Move-In Checklist for Landlords — What to Inspect and Document
A move-in checklist is one of the most underused tools in a small landlord's toolkit. Most landlords know they should do a move-in inspection — but many either skip it, do it informally, or create a checklist once and never update it.
Done properly, a move-in checklist protects both you and your tenant. It creates a documented baseline of the property's condition at the start of the tenancy — the single most important piece of evidence if there's ever a dispute about damage at move-out.
Why a Move-In Checklist Matters
Without a completed, signed checklist, any dispute about damage at the end of a tenancy becomes a "he said, she said" situation with no objective reference point. With one — ideally with photos — you have documentation that shows the condition of every room, fixture, and appliance at the start of the lease.
In many Canadian provinces, landlords are required to conduct a move-in inspection and provide the tenant with a copy. In British Columbia, the condition inspection is a legal requirement. Even where it isn't legally mandated, failing to do one weakens your position significantly in any dispute.
What to Include — Room by Room
General / Exterior: Front door condition and locks, building entry and intercom, parking space, storage locker.
Living Room / Common Areas: Walls (paint, marks, holes), ceiling (cracks, water stains), floors (scratches, stains), windows (operation, locks, screens), light fixtures, electrical outlets, baseboards, closets.
Kitchen: Countertops, cabinets, sink and faucet, dishwasher, stove and oven, refrigerator, microwave, range hood, floors and walls.
Bathroom(s): Toilet, sink and faucet, shower and bathtub (caulking, taps, drainage, tiles), exhaust fan, mirror, towel bars, floors and walls.
Bedroom(s): Walls, ceiling, floors, closet doors and shelving, windows.
Laundry (if in-unit): Washer, dryer, connections and hoses.
Utility Areas: Furnace and filter, water heater, electrical panel, smoke detectors (tested), carbon monoxide detectors (tested).
How to Conduct the Inspection
Do it together with the tenant. The move-in inspection is most effective — and most legally defensible — when both parties are present and sign off. This prevents the tenant from later claiming damage was pre-existing if they weren't there to document it.
Take photos of everything. Go room by room and photograph every wall, floor, appliance, and fixture. Date-stamped photos tied to the checklist create a record that is very hard to dispute.
Note condition clearly. Use simple descriptors: Good, Fair, or Damaged. For anything marked Fair or Damaged, add a brief note — "small scuff on living room wall near entrance" is more useful than just "Fair."
Give the tenant a copy. Both parties should sign the completed checklist and each keep a copy.
Do it before the tenant moves in. Once furniture is in place, you can't properly inspect what's underneath or behind it. Schedule the inspection before the moving truck arrives if possible.
Move-Out: Using the Checklist to Resolve Disputes
At the end of the tenancy, you conduct a move-out inspection using the same checklist. You compare the condition at move-out against what was documented at move-in, accounting for reasonable wear and tear.
Reasonable wear and tear — small scuffs on walls, minor carpet wear in high-traffic areas, faded paint — is generally considered normal and cannot be charged to the tenant. Large holes in walls, stained carpets, broken fixtures, and missing items are damage and can be.
The move-in checklist is what makes this distinction defensible.
Making Checklists Repeatable
If you manage more than one unit, creating a new checklist from scratch for each tenancy is unnecessary work. A template — a standardised list of items covering all your units — can be reused for every tenancy.
Property management software like Unitdesk has a built-in checklist feature that lets you create reusable move-in and move-out templates, assign them to tenants, and track completion together. The tenant checks off items from their portal, you check off items from the manager dashboard — creating a shared digital record that both parties can reference. No paper, no lost documents.
The Bottom Line
A move-in checklist takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete properly. That investment protects you from disputes that can take weeks to resolve and cost far more than a security deposit. Do it every time, do it thoroughly, and do it with the tenant present.
Try Unitdesk free → — move-in and move-out checklist templates are included on Pro and Team plans.