Every landlord-tenant dispute at move-out comes down to the same question: was that scratch on the floor there before? If you and the tenant did a proper move-in inspection, the answer takes 30 seconds. If you didn't, it takes a week, lawyers' fees, and a relationship neither of you wanted to lose.
The inspection takes 45–60 minutes. Do it on the day the tenant moves in, with them present. Bring a phone and a single-page form.
The 12 photos every inspection needs
Take these with the tenant standing nearby. Send them to the tenant immediately by WhatsApp so there's a record of them seeing what you saw. If they want to point out something you missed, this is when they do it.
- Each room, wide shot showing all four walls.
- Floors — close-up of any existing scratch, scuff, or stain.
- Walls — close-up of any existing crack, hole, or mark.
- Ceilings — particularly any water staining or paint peeling.
- Window frames and panes.
- Door frames and door surfaces, including the back of each door.
- All taps and the area around them — look for limescale or drip stains.
- Toilet bowl, tank, and the floor around it.
- Shower head, drain, and tiles around the drain.
- Kitchen counter, sink, and the inside of any built-in cabinets.
- All appliances that come with the unit — front, back if accessible, and the inside.
- Utility meters — electricity and water — with the reading clearly visible.
The form you both sign
One page, two columns. Left column: list of items. Right column: condition rated 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) with a short note for anything below 4.
At the bottom, two signature lines: yours and the tenant's, with the date. The tenant gets a copy by WhatsApp, you keep one in the lease file, and ideally one is uploaded to your record system or photographed and stored in a labelled note.
The form covers:
- Floors (per room)
- Walls (per room)
- Ceilings (per room)
- Doors — interior and exterior, with hinges and locks
- Windows — frames, glass, and locks
- Bathroom fixtures
- Kitchen fixtures, counter, and sink
- Appliances, listed by name
- Furnishings, if furnished
- Meter readings
- Keys handed over — count and label
The "almost broken" problem
What about the cabinet door that closes but creaks? The tap that drips every other minute? The window latch that works if you pull it just right?
Document them as "Working, with note." Specifically: "Cabinet door, kitchen lower left — closes but creaks; not damaged but worth noting." This protects both sides. At move-out, you can't claim the tenant broke a thing that was already on its way out; and you can't be surprised when the tenant says "this was already like this when I moved in."
If it's clearly going to break in 6 months, fix it now. You'll pay less, and you'll start the tenancy with goodwill.
The form doesn't need to be a designed document. A clean A4 with the headings written by hand and a pen, completed during the walk-through and photographed at the end, is legally and practically just as good as a beautiful template. The signing is what matters.
What to do at move-out
On move-out day, do the inspection again, with the same form. Compare side by side. Anything that's worse than its move-in rating is a deduction candidate.
"Worse" means: visibly damaged beyond fair wear and tear. A normal year of use will dull surfaces; a year of dragging furniture without felt pads will scratch them. For each deduction, the tenant gets a written line item: "Floor, master bedroom — gouge in north-east corner, repair cost GHS X."
If the tenant pushes back, you have the move-in photos. Disputes get short.
Next action
Before your next move-in, print or save a copy of the 12-photo checklist and the form headings. Block 60 minutes in your calendar to do the inspection properly. Treat it as the cheapest insurance you'll buy this year.