Apartment Setup
How to Do a Move-In Inspection Before You Unpack
Use this on move-in day before boxes cover the floors, cabinets, outlets, and corners. The goal is to catch existing damage and safety issues while the apartment is still easy to photograph and report.
By FPF Operations Team. Updated June 2, 2026. Edited for renter-aware safety.
Time: 45-90 minutes. Difficulty: Easy. Safety: Low unless you find hazards.
Editorial and Safety Note
This guide is prepared by the FPF Operations Team for general home-care education. We favor dry, visible, reversible first checks, clear documentation, and early escalation to emergency services, property maintenance, your landlord, or a licensed professional when a problem involves safety systems, electricity, gas, active water, locks, HVAC, appliances, mold, pests, height, or uncertainty.
Quick Answer
Before unpacking, walk through each room with your phone, test lights and locks, check under sinks, look for stains or pest signs, photograph damage, and submit a written move-in report through the landlord or maintenance process.
Before You Start
- Do the inspection before unpacking large furniture or covering walls and floors.
- Keep all photos dated and stored in a folder you can find later.
- Report urgent hazards before sleeping in the unit if they affect locks, alarms, heat, water, or electricity.
Tools Needed
- Phone camera
- Flashlight
- Outlet tester only if you already know how to use one safely
- Notes app or notebook
- Painter's tape
- Move-in checklist or lease packet
Renter Notes
A move-in inspection protects both safety and your deposit record. Do not repair damage you did not cause; document it and send it to your landlord or maintenance team as soon as possible.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Start at the entry door and photograph the lock, frame, peephole, keys, and any visible damage.
- Walk each room clockwise and photograph walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors, outlets, and built-in fixtures.
- Open cabinets and closets, then check shelves, hinges, smells, stains, and pest evidence.
- Run faucets briefly and look under sinks for drips, swelling, rust, or old water marks.
- Test lights, smoke detectors with the test button, window locks, and provided appliances without taking anything apart.
- Submit a clear written list with photos through the official landlord or maintenance channel.
Common Mistakes
- Unpacking first and losing access to corners, floors, and cabinet backs.
- Only taking close-up photos without a wider shot that shows where the damage is.
- Assuming small stains or loose locks are not worth documenting.
Practical Renter Details
Move-in inspection proof
- Take wide photos of every room before boxes spread out, then close-ups of damage with a coin, key, or sticky note for scale.
- Photograph under sinks, around toilets, windows, balcony doors, appliance interiors, alarms, outlets, floors, ceilings, and locks.
- Send a concise written list within the building's required move-in window and keep a copy of the submission.
- Do not repair or cover damage before documenting it; that can blur whether it was pre-existing.
What to Document
- Room-by-room wide photos
- Close-ups with scale
- Date submitted
- Management confirmation or ticket number
Short Maintenance Message
Hi, I completed my move-in inspection for unit [number]. I noticed the following pre-existing items: [short list]. Photos are attached. Please confirm these are recorded on my move-in file.
What Not to Touch
- Covering damage before photos
- Throwing away move-in paperwork
- Assuming verbal notes were added to your file
Stop Point
Stop unpacking around active leaks, mold-like spots, broken locks, missing alarms, pest evidence, unsafe outlets, or appliance failures until you document and report them.
What Not to Do
- Do not repair, paint, patch, or replace items before documenting move-in condition.
- Do not open electrical panels, appliance backs, walls, ceilings, or locked utility areas.
- Do not ignore missing smoke detectors, broken locks, active leaks, or signs of pests.
When to Pause and Ask for Help
Contact your landlord or maintenance team immediately for missing alarms, broken entry locks, active leaks, electrical problems, no heat or cooling during required seasons, pest evidence, mold, or appliance failures. Call emergency services if there is fire, smoke, gas smell, carbon monoxide alarm, or immediate danger.
FAQ
Should I photograph every wall?
Yes. Wide shots plus close-ups make it easier to show damage existed before you unpacked.
What if my landlord gave me a move-in form?
Use it, but keep your own photos and written notes too.
How soon should I submit issues?
As soon as possible, ideally within the move-in reporting window listed in your lease or resident portal.
Should I test outlets?
Only use a simple outlet tester if you already know how to use it. Do not remove outlet covers or touch wiring.
Final Checklist
- Photos taken before unpacking
- Locks and windows checked
- Sinks checked for leaks
- Alarms tested
- Appliances noted
- Move-in report submitted
Discussion
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