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Move-in and move-out inspection checklist

A printable, room-by-room walkthrough list, built around the same six rooms the MoveWitness app starts you with. Print it, walk the place, tick as you go. Free, nothing to install, nothing stored.

Do this part first, before you tick anything

Do the walkthrough before you move anything in, or on the day you hand the keys back after everything is out. A box in the frame is an argument later.
Photograph every room wide, then photograph each specific thing you are about to write down. A close-up with no wide shot cannot be placed in a room.
Photograph things that are already worn, not just things that are fine. The list of pre-existing damage is the whole point.
Write the date of the walkthrough on this sheet, and keep your own copy of every photo.
Keep your own copy. Do not rely on being sent the landlord's version later.

Property

Address

Inspection: ☐ move-in ☐ move-out Date ____________

Walked by

Room by room

Kitchen

Floor: scuffs, cracked or lifting tiles, water staining at the dishwasher
Countertops: chips, burns, knife scoring
Cabinet doors and drawers: open and shut every one
Sink and faucet: run hot and cold, look under the sink for a slow leak
Appliances: run each one once, photograph the inside of the oven and fridge
Walls behind the stove and above the hood: grease and staining
Outlets near the sink: test the GFCI reset

Condition: ☐ good ☐ fair ☐ damaged — notes:

Living room

Floor or carpet: stains, burns, worn traffic paths, loose boards
Walls: nail holes, patches, mismatched paint
Windows: cracks, broken latches, torn screens, condensation between panes
Blinds or curtains: bent slats, missing pulls
Ceiling: water staining, cracks
Every light switch and outlet
Smoke detector: press the test button

Condition: ☐ good ☐ fair ☐ damaged — notes:

Bedroom

Floor or carpet near the closet and under where the bed will go
Closet: rod, shelves, door track
Walls: holes, anchors left behind, scuffs
Window: latch, screen, blinds
Door: does it close and latch without being forced
Outlets and the ceiling fixture
Smoke or CO detector

Condition: ☐ good ☐ fair ☐ damaged — notes:

Bathroom

Caulk and grout at the tub, shower and sink
Signs of past leaks: soft floor, swollen vanity base, stained ceiling below
Toilet: rocking at the base, running after a flush
Drains: run the tap for a minute and watch it clear
Exhaust fan: does it actually pull air
Mirror, medicine cabinet, towel bars
Tile: cracked or missing pieces

Condition: ☐ good ☐ fair ☐ damaged — notes:

Hallway

Floor: worn paths and transitions between rooms
Walls at corners and at light-switch height
Closet or linen storage
Thermostat: photograph the model and the setting
Breaker panel and water shutoff: photograph the location
Any detector in the hallway

Condition: ☐ good ☐ fair ☐ damaged — notes:

Exterior

Front and back door: locks, deadbolts, weather stripping, how many keys you were given
Entry: steps, railing, porch light
Yard, patio or balcony: condition when you took it over
Garage or parking space: existing oil stains and wall damage
Mailbox
Trash and recycling bins: count them
The meter and any shared utility: photograph the reading on day one

Condition: ☐ good ☐ fair ☐ damaged — notes:

Rooms this list does not cover

Add any room the place has that is not above: laundry, basement, second bathroom, office, dining room, storage. Write the name and walk it the same way.

MoveWitness is a free iPhone app that follows the same six rooms. It keeps each room with its photos and notes, locks the inspection when you finish it, and exports move-in and move-out as one side-by-side PDF.
Get MoveWitness on the App Store Free. iPhone. No account, nothing uploaded.

What this checklist is and is not

It is a self-authored walkthrough list. It is not a legal form, it is not your state's statutory inspection form where one exists, and ticking every box does not decide a deposit dispute. Some states, including New York, Georgia and Washington, put something like this directly into their own law: see the deposit deadline page for the statute text and citations.