Signed a lease and ready to move in? Congrats! Before you get too cozy in your new place, it’s important to look around and make sure you know the condition of your rental before moving in completely. Among other things, you’ll want to go through a rental inspection checklist to check for any damages, cracks, scratches, and non-working appliances.
A rental inspection checklist offers a streamlined way to document the condition of an apartment before moving in. Once you move in, you’re liable for any damages that occur in the rental, so it’s important to note what was already damage or not working before you’re held responsible. Using a rental walkthrough checklist is the best way to keep track of the state of the floorboards, walls, doors, locks, and appliances in every room in the home or apartment. A rental inspection checklist will also come in handy when it comes time to move out. In fact, it’s most helpful when attempting to get your security deposit back since you have documentation of everything that was damaged before you became the tenant.
Everything from the floorboard condition to the shower drain should be on your rental inspection checklist. If there’s even the slightest thing wrong with your light fixtures, balcony railing, or the inside of your oven, make sure you document it. Use the free rental inspection checklist we’ve provided below to make sure you cover all your bases or click below to download a printable, PDF version.
Make a copy of your rental inspection checklist, sign it, and send it to your landlord via email or snail mail. You want to be able to prove that you’ve documented the condition of your apartment before you moved in. That way, when it comes time to move out, everything is already in writing. The last thing you want is for your landlord to claim you’ve made damages or broken any appliances that were already like upon move-in. Don’t have a new place yet? Check out apartments for rent on Zumper and find your next home today.
Julie Aiello Julie is an avid sports enthusiast, beer drinker, city runner, and non-fiction reader. She's been a renter for 10 years, and has learned a thing or two in the process.
