Move-out inspection checklist for managers

Published 16 October 2026. Updated 16 October 2026.

A move-out inspection has one job: to produce a record that can be set beside the move-in record and show, item by item, what changed. Everything downstream, the itemized statement, the invoices you request and any dispute, depends on whether that record is specific, dated and comparable.

This checklist is built for residential turnovers. It is practice, not legal advice. What you must offer the tenant, such as a pre-move-out walkthrough, and the timing of each step differ by state and sometimes by city, so check your lease and local rules.

Before the walkthrough

Pull the move-in record and take it with you, on paper or on a tablet. The point is to compare, so the inspector should read the starting condition of each item before looking at it.

• Move-in notes or checklist, with the date.
• The deposit record and any amounts already applied.
• The lease start date and the date the tenant has vacated or will vacate.
• Keys, remotes and any items the tenant was given.
• A camera, and a rule for naming photo files.

Do the inspection after the unit is empty. Furniture hides floors, walls and counters.

The room-by-room list

Use the same rooms and items every time, in the same order, so notes from different units look alike.

Entry and living areas

• Walls and ceiling: marks, holes, stains, paint condition.
• Flooring: stains, tears, burns, pet damage, wear paths.
• Doors and locks: closing, locking, damage, keys returned.
• Windows, screens and blinds: cracks, tears, bent slats, operation.
• Light fixtures, switches and outlets: working, covers present.

Kitchen

• Range, oven and hood: cleanliness and condition.
• Refrigerator: clean, shelves and drawers intact.
• Cabinets and counters: doors, hinges, burns, chips, stains.
• Sink and faucet: leaks, drains, finish.
• Dishwasher and disposal, if present: working and clean.

Bathrooms

• Tub, shower and tile: soap scum, mold, grout, chips.
• Toilet and sink: working, leaks, cracks.
• Mirrors, towel bars and fixtures: present and secure.
• Exhaust fan: working.

Bedrooms and closets

• Walls and flooring, as above.
• Closet doors, rods and shelves.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: present and working where the unit has them.

Outdoor and other areas

• Patio, balcony, yard, storage and garage, where they come with the unit.
• Anything left behind and where it is.

How to write each note

A useful note answers four things in a sentence or two: the item, what you see, how it compares with move-in and how you classify it.

• Weak: "Carpet bad."
• Better: "Living room carpet: pet stain about a foot across near the window. Move-in note says carpet clean, no stains. Classified as damage."
• Better still for wear: "Hallway carpet: visible walking path. Move-in note says carpet in good condition. Classified as normal wear, no charge."

Writing "normal wear, no charge" in the note is not wasted effort. It shows the decision was made at the time and it keeps the later statement consistent with the notes.

Photo habits

• One wide photo per room and a close photo per noted problem.
• Include something that shows scale or location, such as a door frame or outlet.
• Name files so the notes can cite them, for example 4b-kitchen-cabinet-out-01.
• Photograph what was fine too, such as a clean oven, so the record shows the whole unit and not only the problems.
• Keep move-in, move-out and after-repair photos in separate folders.

After the walkthrough

1. Finish the notes the same day, while the details are fresh.
2. List each item you consider chargeable with a classification: damage, cleaning or wear.
3. Order estimates or invoices for each chargeable item and ask vendors to describe the work and date it.
4. Record in-house work on a time sheet with hours and rate.
5. Compile the deduction list and the evidence behind each line, following the itemization steps.

Mistakes that cost money later

• A move-out note that does not mention the item the invoice is for.
• A move-in record that exists only as a signature on a blank form.
• Photos with no names, dates or room labels.
• Inspecting while the unit is still furnished or partly packed.
• Classifying everything as damage, then reversing on challenge.
• Letting weeks pass between the walkthrough and the notes.

How MoveOutLedger does this step

MoveOutLedger does not perform the inspection; that stays with you. It starts from the notes you produce. You upload the inspection notes, deduction list, deposit record, invoices, time sheets and photos for one move-out. For each charged line MoveOutLedger checks that the files note the item's condition at both move-in and move-out, shows the two notes side by side and checks that the photos your notes name were uploaded. Photos are listed by file name; they are not analysed, so whether an item is damage, cleaning or wear is taken from what your notes say, never decided from photos.

The tenancy start date and the move-out date are shown as the files print them. A charged line with a condition note missing on one side, with no evidence or with an amount that differs from its cost documents is named among the items to check at the start of the packet. A line your notes call normal wear and charge at $0.00 stays at $0.00. Specific, comparable notes from the walkthrough are what make the check useful.

MoveOutLedger does not check any state's deposit law. One move-out packet is 12 credits. Sign in and upload one move-out to see how your own notes read to the check.

Questions

Should the tenant be present at the move-out inspection?

Often it helps, since disputes can be settled on the spot, but practice and local rules differ. Check your lease and the rules where the property is on whether the tenant may attend or must be offered a walkthrough.

How many photos are enough?

Enough that each noted problem has at least one photo showing the item in context, plus a wide shot of each room. Name the files so the notes can point to them.

What if there is no move-in inspection on file?

Write that down in the move-out notes and rely on other records, such as earlier turnover work orders or dated photos. A charge may still stand, but it is weaker, so be conservative with it.