Ingoing Condition Reports: Move-In Rental Inspections
Published: 23 October 2026
Every successful exit inspection and bond claim starts on day one. The ingoing condition report is the baseline record of how the property looked when the tenant received the keys.
Key Takeaways
- • Always complete the ingoing report while the house is empty and freshly cleaned
- • Take hundreds of date-stamped photos covering floors, walls, inside ovens, showers and gardens
- • Photograph the opening water meter reading, smoke alarm test dates and every key/remote
- • Have the tenant sign and return the report within the first week of moving in
Why a tick-box sheet is not enough
Old-fashioned paper forms that simply say "Lounge carpet: Good" fail at the Tenancy Tribunal. When a tenant moves out two years later with a stain or burn mark on the carpet, a single word on a form does not prove whether the mark was already there.
Climber's ingoing reports pair written room-by-room descriptions with high-resolution, date-stamped photos of every surface, appliance interior and outdoor area.
What must be recorded on day one
- • Cleanliness and condition of every room, wall, ceiling, floor covering, window and curtain/blind
- • Inside the oven, rangehood filters, dishwasher, bathroom vanity and shower glass
- • Lawns, gardens, decks, driveways and garages
- • Working status and expiry dates of all smoke alarms
- • Opening water meter reading with a clear photo of the dial
- • A photograph of all keys, window keys, security fobs and garage remotes handed to the tenant
How the ingoing report connects to routine and exit inspections
Once the baseline is set, every three-monthly routine inspection and the final exit inspection are compared directly against those day-one photos. That is how fair wear and tear is separated cleanly from tenant damage.
Questions landlords ask
When should the ingoing inspection be completed?
Immediately before the tenant moves their belongings into the property, so every room, surface, chattel and meter can be photographed clearly.
What happens if there is no ingoing inspection report?
Without dated ingoing photos and notes, it is very difficult to prove at the exit inspection or Tenancy Tribunal that damage or dirt occurred during the tenancy.
Does the tenant get a copy of the ingoing report?
Yes. Both sides review and sign the ingoing condition report, and the tenant is given a window at move-in to note any pre-existing marks they spot.