Move-in inspection checklist
Walk the unit before move-in, while everyone still remembers what “before” means.
A move-in inspection is not just a polite tour. It is the baseline for condition, keys, utilities, appliance quirks, safety checks, and the future deposit conversation.
- Built for small landlords who want a clear first-day record.
- Useful before possession changes hands and again when a tenant flags early issues.
- Designed to sit beside your lease, photos, and local condition forms.
Free starter checklist
Inspect these before the tenant settles in.
- Take dated photos and video of every room before furniture, boxes, or rugs cover anything up.
- Walk walls, ceilings, trim, doors, windows, closets, stairs, floors, and exterior entry areas.
- Test locks, keys, fobs, mailbox access, garage remotes, parking passes, and access codes.
- Run faucets, toilets, tubs, drains, garbage disposal, dishwasher, washer hookups, and visible shutoffs.
- Test appliances with a real quick cycle where practical, then note dents, missing shelves, or quirks.
- Check smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, GFCI outlets, lighting, fans, and breaker panel access.
- Record existing nail holes, paint marks, flooring wear, cracked tile, stains, damaged blinds, and screen issues.
- Review filter location, trash pickup, utility transfer, maintenance contact rules, and emergency process.
- Give the tenant a short window to report missed move-in condition items in writing.
- Save the signed inspection, photos, tenant notes, and key record in the same property folder.
Why the bundle helps
The starter list captures the baseline. The bundle keeps the whole tenant cycle from drifting.
Move-in condition records matter most when they connect to maintenance notes, turnover work, and move-out inspection. The bundle keeps those steps together instead of making you rebuild the process every lease.
Plain-English caveat
This is not legal or financial advice. Laws vary by location. Use this as an operational checklist, then follow your lease, local disclosure rules, deposit deadlines, and professional advice where needed.