Before you accept apartment keys, complete a joint, room-by-room inspection while the unit is empty. Test locks, doors, windows, plumbing, appliances, ventilation, lights, outlets, heating and cooling, and smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms. Look for mould, leaks, water damage, broken fixtures and cleaning problems. Count every key and access device, confirm utility responsibilities in the lease, then record each defect on a signed, dated condition report supported by wide and close-up photos or video. Local law controls the required form, deadline and effect on your security deposit.
Why the inspection must happen before you move in
Once furniture and boxes arrive, walls, floors, cabinets and plumbing access points become harder to see. A defect you document before occupancy is easier to distinguish from damage that occurs during your tenancy. The Province of British Columbia Residential Tenancy Branch states: “The walk through should happen on the day the tenant gets the keys to the unit.” Its guidance recommends a joint inspection before occupancy, and that timing is a useful standard even where another jurisdiction uses different rules.
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Do not treat a landlord’s promise to repair something as a substitute for recording it. Write the condition down as present at move-in, describe its location and severity, and attach the matching image or video filename. The record protects both parties by creating a dated baseline.
Prepare before arriving
Bring the documents and basic tools
- The signed lease and any addenda covering utilities, parking, storage, appliances, fees, credits or promised repairs.
- A blank landlord-supplied condition form, or a clearly organized room-by-room report if no form is provided.
- A phone or camera with sufficient storage, a charger or power bank, a flashlight and a pen.
- A known-working charger or small appliance for checking representative outlets.
Arrange a usable inspection
Ask the landlord or agent to have electricity and water turned on. Without them, you cannot meaningfully test taps, drainage, appliances, lights, outlets, heating, cooling or alarms. Schedule the walk-through while the apartment is empty and before boxes conceal surfaces or leaks. Request enough time to open cabinets, run fixtures and visit any assigned exterior or shared areas.
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Inspect the apartment room by room
Use the same sequence every time: make a wide shot from the doorway, inspect surfaces and equipment, test each system, then record defects before moving to the next area. The official condition form referenced in tenancy guidance divides the inspection into entryway, kitchen, living room, dining room, halls, bathroom, bedrooms, exterior, utility room, garage or parking, basement, storage, and keys and controls.
Entry, locks and access devices
- Count front-door, bedroom, mailbox, garage, storage and other physical keys. Count remotes, fobs, parking tags and cards, and record serial numbers where visible.
- Test the deadbolt, latch, door closer, intercom and any secondary lock. Confirm that the door closes without forcing and that every supplied key operates the correct lock.
- Open and secure windows and any balcony or patio door. Check latches, screens and restrictors without defeating a safety device.
- Confirm access codes and instructions for shared entrances, elevators, parking gates, laundry rooms and storage areas.
- Check attached shelves, rails, cabinets, blinds and other wall- or door-mounted items for loose fasteners or unsafe movement.
Walls, ceilings, floors and moisture
Photograph each room from its doorway so the image establishes context. Then take close-ups of scratches, holes, stains, dents, cracked tiles, damaged flooring, mould, peeling paint and missing trim. Inspect ceilings, corners, window surrounds, baseboards, under-sink areas and the inside of cabinets for discolouration, dampness, soft materials or an active drip. Record cleanliness separately from physical damage; a dusty surface and a water-stained ceiling are different issues with different remedies.
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Kitchen
- Run the sink on hot and cold settings. Check pressure, drainage, caulking, supply connections and the cabinet base for leaks.
- Operate the kitchen fan or hood and verify that it runs and vents as designed. Note unusual noise, missing filters or a control that does not respond.
- Turn on the refrigerator and freezer, oven, cooktop and dishwasher if supplied. Record visible damage, missing shelves or racks, error messages and any appliance that does not start during the brief test.
- Open every cabinet and drawer. Look for water damage, broken hinges, loose handles, damaged shelves, pests or debris.
- Record each appliance’s make and model when visible. A short move-in test establishes that the control powers on; it does not prove long-term performance.
Bathroom and plumbing
- Run every sink, shower and tub. Check hot and cold water, pressure, drainage, caulking, overflow openings and the area beneath each fixture for leaks.
- Flush every toilet and inspect the supply line, shut-off valve and base for seepage or movement.
- Operate bathroom fans and confirm that they run. Note excessive noise, a non-functioning switch or visible condensation and staining.
- Open vanity and medicine cabinets, inspect shelves and hinges, and photograph chipped porcelain, cracked tile or failed sealant.
Living room, dining room, halls and bedrooms
Check floors for lifted edges, stains, deep scratches and loose boards; walls and ceilings for holes, cracks and marks; and doors, trim, blinds, rails and built-in storage for damage or instability. Test representative lights, switches and outlets in each area with your known-working charger or appliance. Do not remove covers or open an electrical panel. Note which outlets are controlled by a wall switch, located near water or protected by a safety device.
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Turn on supplied heating and cooling equipment using the thermostat or controls. Record whether the system starts, whether the display works and any visible damage, error message or unusual noise. Inspect the utility room, accessible pipes and service equipment for stains, corrosion or active leaks, but do not alter valves, breakers or other building controls. Record meter readings when relevant to the lease and note the date and meter identity.
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Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms
Test every smoke and carbon-monoxide detector during the walk-through. Record units that are missing, damaged, expired, chirping or inaccessible. Where the local condition form requires it, enter installation or checking dates. Identify exits, stairwells, fire doors, extinguishers and emergency contacts without blocking, removing or modifying safety equipment.
Exterior, parking and shared facilities
- Inspect a balcony, patio, yard or other private exterior area for damaged surfaces, railing problems, drainage issues and the condition of doors and locks.
- Verify the assigned parking stall, storage locker, basement area and laundry access. Photograph boundaries, labels and any existing damage.
- Check shared entrances, mail areas, rubbish areas, hallways and relevant common equipment for cleanliness, damage and access problems.
- Match each garage remote, access card or parking tag to the space it controls and record any missing device.
Use a condition report that can stand on its own
A useful report lets someone who was not present understand exactly what existed, where it was and what evidence supports it. For every issue, enter the room or area, precise location, condition, severity, date and corresponding photo or video filename or timestamp. Write “present at move-in” even when the landlord agrees to repair it.
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| Record | What to write | Evidence to attach |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Room, wall or fixture and a specific position such as “left side of kitchen sink cabinet.” | Wide image showing context and a close-up. |
| Condition | Objective description: “two 5 cm scratches,” “brown water stain,” or “fan does not start.” | Close-up photo or a short video of the failed operation. |
| Severity and status | Cosmetic, functional or safety concern; state whether it is active, missing or simply dirty. | Image showing scale and, where safe, the relevant control or detector. |
| Equipment identity | Appliance make/model, alarm location and visible meter reading when relevant. | Label or display photograph. |
| Access inventory | Quantity and type of keys, remotes, fobs, cards and codes supplied. | Photo of the set or a signed count sheet; do not expose a security code unnecessarily. |
Take photos or video before bringing in belongings. New Jersey program guidance specifically recommends pre-occupancy photos or video and signatures from both parties. Keep the original files, not only compressed messages, and preserve the date information. A continuous video can show the route through the unit, but still images and written descriptions make individual defects easier to locate.
Confirm the lease, utilities and promised work
Compare the physical handover with the signed agreement before accepting possession. Verify rent, deposits, fees, move-in credits, the key-delivery date, included appliances, parking or storage rights and every repair promise. Confirm in writing which gas, electricity, heat, water, rubbish, internet or other services are included and which accounts you must open. The lease should state those responsibilities rather than relying on a verbal explanation.
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Ask for the emergency and routine-maintenance contact methods, reporting hours and procedure for defects discovered after move-in. If a repair is promised, add the item and expected action to the condition report or a dated written addendum. Renters insurance is separate from the inspection: a federal tenant guide describes it as potentially covering personal belongings, liability and additional living expenses after covered damage, subject to the policy and jurisdiction.
Sign, copy and deliver the record
- Walk through the completed form with the landlord or agent and resolve any disagreement by adding each party’s comment rather than deleting a disputed observation.
- Both parties should sign and date the report at move-in. Initial changes made after a signature and attach a dated addendum.
- Give the tenant a complete copy, including all pages, inventories and repair notes. Keep the signed original and unedited photos or video.
- Email the report and media promptly so delivery has a time-stamped record. Use a file-sharing method that preserves the original files and restricts access to the parties who need them.
Some jurisdictions connect completion, signatures, delivery or deadlines for the inspection report with a landlord’s ability to claim security-deposit deductions or with repayment duties. The exact consequence varies by location, so check the applicable tenancy authority or statute rather than assuming another region’s rule applies.
If the landlord will not participate
Do not abandon the documentation. Complete the report yourself, photograph or video the entire unit, list missing keys and access devices, and send the material promptly in writing. State the date and time you attempted the joint inspection and invite the landlord to identify any disagreement by a specified date. Keep proof of delivery. Local law may provide additional remedies when a landlord fails to attend, supplies an incomplete form or refuses to acknowledge defects.
A practical handover sequence
- Before arrival, review the lease, charge your phone, bring the form and ask for working electricity and water.
- At the door, count keys and devices, test locks and record access codes securely.
- Move room by room from entryway through kitchen, living areas, halls, bedrooms, bathroom and utility spaces; photograph context first, then defects.
- Run plumbing, fans, appliances, heating and cooling; test representative lights, switches, outlets and every alarm.
- Inspect balcony, patio, parking, storage, basement and shared areas that are part of the tenancy.
- Compare findings with the lease, write every defect as present at move-in, and add promised repairs and utility responsibilities.
- Sign and date the report with the landlord or agent, retain copies and email the complete evidence before belongings conceal the condition.
This sequence gives you a defensible record without claiming that a brief inspection can certify an appliance’s future reliability or reveal concealed building conditions. For hidden defects, follow the lease’s maintenance process and the notice requirements in your jurisdiction.
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