Move-in checklist and condition report: what to record and why it matters
A move-in condition report is a dated record, signed by you and the tenant, of every room's condition on the first day. At move-out it is the only fair way to tell new damage from what was already there, so it decides what you can deduct from the deposit. Some states make it a legal requirement: Washington will not let you keep a deposit without one, Massachusetts sets a deadline for it, and New York requires you to offer a joint inspection.
Where the law requires one
| State | What the law says | What happens if you skip it |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | If you collect a deposit, the lease must be in writing and you must give the tenant a written checklist of the condition and cleanliness of the unit, including walls, floors, furniture and appliances, signed and dated by both of you, with a copy to the tenant (RCW 59.18.260) | You are liable for the deposit amount, plus court costs and attorney fees to the winner |
| Massachusetts | A separate written statement of the unit's condition within ten days after the tenancy begins or the deposit is received, whichever is later; the tenant has 15 days to return it with corrections (M.G.L. c.186, s.15B) | The statute is strict: some deposit violations, such as a late return, can cost three times the deposit |
| New York | After the lease is signed and before move-in, offer the tenant an inspection; if they accept, both sign a written list of existing defects or damage (General Obligations Law 7-108) | You cannot keep deposit money for any condition on that list |
Even where no statute requires it, a signed report is the evidence a court or a tenant will ask for when a deduction is disputed. Check your own state's deposit law for its deadlines and penalties.
What to record, room by room
Record the condition and the cleanliness of each item, not just whether it works. "Fine" proves nothing later; "two nail holes above the couch wall, small scuff by the door" does.
| Area | Check and note |
|---|---|
| Entry and living room | Walls and paint, floor or carpet (stains, tears), windows and screens, blinds, outlets, smoke detector |
| Kitchen | Counters (chips, burns), cabinets and hinges, sink and faucet, range and oven inside, refrigerator inside, dishwasher, floor |
| Bathroom | Tub or shower caulk and grout, toilet, sink, mirror, fan, tile, signs of leaks |
| Bedrooms | Walls, closet doors and rods, flooring, windows, blinds, outlets |
| Throughout | Doors and locks, keys issued (count them), thermostat, carbon monoxide detector, light fixtures and bulbs |
| Outside the unit | Storage unit, parking space, balcony or patio, mailbox key |
Photos and video: back the words up
- Take a short walk-through video the same day, room by room, narrating the date and unit.
- Photograph every item the report marks as damaged, close up and from a distance.
- Keep the original files; they carry the date and time.
- Attach the photos, or a link to them, to the signed report.
- Give the tenant a copy of everything.
Washington's statute speaks of a written checklist, so photos support the written report rather than replace it. Use both.
How the report decides deposit deductions
At move-out you compare the unit to the move-in report. Anything already on the report is not the tenant's damage. Anything that is wear from ordinary use is not chargeable either; Washington's statute says so directly. What is left is damage beyond normal wear, unpaid charges the lease allows you to take, and cleaning beyond the state the unit was in.
Example a made-up tenant paid a $1,600 deposit. The move-in report noted a stain on the bedroom carpet and a chipped bathroom tile. At move-out the same stain and chip are there, plus a broken blind and a fist-sized hole in the hallway wall. The owner deducts $45 for the blind and $120 to patch and paint the wall, a total of $165, and charges nothing for the stain or the tile because the report shows they were there on day one. The tenant gets $1,435 back with an itemized list.
Deadlines to return the deposit are short. New York requires the itemized statement and the balance within 14 days after the tenant vacates, and a landlord who misses it forfeits the right to keep any part. Massachusetts allows 30 days after the tenancy ends. Put your state's deadline on the calendar the day the tenant gives notice.
A move-in day routine
- Walk the empty unit yourself the day before and fill in the report.
- Walk it again with the tenant at key handover. Let them add anything you missed.
- Both sign and date it. Give them a copy on the spot.
- Hand over the keys and record how many.
- Tell them in writing how long they have to report anything else they find, matching your state's rule where there is one (15 days in Massachusetts).
- File the report, photos and deposit record with the lease.
Deposits in DoorKeeping
In DoorKeeping, every property has its own books, including the deposits it holds, so you can ask your AI app what is held for a unit before you write the move-out statement. Any refund or deduction involves money, so it waits for your one-tap approval. The e-signed lease is kept with the property's documents, so the deposit terms are easy to find. DoorKeeping does not give legal advice; your state's deposit statute and your attorney decide the details.
Sources
- Washington RCW 59.18.260, written rental agreement and condition checklist, read Oct 29, 2026
- Massachusetts General Laws chapter 186, section 15B, read Oct 29, 2026
- New York General Obligations Law 7-108, read Oct 29, 2026
Questions
- Does a move-in condition report have to be signed by the tenant?
- In Washington, yes: both landlord and tenant must sign and date it. Elsewhere a signature is still the strongest proof that both of you agreed on the starting condition.
- Can I charge for damage that was not on the move-in report?
- You can try, but without the report it is hard to prove the damage is new. In New York, you cannot keep deposit money for anything listed on a signed move-in inspection.
- Are photos enough without a written checklist?
- Not in Washington, where the statute requires a written checklist. Photos are best used to support a written, signed report.