The tenant needs to make sure that they do a thorough check of the property at the beginning of the tenancy and record an accurate picture of the state the property is in.
Property inspection form
The Tenancy Services Residential Tenancy Agreement includes an initial property inspection form (see page 10).
The tenant should work through this with the landlord to make sure they have a shared understanding of any issues with the property right from the outset. The form has space to record details about the condition of all areas of the property (including space to note any existing damage or defects), and to list any furniture and other chattels in the home.
Digital records
It’s a good idea to take digital photos too, or even a video recording, as this visual record provides really helpful evidence of the actual condition of things at the time. Digital records have details of the 'date taken' or 'date created' as part of the file information, which provides evidence of when the photo or video was taken.
Disrepair or damage
It’s important to make sure that any disrepair or damage is recorded because this will be the reference point for any issues that are raised later about damage to the property. Any damage or disrepair should be recorded, regardless of promises that it will be fixed soon.
If the tenant can’t prove that the damage existed before they moved in, they may be held responsible for the cost of repairing the damage or it may impact on how much of their bond they get back at the end of a tenancy. For more information on a tenant’s responsibility to pay for damage, click here.
Both the landlord and tenant should sign, date, and keep a copy of the property inspection report.
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