By Marian White
Source: Moved
Preparing to rent out your property to a new tenant? Before handing over the keys, we strongly recommend providing them with a move-in move-out checklist. This important document will be used prior to the tenant moving in and upon the tenant moving out in order to assess any and all damage – including both pre-existing damage and new damage. The cost of repairing pre-existing damage, or damage that existed prior to the tenant moving in, will not be the responsibility of the new tenant. However, damage that occurred while the tenant lived at the property may need to be covered by the tenant. In this case, the landlord typically deducts the cost of repairs from the tenant’s security deposit. The move-in move-out checklist ensures that this process is handled smoothly and fairly. For a look at what is typically included in a move-in move-out checklist, keep reading.
Why is having a move-in move-out checklist important for landlords and tenants?
Move-in and move-out checklists are important because they protect both the landlord and the tenant by a) informing the landlord what (if anything) is newly damaged and in need of repair, and b) preventing the tenant from having to pay for pre-existing damage.
What happens if a landlord finds new damage to their property?
If damage to the property occurs while the lessee is living at the property, they may be responsible for covering repair costs. Typically, once the lease has ended, the home has been carefully inspected, and the move-in move-out checklist has been completed, the landlord will provide the tenant with an itemized list of deductions (if any) from their initial security deposit. Without proof of damage from a move-in move-out checklist, a tenant may be able to dispute the deductions. However, landlords who have a move-in move-out checklist in place should be able to prove that damage was caused after the tenant moved in.
How do you make a move-in move-out checklist?
First, start at the top of the inspection document with spaces for the tenant’s full name, the property’s address, the move-in date and the move-out date. We recommend making a note about when the first and last inspection dates took place as well as who inspected the property.
Once you’ve completed the top portion of the checklist, it’s time to begin the actual checklist below. In column one, include headings for all rooms inside the property. For example: Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Bedroom #1, etc. Below each heading make a subheading for specific features such as floors, doors, light fixtures, walls and appliances. In column two, you will want to create a space for an inspector to fill out notes about the feature’s condition when the tenant arrived. Column three should be a space to describe the condition once they departed. In column four, landlords should be able to make notes about repair costs. At the bottom of the checklist, there should be a designated place for both landlords and tenants to date and write their signatures. Landlords should make several copies of the checklist, giving at least one copy to the tenants.
What rooms and features should be included in a move-in move-out checklist?
Examples of what rooms and features to include in this checklist include:
Living Room
- Walls
- Floors
- Ceilings
- Windows and Window Treatments
- Lighting
- Doors and Locks
- Fireplace and mantel
- Smoke Detector
- Electrical Outlets
- Radiators
- Other
Dining Room
- Walls
- Floors
- Ceilings
- Windows and Window Treatments
- Lighting
- Doors and Locks
- Electrical Outlets
- Radiators
- Other
Kitchen
- Walls
- Floors
- Ceilings
- Windows and Window Treatments
- Lighting
- Doors and Locks
- Smoke Detector
- Electrical Outlets
- Radiators
- Refrigerator
- Oven and Stovetop
- Dishwasher
- Sink and Faucet
- Garbage Disposal
- Cabinets
- Countertops
- Exhaust fan
- Pantry
- Other
