Move-in and move-out inspection checklist

A move-in inspection records the home's condition before the tenant arrives. At move-out you compare against it, so it is clear what changed. That makes security deposit decisions fair, quick and easy to explain, and it heads off most disputes.

1. Walk through the home with the tenant on or before move-in day, if you can.
2. Go room by room and note the condition of each item, from walls and floors to appliances.
3. Take dated photos or a video of every room, including close-ups of existing marks or damage.
4. Both of you sign the report, and the tenant keeps a copy.
5. At move-out, repeat the same walk-through, in the same order, with new photos.

• Every room: walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, screens, blinds, lights, outlets, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Kitchen: stove and oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, sink and faucet, cabinets and counters.
• Bathrooms: toilet, sink, tub or shower, tiles and caulk, fan, mirror, cabinets.
• Bedrooms and living areas: closets, flooring or carpet, outlets, windows and locks.
• Outside and utility: doors and locks, keys handed over, yard, parking, water heater, heating and air filters.

Tenants are generally not charged for normal wear and tear, such as light scuffs, faded paint or worn carpet in walkways. Damage beyond normal use, such as holes in walls, broken fixtures or stains, can usually be deducted from the deposit. Your state sets the deadline to return the deposit and what an itemized list of deductions must include, so check it before move-out.