A move-in rental inspection checklist guides you room by room through every scratch, leak, and broken fixture before your boxes land on the floor. You photograph sticky cabinet hinges, dead outlets, and carpet stains while the unit is still empty and the landlord is still in the room. Work the interactive list below on your phone during the walkthrough so nothing gets blamed on you at move-out.
I learned this the hard way on a second-floor walk-up in Portland. Management handed me keys at 4 p.m. and said I could "look around whenever." I started unloading the U-Haul first. By the time I noticed the bathroom fan that did not vent and the carpet burn near the closet, my mattress was already blocking the angle where the stain showed up best in photos. That burn cost me $180 at move-out two years later because I had no timestamped proof from day one.
August is peak lease turnover. Walkthroughs get rushed, and the next tenant is waiting in the lobby. This checklist has 100 tasks across prep, entry, living spaces, kitchen, baths, bedrooms, HVAC, exterior, photo submission, and file storage. Keep your phone in your hand, not your pocket. The camera is the tool that protects your deposit. The boxes can wait an hour.
Charge your phone and clear storage before you pull into the parking lot. You will take more photos than a vacation weekend. Bring a pen, a small flashlight, and an outlet tester if you own one. Read your lease for the inspection deadline. Some landlords want a signed form within 48 hours. Others allow a week.
Ask whether water, gas, and electricity are active so you can run taps and test heat. Request a copy of the prior tenant move-out report if the office keeps one. Bring a friend as a witness if management allows it. Do not carry boxes past the threshold until the walkthrough is done. Empty rooms tell the truth. Furnished corners hide wall damage every time.
Start at the front door because it sets the paper trail. Photograph the exterior with the unit number visible. Test the deadbolt, knob, and any chain lock. Wiggle the frame and look for cracks or rot where moisture gets in. Check weatherstripping and the door sweep for daylight gaps.
Note scratches on the door face and dents in the jamb. Test the intercom or buzzer if you have one. Walk to the mailbox and confirm the number matches your lease. Count every key, fob, and mailbox key at handoff and write the totals on your form before anyone leaves.
Stand in the doorway of the living room and take a wide shot of each wall and the ceiling. Move closer for scuffs, nail holes, and paint touch-ups that do not quite match. Get down low for floor scratches and carpet stains. Light from a window can hide damage that shows up under a lamp at night, so use your flashlight on suspicious spots.
Test every outlet with a charger. Flip light switches and watch ceiling fixtures. Open closet and interior doors to confirm they latch without scraping. Sniff for mildew or stale smoke. Look in corners for pest droppings. If something smells off, write it down now. Odors become your problem in writing if you stay silent on day one.
Kitchen deductions hurt because landlords photograph grease and broken seals up close. Open the fridge and freezer. Photograph shelves, gaskets, and the exterior. Plug it in and confirm cold air within an hour if power is on. Light every stove burner and run the oven. Start an empty dishwasher cycle and listen for leaks underneath.
Run the microwave and inspect the interior for rust or a failing door seal. Turn both taps at the sink and watch pressure. Open the cabinet under the sink with your phone flash aimed at the plumbing. Photograph every cabinet interior. Counter chips and loose laminate belong on the form before you set down a cutting board and hide them.
Bathrooms generate some of the nastiest move-out charges because water damage spreads quietly. Photograph the toilet from every angle, including the base caulk line. Flush and listen for a running fill valve. Run the shower and tub. Time the drain. Slow drains on day one are not your fault if you log them now.
Inspect grout and caulk lines around tile and tubs. Turn on the exhaust fan and put your hand at the vent. If you feel no airflow, write it down as a habitability issue in many climates. Check under the sink for drips. Repeat the full pass for every bathroom in the unit. A half-done second bath is a gift to a lazy deduction letter.
Photograph walls, ceilings, and floors in each bedroom before you decide where the bed goes. Test outlets behind the spot where you plan to sleep. Open closet doors and press on rods and shelves. Sagging hardware fails after you hang winter coats.
Check window locks and screens. Document broken blinds and tangled cords. If a ceiling fan is installed, run it and watch for wobble. Lift the mattress corner if one is present and look for dark spots along seams that suggest bed bugs. That photo is uncomfortable to take. It is more uncomfortable to fight an extermination bill without proof the infestation predates your laundry basket.
Open and close every window. Confirm locks work and sashes stay up without slamming shut on your fingers. Photograph cracked glass, fogged double panes, and torn screens. Inspect sills and tracks for rot or mold.
Run heat and air conditioning if utilities are active. Note weak airflow or burning smells. Find the thermostat and change the set point to confirm it responds. Press the test button on every smoke detector. Locate carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas and gas appliances. Missing or chirping detectors belong on an immediate repair list, not a maybe-later sticky note.
If your lease includes a balcony, patio, garage, or parking spot, document it the same way you would a bedroom. Shake balcony railings gently. Photograph concrete cracks and water stains. Test garage door openers and inspect the floor for oil or puddles.
Shoot your assigned parking space number and surface condition. Walk the exterior for siding cracks, peeling paint, and broken path lights. Check storage lockers or sheds if they are part of your rental. Note pest bait stations, wasp nests, or chewed trim outside. Exterior photos matter when a landlord claims you damaged a railing you never touched because you never went outside with your camera.
Wide shots establish context. Close-ups with a finger or ruler show scale on small defects. A slow video pan with your voice naming each issue creates a timestamp narrative that pairs well with stills. Upload everything to a cloud folder labeled with the address and move-in date before you leave the property.
Complete the landlord form line by line. Attach an addendum for anything that does not fit their checkboxes. Never sign without noting disagreements in writing. Get a manager signature on your copy. Email a link to the photo folder within the lease deadline even if they say the paper form is enough. Redundancy is boring. Boring wins deposit fights.
Save the signed form as a PDF. Back up photos somewhere besides your phone in case it dies on moving day. Store lease, addendum, and inspection files together. Print one paper copy for a drawer you will actually remember. Log every repair request with dates and ticket numbers. Save email confirmations.
Set a calendar reminder to verify repairs within two weeks. Share copies with roommates so nobody deletes the shared album by accident. Keep everything through move-out plus at least a year after your deposit returns. When move-out arrives, you will line up these day-one photos against the landlord walkthrough. Side by side, pre-existing damage stops being a he-said-she-said argument.
For more help around your lease and move, see our apartment moving checklist, our apartment rental success guide, our closing day checklist, and our professional home inspection guide.
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