No move in report for newly purchased properties

[Account Closed]

So we just closed on a property and lesson learned we forgot to get copies of the move in reports for the current tenants. Learned that there wasn’t any. Previous owner was using the “buddy” system for moving in and out.  Going forward how can I legally withhold the portions of the security deposit as tenants move out?  Since neither I or the tenants can prove whether it was damage they did or damage that was previously there before move in?

I’ve already taken pictures of the units now. But some have things that typically a tenant will have messed up.  Don’t want to be out thousands of dollars when I can pass the money spent to repair things into outgoing tenants.  Thanks