locks, trickle vents, blinds and curtain rails |
| Doors | Opening and closing, locks and keys supplied, handles, door stops, damage to frames |
| Kitchen | Hob, oven and extractor working, fridge and freezer temperature, worktop marks, cupboard hinges, sink and tap flow, any leaks underneath |
| Bathroom | Shower pressure and temperature, toilet flush, sealant around bath and basin, extractor fan, tile grout, signs of leaks |
| Bedrooms and living areas | Furniture listed in the inventory, mattress condition, wardrobe doors, light fittings |
| Electrics | Every socket and light switch, consumer unit location, any scorch marks |
| Heating and hot water | Boiler or heat source running, each radiator warming, thermostat and timer working |
| Outside | Gutters, fences, garden condition, bins provided, shed or storage, external lights |
Safety and utilities
- Test smoke alarms on every floor and the carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fuel-burning appliance. Report anything missing or silent at once.
- Find the main water stopcock and the fuse box or consumer unit, and note where they are.
- Photograph every meter (electricity, gas, water) with the reading clearly visible. Those numbers settle who pays for what. The guide on reading an electricity bill explains how meter readings feed into the first bill.
- Ask for safety documents where local rules require them, such as gas safety records or electrical inspection reports, and the property's energy rating certificate.
Look closely for damp
Damp is one of the most common sources of disagreement at the end of a tenancy, because it can come from building defects or from how a home is used. On day one, check window frames, corners of external walls, behind wardrobes and around bathroom sealant for black spots, tide marks, peeling paper or a musty smell. Photograph anything you find. If condensation becomes a problem once you are living there, the practical steps in how to stop condensation on windows help, and a clear record from move-in shows what was there before you arrived.
How to record it well
- Wide shot, then close-up. Photograph each wall from the doorway, then each defect up close with something for scale.
- Describe precisely. "Two scuffs by the light switch, about a finger's length" beats "some marks".
- Short videos walking slowly through each room are a useful extra, but stills are easier to attach to emails.
- Use the inventory's wording. Where you disagree with an entry, quote it and add your note.
- Back up the files somewhere other than your phone, organised by room.
Sending and keeping the report
Send your notes and photos to the landlord or agent in writing, within any deadline in the tenancy agreement, and ask them to confirm receipt. If they send back a signed inventory, keep it with the tenancy agreement, deposit paperwork and your photos. Landlords converting older buildings into rentals often deal with exactly these details, as the notes on turning historic homes into long-term rentals show from the owner's side.
Why it matters at move-out
At the end of the tenancy, the landlord compares the property with its condition at the start. Ordinary ageing is generally treated differently from damage, and the line between the two is easier to draw with good evidence; what counts as normal wear and tear covers that distinction. Rules on inventories, deposits and deadlines vary between countries, states and tenancy types, so check local tenancy guidance or a tenant advice service for the rules that apply to you.
Desk habits
Small routines that save time later
Picked up while writing the notes on this site.
Photograph the meter
A dated photo settles most arguments about estimated readings.
Name files by date
Year, month, day at the start of a filename keeps invoices and letters in order.
Sketch before you measure
A rough floor plan stops you missing an alcove or counting a strip twice.
Update the router
Check for firmware updates whenever you change your Wi-Fi password.
Put terms in writing
A short email confirming price and due date beats any verbal promise.
