How to Record Existing Damage When Moving into a Rental
Scratches, damp, peeling paint, and worn appliances may have existed before you moved in. Recording them early gives everyone the same time reference instead of relying on memory months later. A good record describes the property honestly; it does not have to claim that everything is perfect.
RoomLedger helps create room checklists, capture photos, add notes, record meter readings, and export a report. It does not decide who is responsible or guarantee that a document will be accepted in every dispute.
Describe each issue with four questions
Where is it? Record the room, wall, or appliance and a relative position such as “left of the window.” What does it look like? Describe colour, shape, approximate size, and visibility. Does it work? For an appliance, record what you tested and what you could not test. What evidence is attached? Add wide and close photos, measurements, or notes agreed by both parties.
Follow the same inspection route
Walk through every room in the same order. Check walls, floors, ceilings, doors, windows, kitchen, bathroom, sockets, lights, appliances, meters, and keys. Mark anything that could not be checked. Before signing, open the report and verify the room, date, and descriptions. Start recording with RoomLedger.
Note: Tenancy rules and deposit requirements vary by location. This is not legal advice.
If people disagree
Do not delete photos or edit a description to make the record look better. Mark what is agreed, disputed, and due for reinspection. Add location context, date and time, or each party’s explanation. Keep the same export for everyone when possible so there are not several conflicting versions.