Checklist
Move-in / move-out checklist
A standard checklist for documenting unit condition at move-in and move-out — the record that makes security-deposit decisions hold up. Print it, share it with tenants, and use it during every inspection.
Move-in checklist
Complete this with the tenant before or at key handover. Everything recorded here is your baseline.
- Verify tenant identity and collect any outstanding deposits or first-month payment before releasing keys
- Walk every room and record the condition of walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors, and locks
- Test all appliances, HVAC, smoke and CO detectors, plumbing fixtures, and light fixtures — note anything not working
- Photograph or video every room, plus close-ups of any existing damage, with timestamps
- Record meter readings and which utilities are in whose name
- Document keys, fobs, mailbox keys, garage remotes, and parking passes issued
- Have the tenant review and sign the condition report — their signature is what makes it enforceable later
- File the signed report and photos against the unit and lease, not in a shared drive folder
Move-out checklist
Compare every item against the signed move-in report. Your state's deadline for the deposit disposition starts at move-out — don't start the documentation then.
- Send move-out instructions in advance: cleaning expectations, key return, forwarding address, and the inspection date
- Walk the unit with the move-in condition report in hand — compare room by room
- Photograph every room and any damage beyond normal wear, from the same angles as move-in where possible
- Distinguish normal wear (faded paint, worn carpet in walkways) from chargeable damage (holes, stains, broken fixtures)
- Record final meter readings and confirm utility transfers
- Collect all keys, fobs, remotes, and passes — note anything missing
- Get a forwarding address for the deposit disposition and any final accounting
- Document deductions line by line against the photos and the signed move-in report, within your state's deadline
Why the paperwork matters
Photos win disputes
Timestamped photos tied to the unit record are the difference between a defensible deduction and a returned deposit. Take more than you think you need.
Signatures make it stick
An unsigned condition report is your opinion. A signed one is an agreed fact. Never skip the tenant's signature at move-in.
Same checklist every time
Consistency is your legal protection. A standard checklist applied to every unit shows your process is fair, not arbitrary.
Run inspections on your phone with Keyloma
Keyloma's inspection module turns this checklist into a mobile walkthrough: photos attached to the unit, condition ratings per room, tenant signature on the spot, and a report filed against the lease automatically.