How to Document Apartment Damage Before Moving In (And Protect Your Deposit)

The short answer

How to document apartment damage before moving in: photo tips, inspection checklists, what to look for, and how to protect your security deposit at move-out.

How to Document Apartment Damage Before Moving In (And Protect Your Deposit)

Your security deposit is your money. Getting it back in full at move-out depends almost entirely on one thing: whether you documented the apartment's condition before you moved your belongings in. Without documentation, you're arguing "it was already like that" against a landlord who says it wasn't — and you have no proof.

This guide covers exactly how to document a unit at move-in, what to look for, and how to make your documentation legally useful.

When to Do It

Document before you move anything in. Furniture, boxes, and personal items make documentation harder and create ambiguity about when damage occurred. Ideally: do the inspection with the landlord present, on the day of move-in, before you receive the keys.

If the landlord isn't present, do it immediately upon receiving the keys — before you bring a single box in.

The Documentation Method: Photos + Video + Written Form

Use all three:

Photos: Your phone camera is perfect. Timestamp photos are automatic. Take wide-angle shots of each room, then close-ups of anything notable. Every room, every wall, every appliance.

Video walkthrough: Walk through the entire unit on video, narrating what you see. "This is the kitchen. There's a small burn mark on the countertop near the stove. The dishwasher door has a dent on the bottom left corner." Video is harder for landlords to dispute than photos because it shows context and continuity.

Written inspection form: A checklist of rooms and items with condition ratings (Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor / Damaged) and written notes. Both you and the landlord sign it. Each party keeps a copy.

If your landlord doesn't provide an inspection form, use a free template (TurboTenant, NOLO, or your state's landlord association often provide these) and present it to the landlord for signatures.

What to Check and Document

Every room:

• Walls: Look for scuffs, holes, water stains, peeling paint. Note location (e.g., "hole in drywall behind bedroom door, approximately 3 inches").
• Ceiling: Water stains (yellowish rings are past leaks), cracks.
• Floors: Scratches, stains, gouges, broken tiles, carpet stains (note specific location and size).
• Windows: Cracks in glass, broken locks, torn or bent screens, missing blinds, blind condition.
• Doors: Surface condition, does it close properly, lock condition.

Kitchen:

• Stove/oven: Burner condition, oven interior, broiler. Turn on every burner.
• Refrigerator: Interior cleanliness, door seals, temperature.
• Dishwasher: Run a quick cycle to confirm it works.
• Microwave (if provided).
• Cabinets: Interior and exterior. Note any water damage under sink.
• Countertops: Burns, chips, stains.
• Sink: Check for drips, drain flow, garbage disposal.

Bathrooms:

• Toilet: Flush to confirm. Seat condition.
• Shower/tub: Caulk condition, grout, any cracks or chips. Mold in caulk lines (common, important to document).
• Faucets: Any drips.
• Ventilation fan: Turn on to confirm.
• Cabinets and mirror: Condition.

All rooms:

• Test every light switch and outlet.
• Test smoke detectors (press the button).
• Test carbon monoxide detectors.
• Check HVAC/thermostat — run heat and AC briefly.
• Note any odors (mold, pet smell).

Common areas (if applicable):

• Parking space condition.
• Storage locker condition.
• Laundry machines.

How to Handle Pre-Existing Damage

Report it in writing to your landlord immediately — the same day, via email. "As discussed at the move-in inspection today / as I found upon receiving keys, the following pre-existing conditions are present in the unit: [list]."

This creates a written record that you identified these issues before they could be attributed to you. Keep the landlord's response (or lack thereof).

Add discovered items to the inspection form and sign it again. If the landlord won't sign an updated form, send them the photos by email with a note: "Documenting these conditions found upon move-in."

What to Do If the Landlord Won't Do a Move-In Inspection

Some landlords skip this. Don't let them. If the landlord refuses to do a joint inspection:

1. Do your own thorough photo and video documentation immediately
2. Email the landlord the photos with a message: "I have documented the unit condition upon move-in on [date]. Please review the attached photos. I am happy to walk through together at your convenience."
3. Keep all emails with timestamps as your record

In many states, a landlord who fails to provide a move-in inspection form loses the right to claim deductions from the deposit at all. Know your state's rules.

At Move-Out: Use the Same Checklist

Compare move-out condition directly to your move-in documentation. Any discrepancy you can't document as pre-existing is a potential deduction. Your thorough move-in record is your defense.

How Settl Connects to Your Renting Experience

Good renting starts before you sign — with verified income and identity that gets you approved. Settl handles the front end of the process. But protecting your money from deposit disputes requires the documentation habits in this guide. Together, these practices define what it means to be a prepared, protected renter.

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