How to Record Each Room’s Condition at Move-In
The move-in condition record gives the renter and landlord a shared starting point. “The room is fine” is too broad for a later comparison. Record by room, take contextual photos, describe visible damage, list equipment and mark what could not be checked. RoomLedger can organize these layers as a property, rooms, inventory and report.
Map the rooms first
Use consistent names for living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, storage, balcony and shared areas. Take a photo from each doorway to establish layout. Then use a clockwise route or another fixed order to cover walls, floor, ceiling, doors, windows, outlets and equipment. Repeating the route helps at move-out.
Describe condition with a location
Instead of “damaged wall,” write “scratch to the left of the bedroom window, approximately … long.” Take a wide image and a close-up, with date and caption. If the size is not measured, call it an estimate. Do not infer cause or responsibility from a surface observation.
Record equipment and accessories
List cooker, oven, fridge, washing machine, lights, curtains, sofa, bed and supplied property. Add brand, model, serial number, quantity, condition and accessories. For an untested appliance, write “not checked,” not “working.” Link label and context photos to the same item.
Package it in RoomLedger
RoomLedger groups photos and notes by property and room and can add measurements, inventory and reports. See RoomLedger. Read the record as someone absent at handover: can they identify the room, date and issue location? Export PDF for reading, CSV for filtering and ZIP for original images as needed.
Before sharing, remove unrelated photos, personal documents and other people’s data. Keep originals and do not rewrite history. Follow the lease deadline for damage notices. A report does not automatically become a legal conclusion when a deposit or dispute is involved; preserve the documents and ask for advice.
Note: RoomLedger organizes evidence but does not replace a lease, inspection or legal advice.