Checklist
Move-In Walk-Through Checklist
Document your rental's exact condition on move-in day so deposit disputes never become your word against the tenant's — photos, meters, keys, and a signed condition form.
- Walk every room with the tenant present Doing this together means the condition is agreed on, not asserted later from memory.
- Photograph each room before the tenant's belongings arrive Empty rooms show the truth. Cluttered move-in photos are useless when a deposit is in dispute.
- Date-stamp and back up every photo Turn on your camera's date stamp and save copies to the cloud the same day so the timeline is provable.
- Note existing wear, scuffs, and stains in writing If you do not record it now, you cannot charge for it later. Honesty here protects you both.
- Test every outlet, switch, and light fixture Flip and plug as you go. A dead outlet found on day one is the owner's problem, not the tenant's.
- Run faucets, flush toilets, and check for leaks Look under sinks and around the water heater. Catching a slow leak now avoids a flooring claim later.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors Press the test button on each one and replace batteries. This is a safety and liability essential.
- Record all utility meter readings Write down gas, electric, and water numbers with the date so the first bill is split fairly.
- Confirm utilities are switched into the tenant's name Call to verify the transfer date. An overlooked account leaves the bill sitting with you.
- Inventory and label every key, fob, and remote handed over Count house keys, mailbox keys, garage remotes, and gate fobs so you know what must come back.
- Verify locks were re-keyed since the last tenant A fresh tenant deserves locks no prior occupant can open. Schedule the re-key before handover.
- Show the tenant where shutoffs and the breaker panel are Point out the main water valve, gas shutoff, and electrical panel so small emergencies stay small.
- Review the lease basics and house rules in person Confirm rent due dates, who handles which repairs, and how to reach you before any problem arises.
- Both parties sign and date the condition form Signatures turn your notes into a shared record. Give the tenant a copy and keep the original.
Move-in day is your one clean chance to capture exactly how the property looks before anyone lives in it. The record you build now — photos, meter readings, and a signed condition form — is what settles every deposit question when the tenant eventually leaves. Skip it, and a future disagreement becomes your word against theirs, which is a fight you usually lose. Work this list with the tenant standing beside you so the condition is something you both agreed to, not something you claimed afterward.