Why this matters more than it seems to at move-in
A thorough move-in inspection creates a record of the unit's condition before you lived in it — exactly what protects you from being charged later for something that was already there. It takes an hour or two on a day you're already busy unpacking, but it is one of the single most useful things you can do to make your eventual deposit return go smoothly, and it costs you nothing but time.
Go room by room, systematically
Work through the unit methodically rather than snapping a few quick photos and moving on:
- Photograph and video every wall, including behind doors and inside closets
- Check floors, ceilings and windows in every room for cracks, stains or damage
- Open every cabinet, drawer and closet and photograph the inside
- Test every appliance, including running the stove burners and checking the fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washer/dryer if included
- Run every faucet and flush every toilet, checking for leaks or slow drains
- Check that outlets work, light fixtures turn on, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are present and functioning
- Test that every door and window locks properly
Note anything you see: scratches, dents, stains, chipped paint, worn carpet, cracked tile, or signs of water damage. Anything that does not work is worth reporting to your landlord in writing right away, both to get it fixed and to have a timestamped record that it was already broken before you touched it.
Be specific, not vague
A note that says "two-inch scratch on the hardwood floor near the bedroom closet" is far more useful months later than "minor floor damage." Use a written move-in checklist, ideally one your landlord signs and dates along with you — many landlords already provide one, but you can create your own if they do not. Your phone's photos are timestamped automatically, which is one more reason to rely on them rather than memory alone; take a few photos of the same spot from different angles and distances so there's no argument later about what the picture actually shows.
Report anything that's already broken
Do not assume a broken blind, a stained countertop, or a loose cabinet door is too minor to mention. If it's already there when you move in and you don't report it, a landlord can plausibly claim it happened on your watch — even something you never intend to have fixed is worth a one-line note and a photo. This matters most for anything touching safety, like a window that doesn't lock or a missing smoke detector, since those issues also connect to your landlord's ongoing repair obligations during your tenancy, not just your deposit at the end of it.
Send a copy to your landlord
Email your photos and notes to your landlord or property manager right after your inspection, even if you already handed over a paper checklist. This creates a dated digital record on both sides and removes any question later about when the documentation was actually made. If something is disputed at move-out, an email sent the week you moved in is far stronger evidence than a claim you only raise once a deduction shows up on your final statement.
Timing and storage
Try to complete the inspection within your first day or two in the unit, before you've had time to use it enough to add your own wear on top of what was already there. Store your documentation in more than one place — your phone, a cloud backup, and your email — so a lost phone or a wiped account doesn't wipe out your evidence along with it.
Putting it to use later
None of this documentation matters unless you can find it again when you move out, sometimes years later. Keep it organized by address if you move often, and hold onto it until well after your deposit is returned, since some states allow a landlord or a tenant to raise a dispute after the fact. Honestkey's move-in and move-out checklist tools are built to keep this organized in one place so you're not searching your camera roll from years ago when a dispute actually comes up.