Rental Inspection Toolkit for SA landlords & agents
Practical South African guides for recording property condition at move-in, during the tenancy, and when the tenant moves out.
A useful inspection report is more than a pile of photographs. It shows when the property was inspected, what each image records, which defects were already there, and what changed by the end of the lease. This page pulls the main inspection steps together so you can find the right guide for wherever a tenancy is right now.
Your first inspection report is free — no card required.
Last reviewed 2026-08-04
The four inspection stages of a tenancy
Jump to the stage you're dealing with. Each one has its own job — and its own way of going wrong.
Record the starting condition and agree it with the tenant.
Track maintenance and wear during the lease — proportionately.
Compare the outgoing condition against the incoming record.
Understand what your records can — and can't — prove.
Move-in
The incoming inspection sets the baseline. Its whole purpose is to agree, in writing and with photos, what condition the property was in on the day the tenant took it over — so that months later there's a shared starting point instead of two conflicting memories.
Do it as a joint walk-through and keep it methodical:
- Go room by room in a fixed order so nothing is skipped.
- Take a wide context shot of each room, then close-ups of any existing wear or damage.
- Record keys and remotes handed over, and the meter readings (water, electricity, prepaid).
- Note fixed items and any inventory — appliances, blinds, light fittings.
- Let the tenant add comments or acknowledge the report, so the baseline is genuinely shared.
The guides below go deeper on the checklist, the photographs, and how this stage differs from move-out.
A practical, room-by-room move-in inspection checklist for South African landlords and agents — what to photograph, how to rate condition, and how to get it signed so deposits aren't a fight later.
A practical method for photographing move-in and move-out inspections in South Africa — the shot sequence, lighting, labels and privacy that make the photos actually hold up later.
Under South Africa's Rental Housing Act the incoming and outgoing inspections do different jobs — what each one records, when it happens, and why skipping either can cost you the deposit claim.
Routine inspections
Between move-in and move-out, a routine inspection documents how the property is holding up — maintenance that's due, small problems before they become expensive ones, and any repairs you've agreed to. It's about the condition of the place, not checking up on the tenant.
- Keep visits focused and proportionate — a quarterly or twice-yearly condition check reads as ordinary management.
- Give reasonable notice and respect the tenant's privacy; photograph the building, not their belongings.
- Write down repairs that were agreed, and follow up on anything the tenant reported.
- Keep every routine record attached to the same property history, so move-out has the full picture.
Move-out
The outgoing inspection only means something in comparison with the incoming record. Pull up the original report before you start, and work through the property the same way, room by room, noting what has changed.
- Compare each room against its move-in photos — that contrast is the point of the exercise.
- Photograph changes clearly, keeping context shots and defect close-ups distinct.
- Record the date and let both parties add comments or sign.
- Describe what you see plainly; don't leap to conclusions about cause or cost in the report itself.
The comparison guide and the photography method both apply directly here.
Under South Africa's Rental Housing Act the incoming and outgoing inspections do different jobs — what each one records, when it happens, and why skipping either can cost you the deposit claim.
A practical method for photographing move-in and move-out inspections in South Africa — the shot sequence, lighting, labels and privacy that make the photos actually hold up later.
Evidence & deposit disputes
When a deposit deduction is challenged, no single document settles it on its own. A report proves something existed on a date; it doesn't prove who caused a change or what a fair repair costs. What carries weight is the whole picture, in order:
- The incoming and outgoing records, side by side, showing what actually changed.
- Photographs with clear context and dates.
- Invoices and quotations for the work claimed.
- Messages and maintenance records showing what was reported and when.
- Signed acknowledgements from both parties.
Chronology and context are what turn a folder of files into evidence. The guide walks through each type and where it falls short.
A practical inspection checklist
Useful on its own, whether or not you ever use TenantSpect. Work top to bottom on the day.
- ✓ Confirm the scope — which inspection is this?
- ✓ Have the previous report to hand.
- ✓ Check phone battery and storage.
- ✓ Confirm access and who'll be there.
- ✓ Follow a fixed room order.
- ✓ Capture a wide context shot per room.
- ✓ Photograph defects up close.
- ✓ Record keys, meters and inventory items.
- ✓ Add plain descriptions as you go.
- ✓ Check no room was missed.
- ✓ Confirm the date on the report.
- ✓ Review any unclear images.
- ✓ Record both parties' comments.
- ✓ Issue or store the final report securely.
Do the inspection on your phone, keep the record together
TenantSpect is a South African tool for running the inspection itself and keeping every part of the record in one place. It helps you:
- ✓ Run a structured, room-by-room inspection.
- ✓ Attach photos to each room and item.
- ✓ Add written notes and condition ratings.
- ✓ Capture signatures from both parties on the report.
- ✓ Download a PDF report (watermarked on the free plan).
- ✓ Send a secure share link on the paid plans.
- ✓ Keep every inspection tied to the same property.
- — It isn't legal advice.
- — It doesn't decide who is liable for damage.
- — It doesn't guarantee you'll recover money from a deposit.
- — It can't rescue an inspection that was done poorly or too late.
Your first inspection report is free — no card.
Create a free inspection reportInspection terms, defined
Plain definitions for the terms used above. The context throughout is renting in South Africa.
- Incoming inspection
- A joint inspection done as the tenant moves in, recording the property's condition — with photos and notes — to set an agreed baseline for the tenancy.
- Outgoing inspection
- An inspection done when the tenant moves out, comparing the property's condition against the incoming record to see what changed during the lease.
- Routine inspection
- A periodic check during the tenancy, on reasonable notice, that documents maintenance and wear without interfering with the tenant's use of their home.
- Condition report
- The written, dated record of an inspection — room-by-room notes, ratings and photographs — ideally acknowledged or signed by both landlord and tenant.
- Inspection photograph
- An image taken to record condition: a wide context shot showing the whole room, or a close-up showing a specific defect, tied to a date.
- Evidence in a deposit dispute
- The combined records — incoming and outgoing reports, dated photos, invoices, messages and signatures — that together show what changed, when, and at what cost. No single item proves fault by itself.
- What TenantSpect does
- A South African web app and PWA for running move-in, routine and move-out inspections: structured room-by-room reports with photos, notes, condition ratings and signatures, kept together per property and exported as a PDF (with secure share links on the paid plans). It records the inspection; it doesn't give legal advice or decide liability.
Choosing an applicant first?
TenantSpect starts once a tenancy is beginning — it documents the property at handover and through the lease. If you're still deciding between applicants, that's a different job. TenantLens adds rental-history and landlord-reference context alongside your usual screening, so you go into the inspection with a tenant you've actually checked.
Where to start
If the tenant hasn't moved in yet, start by recording the property's current condition. If the tenancy is ending, find the original report before you do the outgoing inspection — the comparison is what gives the later record its meaning.