Gainesville, FL · Member since 2013 · 127 posts · 21 votes
Tenants sometimes seem to be reluctant to return the move-in inspection checklist that they receive at the start of their lease. Lately I've sent tenants at two properties (single family homes) certified letters in order to establish for the record that they had not yet submitted their checklists even though about two weeks had passed since their move-in date. I figure that if there's a dispute over charges to the tenant's deposit later on, the certified letter as well as earlier emails on the subject would satisfy a judge that the tenant had delayed submitting the checklist long enough to undermine its validity.
The tenant's delay then actually would seem to work to the advantage of the landlord. Does anyone see a problem with looking at it that way?
It often doesn't seem to be practical to insist that the tenant complete the checklist in my presence at the very moment they move in. How about the idea of putting something in the lease that will motivate the tenant to turn in the checklist within a certain time limit?
Seems a whole lot easier to go room through room to them before they move in and go over the checklist together. Doesn't take long if you go over questions. I've always been forced by landlords when I was a tenant to submit the checklist before I move-in-- I could do it on the spot, or come back a second time. No checklist, no move-in with the apartments I used to live in.
Maybe they have questions, don't know what your standards are, are busy unpacking, or not sure if a carpet stain or something small is worth noting on the checklist or normal wear and tear.
If they don't submit the checklist, what's to stop them from claiming some damage was already present-- when they caused the damage? I wonder if a delayed checklist would really help you.
Landlord · San Francisco / Santa Cruz, CA · Member since 2010 · 13 posts · 4 votes
13y
You can always take a ton of pictures.
As I understand it, you should do a move-in walk through whenever possible and have them complete all of the initial boxes before handing over the keys, like a car rental.
Rental Property Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
13y
We fill out the condition report as we think it to be, go room by room, and hand note anything they notice, have them sign it and initial each page. We take it home, photocopy it, and bring it back the next day as a chance to see how move in is going. Once we had someone contact us to record a missing screen, which we thought was reasonable and noted. This way you are not at their mercy at all.
Investor · Vienna, VA · Member since 2011 · 158 posts · 45 votes
13y
What I do is fill out the condition form myself (documented with about 150 pictures) and then have them sign it before I give them the keys (the form also states they have 5 days to add anything that I missed--they can either send me a certified letter or e-mail). I wouldn't leave it to the tenant to fill out this very important piece of information/court evidence.