Home › Renters
Rental inspection checklist: room-by-room checks to protect your bond
Most bond disputes come down to one question: what condition was it in when you moved in? A careful entry inspection, with dated photos, is your best answer.
Use your state's official form first
Most states have an official condition report or a required form. In NSW, see the residential tenancy condition report. Other states: VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, NT. A checklist like the one below helps you fill it in thoroughly; it doesn't replace it.
Room by room
- Walls and ceilings: marks, holes, hooks, cracks, mould.
- Floors: stains, scratches, worn carpet, loose tiles.
- Windows and doors: locks, screens, blinds, cracks, sliding doors running smoothly.
- Kitchen: oven and cooktop, rangehood, inside cupboards, taps, dishwasher.
- Bathroom: grout, silicone, exhaust fan, water pressure, signs of leaks.
- Safety: smoke alarms present and working.
- Outside: garden, fences, clothesline, garage.
Photos that hold up
Take wide shots of each room, then close-ups of every defect, with something for scale. Keep the original files (they carry the date), and send a copy with your signed report to the agent so there's a record both sides have.
At the end of the lease
Repeat the same photos in the same order. Comparing entry and exit side by side makes it easy to separate fair wear and tear from damage.
Want it done for you? Rental Inspection Report & Condition Checklist Australia (PDF, DOCX, XLSX)
A companion checklist for renters and landlords, not an official condition report: room-by-room checks, a photo log, and a tracker that flags entry vs exit changes.
- Fillable 18-page A4 PDF: rooms, photo log, smoke alarms, exit, bond notes
- Editable .docx
- .xlsx tracker that flags entry vs exit changes
- Links to each state's official form (checked 15 Nov 2026)
US$7.99 one-time on Whop. Instant download.
See it on Whop →Related guides
- NSW rental application: what to prepare (and what to keep private)
- Moving house checklist for Australia: timeline and who to tell
- How to split rent fairly by room size (and split the bills)
General information only, not legal advice. Not an official form; use your state's official condition report where one is required. Last checked 16 Nov 2026.