A move-out inspection checklist for landlords
Walk the unit room by room with your move-in report beside you, photograph everything with the date visible, write what changed since move-in, and mark each change as normal wear or damage. Do it before the tenant hands back keys if the law in your state allows it, because the record you make on this walk decides every deposit deduction that follows.
What should I do before the walkthrough?
- Pull the signed move-in condition report and its photos. Without them you cannot show what changed.
- Confirm the move-out date and who will attend. A tenant who is present can sign the report on the spot.
- Check your state's rules. Some states require you to offer a pre-move-out inspection so the tenant can fix problems first. California, for example, requires the landlord to tell the tenant in writing of the option to request an initial inspection and the right to be present. The inspection may be held no earlier than two weeks before the tenancy ends, with at least 48 hours' written notice of its date and time (Civil Code 1950.5(f)).
- Bring a phone with a charged battery, a flashlight, a tape measure and a printed checklist.
What do I check in each room?
| Area | Check | Photograph |
|---|---|---|
| Entry and living areas | Walls, paint, flooring, doors, windows, blinds, smoke alarms. | Every wall and the floor from the doorway. |
| Kitchen | Appliances inside and out, cabinets, counters, sink, faucet, under-sink for leaks. | Inside the oven, fridge and dishwasher. |
| Bathrooms | Tub, toilet, tile, grout, vent fan, caulk, under-sink for leaks. | Tub, toilet bowl and any stains. |
| Bedrooms and closets | Carpet, walls, closet doors and rods. | Each wall and the floor. |
| Systems | Thermostat, filters, water heater area, outlets, light fixtures. | Anything missing or broken. |
| Outdoor and storage | Patio, balcony, parking space, storage unit. | Trash or items left behind. |
Take a wide photo first, then close-ups of anything you will write down. Photos with no note and notes with no photo are both weak. Pair them.
How do I decide between normal wear and damage?
Normal wear is the slow decline from ordinary living: faded paint, light carpet traffic marks, small nail holes. Damage is what goes past that: large holes, pet stains, burns, broken fixtures. The wear and tear guide lists examples and shows how age of the item changes what you can charge.
Write the facts, not the verdict, on the report: "Bedroom 2 wall, 14-inch hole beside the door, see photo 18". Decide the charge afterwards, with the repair quote in hand.
Example a made-up carpet cost $1,000 and has a 10-year useful life. The tenant lived there for 5 years and stained it beyond cleaning. Half the life is gone, so a charge of about $500 (half the cost) is more defensible than $1,000. Check how your state treats depreciated items.
What do I do after the walkthrough?
- Have the tenant sign the report if they are present. If they decline, note that and who witnessed it.
- Collect every key, fob and remote, and record the count.
- Get quotes or invoices for each repair you plan to charge for.
- Prepare the itemized deposit statement and send it with any refund within your state's deadline. Deadlines run from days to a month depending on the state, so check the limits and deadlines.
Do not start repairs until the photos are taken and saved somewhere that is not only your phone.
How DoorKeeping handles it
DoorKeeping keeps the tenant ledger and the deposit held for each lease, so the amount to account for at move-out is already there. You can store the move-in report, photos and signed notices as documents on the lease, open work orders for the repairs and send a job to a vendor by link, and email the tenant the statement. Ask Claude or ChatGPT to list the open deposits and what was held for each. Rent and payments stay in your own bank accounts. DoorKeeping never holds your money and sends a payment only when you approve it.
Sources
- California Civil Code 1950.5 (security deposits, initial inspection, itemized statement), read Oct 30, 2026
- DoorKeeping: Connect Claude or ChatGPT (steps and tools list), read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- Do I have to do a move-out inspection?
- No federal law requires one, but it is how you prove damage. Some states require you to offer one before the tenant leaves, so check your state's deposit statute.
- Should the tenant be there?
- It helps. A tenant who attends can see the problems, fix some of them and sign the report. If they cannot attend, take dated photos and note that they were invited.
- Can I charge for cleaning?
- Often yes, if the unit is dirtier than at move-in and your state allows it, but you cannot charge for ordinary cleaning that every turnover needs in some states. Compare with the move-in report.
- How many photos should I take?
- Enough that a stranger could see every room and every issue you will charge for. For a two-bedroom unit that is often 60 to 100 photos.