Move-in photo checklist for renters
Before you unpack, photograph every room, wall and fixture, and keep the original files somewhere you won't lose them. Take the same photos again before you hand back the keys, from the same spots.
How to take the photos
- Turn every light on and open the blinds.
- Stand in the doorway and take one wide photo of each room, straight on.
- Then photograph each wall, the floor and the ceiling.
- Get close to every mark, nail hole, scuff and stain. Put a coin next to it for scale.
- Keep the original files. They carry the date and time they were taken.
- Back them up: email them to yourself, or save them to a shared folder.
Every room
- Walls, including behind doors
- Floors and carpet, especially corners and doorways
- Ceilings and light fixtures
- Windows, sills, blinds and screens
- Doors, handles, locks and door stops
- Outlets, switches and their cover plates
- Closets, shelves and rods
Bathroom
- Tub or shower, caulk and grout lines
- Vanity, inside and out, plus the counter and sink
- Mirror or medicine cabinet
- Toilet, base and tank
- Towel bars, hooks and the fan
- The floor around the toilet and tub
Bedroom
- Each wall, especially where the bed and headboard will go
- Closet doors and tracks
- Window coverings and curtain rod brackets
- Carpet or floor under where furniture will sit
Before you change anything
Photograph the exact spot first: the wall before wallpaper goes up, the cabinet before the new pulls, the light before the sconce. Put the original hardware in a labeled bag, and test a small piece of anything that sticks somewhere hidden for a few days.
Will it come off?
These photos are your record of how the room looked. For anything that sticks to a wall or floor, take a photo of the spot before it goes up, and again after it comes off.
Every product in a Rentovate kit carries a label (Removable, With care or Ask your landlord) and its own move-out steps.
Questions
When should I take move-in photos?
Before you move any furniture or boxes in, so nothing is hidden. If you can, do it the day you get the keys.
Should I send the photos to my landlord?
Sending a copy with your move-in checklist gives you both the same record, with a date on it.