Move-in and move-out photo checklist
Last reviewed 20 October 2026 · by Eddy Hwang
The aim is not hundreds of photos. It is one clear photo for each spot that could be questioned later, plus a sentence about what it shows.
Start with the whole room, then the details
For each room, one wide photo from the doorway shows the general state. Then add close-ups only where there is something to note: a mark, a chip, a stain, a missing part. A close-up without a wide photo can be hard to place; a wide photo without a close-up can be too small to read.
In MoveRecord, make one item per close-up you care about, for example “Kitchen counter, left of sink”. Then the move-out photo has a clear partner.
Room-by-room list
| Area | Spots worth a photo |
|---|---|
| Entry and halls | Front door inside and out, lock and handle, door frame, floor at the entrance, light switches. |
| Living areas | Each wall (marks, holes, fixings), floor or carpet (stains, wear paths), skirting boards, windows, curtains or blinds, heating and cooling units. |
| Kitchen | Bench or counter tops, sink and tap, under-sink cabinet (water marks), cupboard doors and hinges, oven inside, stovetop, range hood filter, fridge inside if supplied. |
| Bathroom and laundry | Basin, tap, shower screen or curtain rail, tub, grout and silicone (mould), toilet, mirror, exhaust fan, floor drain, washing machine taps. |
| Bedrooms | Walls, carpet, wardrobe doors and rails, windows and screens. |
| Outside | Balcony or yard, fences, letterbox, parking space, bins supplied with the home. |
| Safety items | Smoke alarms, fire blanket, keys and remotes laid out together in one photo. |
Write notes that a stranger could follow
- Say where: “left wall, 1 m from the window, at shoulder height”.
- Say what and how big: “three pin holes”, “scratch about 5 cm”.
- Say if something does not work: “hot tap drips”, “oven light out”.
- At move-out, say whether it changed: “same as move-in”, or what is new.
Official forms come first. If your landlord or agent gives you a condition report, fill it in and keep a copy. Consumer Affairs Victoria, for example, advises renters to note anything dirty, damaged or not working and to take photos of pre-existing damage to support those notes (source). A MoveRecord PDF can sit next to that form; it does not replace it.
How many photos?
MoveRecord holds up to 20 items with two photos each. For a typical one or two bedroom flat that is enough for the spots that matter. If you want more, make a second record per floor or per room group and download each one.