Guide
Move-in condition report
The move-in report is the baseline. Everything you fail to write down today becomes “it was already like that” at move-out. Do this with the tenant, on or before the first night they sleep there. Walkthrough is a checklist, not a lease and not legal advice.
What “condition” means on day one
You are not grading the renovation. You are capturing the unit as offered: existing nail holes, a chipped tile, a stained ceiling from an old leak, the fact that bedroom 2 has no screen. Mark Fair when something is worn but you are still delivering the unit. Mark Poor only if it is actually broken or unsafe at handover — and then fix it or disclose it in writing outside this form.
What to photograph at move-in
- Each room from the door, even if it looks fine. “Fine” is the point.
- Floors in raking light (shows wear you will not see later in a flash photo).
- Inside the oven, fridge gaskets, tub corners, under-sink cabinets.
- Window screens, blinds, and any existing cracks in glass.
- Smoke and CO detectors with the test button pressed if you can do so safely.
- Keys and remotes on the counter — count them in the notes.
Invite the tenant to disagree on the form
If they say the closet shelf was already cracked, add the note. A signed report that includes their comments is stronger than a report you filled in the parking lot after they left. Typed names in Walkthrough are not a notarized acknowledgment; they are a record that someone walked the unit. Follow whatever your lease already requires for move-in inspection timing.
Fair vs Poor at handover
Good — ready for occupancy, ordinary new-turnover marks only.
Fair — cosmetic wear you are not repairing before keys: older carpet, patched drywall that doesn’t match, a scratch on the fridge door. Write it so you cannot “discover” it later as tenant damage.
Poor — should not be ignored: no working smoke detector, GFCI that will not reset, active leak. That is a repair list, not a future deposit claim against this tenant.
Keep the file
Print or save PDF the same day. Email a copy to the tenant. Walkthrough does not store the report in the cloud; if you close the tab without printing, the photos are gone.
Open Walkthrough Full room checklist
Walkthrough. Not a court form. Not legal advice.