Tenant move in checklist and move-out checklist for landlords, room by room

Why a tenant move in checklist protects both sides

A move-in inspection is not paperwork for its own sake. It fixes the starting point of the tenancy. Without it, a scratched worktop at the end of the lease is one word against another. With a dated, signed report showing the worktop was undamaged, the conversation is short.

It protects the tenant too. A tenant who can point to a photo of a stained carpet on day one will not be charged for it on the last day. That fairness is what makes deposit decisions stick, whether they are agreed between the parties, reviewed by a deposit protection scheme in the UK, or looked at by a court in the US. Rules on deposits, deductions and deadlines differ by state and country, so check the requirements where your property is; this checklist is a practical guide, not legal advice.

• A fixed, dated record of condition at the start of the tenancy.
• Evidence both parties signed, so neither can rewrite it later.
• A like for like comparison at move-out, room by room.

Before the rental walkthrough

Good inspections are prepared, not improvised. Do these things before you or your inspector arrive.

• Finish cleaning and repairs first. Inspect the property as the tenant will receive it, not as it was last week.
• Charge your phone and clear storage. A two bedroom flat typically needs 80 to 150 photos.
• Take meter readings for electricity, gas and water, with a photo of each meter.
• Count keys, fobs, garage remotes and access cards, and photograph them together.
• Have the inventory list ready if the property is let furnished.
• Check smoke alarms and, where required, carbon monoxide alarms, and record the test.
• Book the walkthrough with the tenant present if possible. A joint walkthrough is the strongest evidence you can have.

How to record condition so it holds up later

The weakest move-in reports say "good" next to every item. Good compared to what? Use a small, fixed scale and add a short note wherever the rating is not perfect.

For every room, take a wide photo from each corner, then close ups of anything rated fair or poor with an object for scale. Photograph the same things the same way at move-out, from the same corners, so the comparison is honest. Write notes a stranger could follow: "Two scuffs, about 5 cm, on the wall left of the window" beats "some marks".

Room by room tenant move in checklist

Use this as the core of your template. Rate each item, add a note if needed, and attach photos.

Entrance and hallway

• Front door, lock, letterbox, door chain or viewer
• Walls, ceiling, skirting boards, flooring
• Light fittings, switches, sockets
• Coat hooks, shelves, entry phone or doorbell

Living room

• Walls, ceiling, paintwork, skirting boards
• Flooring or carpet: stains, burns, wear paths
• Windows, frames, locks, sills, curtains or blinds
• Radiators or heaters, sockets, switches, light fittings
• Furniture on the inventory, with condition of each piece

Kitchen

• Worktops: chips, burns, cuts
• Cupboard doors, hinges, drawers, handles
• Sink, taps, drainage, seal around the sink
• Oven, hob, extractor, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine: clean, working, doors and seals
• Floor, walls, tiles and grout
• Fire blanket or extinguisher where provided

Bathroom

• Bath or shower, screen, curtain rail
• Toilet, seat, flush, cistern
• Basin, taps, plug, mirror, cabinet
• Tiles, grout and silicone: mould, cracks, gaps
• Extractor fan, heated rail, flooring

Bedrooms

• Walls, ceiling, flooring
• Windows, locks, blinds or curtains
• Wardrobes, drawers, beds and mattresses on the inventory
• Sockets, switches, light fittings, radiators

Outside and shared areas

• Garden, fences, gates, paths
• Bins and recycling containers
• Garage, shed or parking space
• Balcony, railings, external lights

Safety and utilities

• Smoke alarms tested on each floor
• Carbon monoxide alarms tested where required
• Boiler or water heater, thermostat, stopcock location
• Meter readings with photos
• Keys and access devices counted

Signing off the move-in report

Once the walkthrough is complete, share the report with the tenant and give them a set period, commonly around seven days, to add comments on anything you missed. Some jurisdictions set this period or require a particular form, so check your local rules. Record their comments on the report rather than editing your own notes, then have both parties sign. Keep the signed version, the photos and the date together in one place, attached to the tenancy.

If the tenant does not respond, note that the report was sent, when, and how. That record matters later.

Move out checklist for landlords

The move-out inspection repeats the move-in, in the same order, with the same rating scale. The difference is the question you ask of every item: has this changed beyond fair wear and tear since move-in?

• Send the tenant a move out checklist in advance: cleaning standard, keys to return, meter readings, forwarding address.
• Inspect after the tenant has removed their belongings, ideally with them present.
• Follow the move-in report room by room, from the same corners, with the same items.
• Take meter readings and count keys against the move-in record.
• Rate each item and note every change, with close ups.
• Separate fair wear and tear from damage. Light scuffs, faded paint and carpet worn along walking routes after several years are typically wear. Burns, large stains, holes and broken fittings are typically damage.
• Record missing inventory items separately from damaged ones.
• Do not decide deductions on the spot. Compare first, decide after.

Using move-in and move-out reports side by side

A deposit decision is only as good as the comparison behind it. Put the two reports side by side, item by item, and mark each line as unchanged, wear or damage. Only damage and missing items lead to a deduction, and each deduction should point at a specific line, a pair of photos and a cost.

When you consider a deduction for damage, allow for the age of the item. A carpet near the end of its life is not replaced at full cost because of one stain. Deposit schemes and courts typically expect this, and it makes your decision easier to defend.

Letting does this comparison for you: property inspection software shows the move-in and move-out photos and notes side by side for every item, which is the evidence a deposit decision needs.

Periodic inspections between move-in and move-out

A lease of a year or more benefits from a periodic inspection, often every three to six months, with proper notice to the tenant as your lease and local law require. It catches leaks, mould and broken fittings while they are small, and it gives you a mid point record if something changes later. Log any issues found as maintenance requests so repairs and their costs are recorded against the unit.

If you manage for other owners, attaching the latest inspection to their owner statement keeps them informed without extra calls.

From paper checklist to signed report

A paper or spreadsheet checklist works, but the photos end up in a camera roll, the ratings in a document and the signature on a scan. At move-out, someone has to reassemble all three. Letting keeps them together: move-in, periodic and move-out templates, a room by room checklist with photos and condition notes, a signed PDF report, and a side by side move-out comparison for deposit decisions. It sits alongside tenant management software and your rent ledger template records, so the whole tenancy is in one place.

Plans start at $59 per month for up to 25 units with move-in and move-out inspections included; inspection comparison and periodic inspection scheduling are part of the Agency plan. See property management software pricing.