What you'll learn
- Why move-in inspections prevent deposit disputes
- What to photograph and how to label it
- Where to file the documentation
Schedule it for the day the tenant gets the keys
The walk-through should happen on day one, with the tenant present.
Photograph every room
Wide shots of each room, plus close-ups of any existing wear: scuffs on walls, scratches on floors, chips in countertops. Date-stamped photos are the gold standard.
Use a written checklist
A simple per-room checklist (kitchen, bath, bedroom 1, bedroom 2, common areas) that both you and the tenant sign at the end.
File it in the lease
Attach the signed checklist + photos to the lease file. When it’s time to settle the deposit at move-out, this is the document that resolves 90% of disputes.