📦the move-in walkthrough I photograph before unpacking anything

so you're not stuck arguing about a stain that was already there when you moved in.

Photograph every wall, floor, and ceiling in every room before a single box goes in.

Wide shots, not zoomed in. You want context if there's ever a dispute.

Get date-stamped photos. Your phone's default timestamp is enough.

Open every cabinet and drawer and photograph the inside.

Found evidence of a mouse problem this way once. Glad I had it before it got blamed on us.

Photograph existing scuffs, scratches, and stains close up, with something for scale.

A coin or your hand in frame works.

Test every light switch and photograph any that don't work.

Half of ours were burnt out and we didn't find out until move-in day.

Run every faucet and flush every toilet, photograph any leaks.

Photograph the smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector, note if batteries are missing.

(learned this one late.) landlord tried to charge us for a battery that was never there to begin with

Check and photograph the water heater's age sticker and serial number.

Photograph the thermostat setting and the HVAC filter's condition.

If the filter's disgusting, that's your evidence it wasn't serviced before you got there.

Open the fridge and freezer, photograph the inside before you fill it.

photograph window screens for tears, and note which windows don't lock

check for water stains on ceilings, especially under bathrooms

photograph the exterior: siding, fence, any assigned parking spot

email the whole set to yourself and the landlord within 24 hours

do this first thing, before it's easy to put off

keep it in a folder in your email, not just your camera roll

phones die, get lost, get replaced. the email is the paper trail

Or start a list of your own. Free, it takes a minute.

Related lists