Guide
Move-in inspection checklist for landlords: what to photograph, room by room, before the keys change hands
Updated
The move-in inspection is the cheapest hour in landlording. Done properly it ends most deposit disputes before they start, gives you the baseline every future maintenance request is measured against, and records the ages and conditions you will need for the budget. Done badly — or not at all — it is the reason move-out arguments are settled by whoever remembers louder.
Before you start
- Do it with the tenant present if at all possible, and have them sign or text their agreement to the result. A checklist the tenant agreed to is worth ten you did alone.
- Photos, not adjectives. "Good condition" means nothing in a year; a dated photo of the kitchen floor does.
- Take wide shots of every wall and floor, then close-ups of any existing damage. Aim for 60–100 photos for a one-bedroom. Storage is free.
- Photograph inside the oven, fridge, dishwasher, washer, and every cabinet and closet. These are where move-out disputes live.
- Use the same checklist at move-out, in the same order, so the comparison is line by line.
Room by room
Walls (holes, marks, paint) · Ceiling (stains, cracks) · Floor / carpet (wear, stains, damage) · Windows (glass, locks, screens, blinds) · Doors (hardware, locks, closes properly) · Outlets and switches (all work; photo of cover plates) · Light fixtures (bulbs, covers) · Smoke / CO detector (present, tested, date) · Closet (shelving, rod, door)
Counters and backsplash · Sink, faucet, sprayer, drain speed · Under-sink cabinet (photo for future leaks) · Disposal · Dishwasher (run it) · Stove / oven (every burner, oven light, inside photo) · Range hood / fan · Refrigerator (temp, seals, inside photo, ice maker) · Cabinets and drawers (all open, close) · Floor
Toilet (flushes, no running, base dry) · Tub / shower (drain speed, grout, caulk, tiles) · Faucets (hot, cold, pressure) · Exhaust fan (works, vents) · Vanity and under-sink (photo) · Mirror, towel bars, hooks · GFCI outlet (test button) · Floor and around toilet base
Thermostat (heat and cool) · Furnace / boiler (filter, model, age) · Water heater (model, age, no leaks) · Electrical panel (labeled) · Main water shut-off (photo, show tenant) · Washer / dryer (run, vent) · Entry doors and locks (all keys work; deadbolt) · Mailbox key · Exterior: steps, railings, lighting, gutters, yard
Five things most landlords skip
- The ages of the big-ticket items. Photograph the label on the furnace, water heater, AC, and appliances; the serial number usually encodes the year. This feeds your capital reserve.
- Meter readings, photographed, if any utility is in the tenant's name.
- Number of keys, fobs, remotes, and mailbox keys handed over. Write it in the text.
- A test of every drain's speed. A slow drain at move-in is yours; a slow drain at move-out is an argument unless you recorded it.
- The tenant's phone number, confirmed by having them text you during the inspection — which also starts the maintenance channel.
Thanks for walking through with me. I've attached the checklist and photos from today — this is the baseline we'll compare to at move-out. [#] keys, [#] mailbox keys, [#] fobs handed over. Reply "agreed" if it all looks right, or tell me anything I missed. And this number is where to text for anything that needs fixing.
Questions
Is a move-in checklist required by law?
Several states require landlords to provide a written move-in condition statement, and some let the tenant demand one; many do not require it at all. Do it regardless — it is the document that decides deposit disputes.
How long should I keep move-in photos?
Until the deposit is returned and the dispute window has closed — at least a year after move-out, longer is safer. Cloud storage costs nothing; keep them with the lease.