The hour you spend walking through an empty apartment before your boxes arrive is the hour that decides most security-deposit disputes a year or two later. At move-out, the landlord compares the unit to how it was when you got the keys. If nobody wrote down that the carpet was already stained or the bathroom door already had a dent, it's your word against theirs, and the landlord is the one holding the money.

This page covers how to run a move-in inspection properly, then gives you a room-by-room checklist you can tick off on your phone as you go. Each item says what to actually do, because "check the outlets" is useless advice unless you know to plug something into every one of them.

⚖️Why the move-in inspection matters

Across the US, landlords can generally deduct from your deposit for damage beyond normal wear and tear, but not for the ordinary aging of a unit: faded paint, light scuffs, carpet worn down along the walkway. The catch is that neither side can prove what was "already there" without a record made at the start. A dated, signed move-in report (plus your photos) is that record. Our security deposit guide goes deeper on wear and tear versus damage and on return deadlines.

Some states put this in writing. A few examples (statutes checked as of October 2026; laws change, so confirm the current text):

Many other states have no required form at all. That doesn't make the inspection less useful; it just means the record is on you. If your landlord offers no checklist, make your own using the list below and send it to them.

🗓️When to do it

Before any furniture goes in. An empty room shows you the floor in the corners, the baseboards and the wall behind where the couch will sit. Once a dresser is in front of a hole in the drywall, you'll forget it exists until move-out, when the landlord finds it and assumes you made it.

Ideally, book the inspection with the landlord or property manager on key-handover day so you walk through together and agree on the notes then and there. If that's not possible, do it alone the same day and send your notes in writing within a day or two. If your state or lease sets a deadline for returning the form (like Michigan's 7 days), that deadline wins, so check your lease. Our guide to reading a lease shows where clauses like this usually hide.

💡 Go during daylight if you can. Scratches on floors, streaks on windows and water stains on ceilings are much easier to spot in natural light than under a single overhead bulb. Bring a phone charger, a flashlight and a pen.

📸How to document what you find

Photos and video together. Start with a slow walkthrough video of each room, narrating as you go ("bedroom two, stain on carpet by the closet"). Then take still photos: one wide shot of each wall and floor so the location is obvious, then a close-up of every defect. A close-up of a scratch with no context could be anywhere; a wide shot followed by the close-up can't be argued with.

Make the dates provable. Phone photos store the date in their metadata, but files that get copied or edited can lose it. The simplest fix is to email the photos and video to yourself and to the landlord on move-in day, or upload them to a shared folder and send the link. The email timestamp is hard to dispute. Put something with a date in a few shots too, such as that day's newspaper or a dated receipt, if you want an extra safeguard.

Be specific in writing. "Wall damaged" is weak. "Living room, wall left of window: two nail holes and a 3-inch scuff about 4 feet up" is what holds up later. Note sizes, locations and whether something works ("burner back-left does not light"). Measure stains or holes with something for scale in the photo.

Use the landlord's form, then add to it. If the landlord hands you a move-in condition form, fill it in completely, including items that are fine ("good, no damage"). Blank lines can be filled in later by someone else. If the form doesn't have room for everything, write "see attached" and attach your own list. Don't sign a form saying everything is in good condition if it isn't.

Get it acknowledged. Ask the landlord to sign and date the final report, and keep a copy. If they won't sign, send it by email or another method that leaves a record, and keep that sent message. Store everything (lease, report, photos, emails) in one folder you'll still have when you move out.

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🚪Entry & hallway

Start where you came in. This is also where you check what keeps the unit secure.

🛋️Living room

The room with the most wall and floor area, so it usually has the most to note.

🍳Kitchen

Appliances are where small problems turn into big deductions, so test rather than look.

🚿Bathroom

Water damage hides here, and it's the room where "you caused it" arguments are most common.

🛏️Bedroom(s)

Repeat for each bedroom, and label your photos by room so they're easy to match later.

🧺Laundry & utility

Find the parts of the unit you'll need in a hurry before you need them.

🛡️Safety

These aren't about your deposit. They're about whether the place is safe to sleep in tonight.

🏢Outside & building

Anything assigned to your unit counts, even if it's down the hall or out back.

📌 Last step before you leave the walkthrough: read your notes back with the landlord (or send them), take a final photo of the completed form, and record the meter readings for electricity, gas and water if they're inside your unit. Meter photos settle arguments about who used what before your account started.

🔧What to do when you find problems

Finding issues is normal; almost every rental has a few. Sort what you found into two groups.

Cosmetic, pre-existing damage (nail holes, stains, scratches, chipped tile) usually just needs to be on the record. The landlord may not fix it, and that's fine, as long as the signed report shows it was there before you.

Things that don't work or aren't safe (no hot water, a dead burner, a leaking toilet, a broken lock, a silent smoke alarm) need a written repair request, not just a note on the form. Send it by email or through the tenant portal, describe each problem specifically, attach photos, and ask for a date. A note on a condition form documents a problem; it isn't the same as asking for it to be fixed. If the landlord doesn't respond, our guide to what to do when a landlord won't make repairs covers your next steps. Repair visits usually come with entry notice rules, explained in how much notice a landlord must give.

⚠️ Don't fix things yourself and deduct the cost from rent without checking your state's rules first. Some states allow "repair and deduct" only under strict conditions, and getting it wrong can put you in breach of your lease.

One more thing to sort out in your first week: your landlord's insurance covers the building, not your belongings. If a leak you spotted on day one later ruins your laptop, you'll want renters insurance in place. For the shopping side of moving in, use our first apartment checklist.

📦Keep it until move-out

Your move-in report only helps if you can find it. Keep the signed form, the photos and the emails together until your deposit is fully returned. When you move out, walk the unit again in the same order, photograph the same spots, and compare. Our moving-out checklist takes you through cleaning and the final walkthrough, and the side-by-side photos are your strongest evidence if a deduction looks wrong.

FAQ

What should you look for when moving into an apartment?
Look for existing damage (holes, stains, scratches, water marks on ceilings), and test everything that's supposed to work: every outlet, light, faucet, toilet, appliance, window lock, and the heat and AC. Check under sinks for leaks and pests, and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Write down and photograph what you find before you move furniture in.
How long do I have to report problems after moving in?
It depends on your state and your lease. Michigan, for example, gives tenants 7 days after getting possession to return the inventory checklist, and Massachusetts gives 15 days to add to the landlord's statement of condition. Many states set no deadline, but your lease might. Either way, report problems in writing as soon as you find them, ideally within the first few days, so there's no doubt they existed before you moved in.
What if my landlord doesn't give me a move-in checklist?
Make your own. Walk through each room, list the condition of walls, floors, fixtures and appliances, take dated photos and video, and email the list and photos to your landlord so there's a time-stamped record they received. Ask them to reply or sign it. In some states, such as Washington, a landlord who collects a deposit without providing a written checklist can be liable for the deposit amount.
Should I take photos or video for a move-in inspection?
Both. A walkthrough video shows the whole unit and where each problem is; photos give clear close-ups. Take a wide shot of each wall and floor, then a close-up of every defect, and email the files to yourself and your landlord on move-in day so the date is easy to prove later.
What counts as normal wear and tear versus damage?
Normal wear and tear is the gradual aging that comes from ordinary living: slightly faded paint, light scuffs, carpet worn along walkways. Damage goes beyond that: large holes in walls, burns or pet stains on carpet, broken windows or fixtures. Landlords generally can't deduct for wear and tear, which is why recording the condition at move-in matters so much.
This is general information, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city, and statutes change; the state examples above were checked against official sources as of October 2026. For your situation, check your lease and your state's current law, or contact a local tenant rights organization.
💰How to get your security deposit back→ 📦Moving-out checklist→ 🔧What to do when a landlord won't make repairs→ 📄How to read a lease before you sign→