Rental property inventory checklist and condition form

A deposit dispute is usually decided by one document: the record of what the unit looked like when the tenant moved in. Without it, every scuff and stain is your word against theirs. With a signed, room-by-room inventory and condition form and dated photos, most disputes never start.

The same walk-through is also the cheapest moment to record the equipment in the unit: the refrigerator's model and serial number, the water heater's age, the range that is still under warranty. This guide covers both, with a free form.

Download the inventory and condition form

• Rental property inventory and condition form (Excel): pre-filled rooms and items, condition drop-downs, a header block for the property and unit, signature lines and a How to use tab.
• Rental property inventory and condition form (CSV): the same rows for Google Sheets.

What the form is for

An inventory and condition form, sometimes called a move-in/move-out checklist, does three jobs:

1. Records the condition of every part of the unit at move-in, so damage at move-out can be told apart from what was already there.
2. Lists the items the owner supplies, especially appliances and equipment, so nothing is disputed or quietly swapped.
3. Supports deposit decisions with a signed record rather than memory.

HUD's sample form for subsidized multifamily housing, Form HUD-90106, is a good model: it walks the unit room by room, records the condition of each item at move-in and move-out side by side, and has a column for the cost to correct.

Check your state's rules

Some states make a written checklist a condition of keeping a deposit. In Washington, for example, a landlord may not collect a deposit unless "a written checklist or statement is provided by the landlord to the tenant at the commencement of the tenancy specifically describing the condition and cleanliness of or existing damages to the premises, fixtures, equipment, appliances, and furnishings". Rules differ by state and sometimes by city, so check yours, or ask your attorney or landlord association, before relying on any form.

What to record, room by room

For each line, rate the condition at move-in, describe any existing damage specifically ("two-inch scratch on refrigerator door, left side"), and leave the move-out columns empty for later.

Record the appliances, not just their condition

For each appliance and piece of equipment the owner supplies, write down the make, model and serial number. It takes a minute per item during the walk-through and saves hours later:

• a technician can order the right part before the first visit;
• a warranty claim needs the serial number and install date;
• a recall notice can be checked against every unit at once;
• at move-out, you can confirm it is the same appliance that was there at move-in.

How to run the move-in inspection

1. Walk the unit with the tenant if you can, using the same form.
2. Rate every line, including the ones in good condition. A blank line proves nothing.
3. Photograph anything rated fair, poor or damaged, with the date, and reference the photos on the form.
4. Test the appliances and fixtures: run the water, switch on burners, check the refrigerator is cold.
5. Both sign and date the move-in section, and give the tenant a copy.

How to run the move-out inspection

1. Use the same form, so move-in and move-out ratings sit side by side.
2. Rate every line again and photograph changes.
3. Separate damage from normal wear and tear. Faded paint after three years is wear; a hole in the wall is damage. How your state defines the difference governs what you can deduct.
4. Record the cost to correct for each damaged item, with how you arrived at it.
5. Follow your state's deadlines for returning the deposit and itemizing deductions.

Keep the equipment list beyond the tenancy

The condition ratings belong to one tenancy. The appliance details belong to the unit, and they are worth keeping after the form is filed:

• Install dates tell you which appliances are near the end of their expected life. Our appliance life expectancy guide has typical ranges by appliance.
• Repair history shows which units keep needing the same repair, and when replacing is cheaper than fixing again.
• Expected replacement dates turn surprise failures into a replacement budget. The useful life guide covers how to set them.

A filing cabinet of old checklists cannot answer "which water heaters across all our buildings are more than ten years old?" A list kept by unit can.

How AssetCenter fits

AssetCenter keeps the lasting half of this checklist: one record per appliance and piece of building equipment, assigned to the building and the unit it is installed in, with model and serial number, install date, warranty, repairs and costs. Log move-in and move-out inspections as events on the unit, with photos and notes attached, and set a useful life on each category so the end-of-life report shows what is due for replacement. See property management asset tracking software.

AssetCenter is not property management software: it does not handle leases, deposits, rent or tenant communication.

Frequently asked questions

What is a rental property inventory and condition form?

A room-by-room checklist completed at move-in and move-out that records the items in the unit and the condition of each, signed by both landlord and tenant.

Is a move-in checklist required by law?

In some states it is a condition of collecting or keeping a security deposit; Washington is one example. Check your state's landlord-tenant law.

Should photos be attached to the checklist?

Yes. Dated photos of anything in less than good condition make the written ratings much harder to dispute. Reference them on the form.

Next step: use the form at the next turnover

Download the inventory and condition form and use it at your next move-in or move-out. Then copy the appliance details into a list kept by unit, or see how property management asset tracking software keeps them across every building.

By Jeremy Francis

Founder & CEO, AssetCenter