The move-in inspection checklist every SA landlord should use
The move-in inspection is twenty minutes of work that decides every deposit argument you'll ever have with a tenant. Do it properly and the move-out conversation is short and civil. Skip it and you're relying on memory — yours against theirs — which never ends well.
South Africa's Rental Housing Act treats a joint incoming inspection as a standard term of every lease — one neither party can waive — with the list of defects meant to be attached to the written lease. Most landlords still skip it; the ones who don't are the ones who keep their deductions when a dispute reaches the Rental Housing Tribunal. So here's the checklist we'd actually use, room by room.
Before you start
Bring the tenant (it's a joint inspection), charge your phone, and put the geyser and lights on so you can test them. Photograph anything already worn or damaged — a wide shot of the room, then a close-up of the defect. Date and sign it the same day.
The room-by-room checklist
- Front door, locks, keys handed over (how many sets?)
- Walls and skirting — scuffs, cracks, holes from old fittings
- Floors, light switches, intercom/buzzer
- Walls, ceiling, cornices — damp marks or cracks
- Windows, latches, burglar bars, blinds/curtains
- Plug points and the DB board (note any tripping)
- Counters, cupboard doors and hinges, sink and taps
- Stove/oven and extractor — switch them on and check
- Under-sink for leaks; floor tiles and grouting
- Walls, built-in cupboards and rails, carpets/flooring
- Windows and that they open, close and lock
- Toilet, basin, bath/shower — run the taps, check pressure and drainage
- Tiles, sealant, signs of damp or mould, extractor fan
- Geyser age/condition if visible
- Garden, paving, gate/garage motor and remotes
- Meters (water/electricity/prepaid) — record the readings
- Pool equipment, if any
Rate the condition, don't just photograph
A photo proves something existed; a rating tells you whether it was a problem. Use a simple, consistent scale on every item so the move-out comparison is obvious:
- Excellent / Good — as-new or normal wear
- Fair — visible wear, still functional
- Poor / Damaged — needs attention; note it and photograph it
Get it signed — that's the whole point
An unsigned checklist is just notes. Both parties signing the same dated report is what makes it evidence. The friction is the killer here: tenants won't create an account or download an app to sign a form. With TenantSpect you tap through this checklist on your phone, add photos as you go, and the tenant signs on the spot — or you send them a secure link and they sign on theirs, no account needed. You get a clean PDF both of you keep.
For the why behind all this, see our companion piece on protecting a rental deposit without the move-out fight — or step back to the Rental Inspection Toolkit for the move-in, routine and move-out stages together.
The checklist above is built in. First inspection is free — no card.
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