What to Look for During an Apartment Inspection

A security deposit is a terrible thing to waste. To make sure that you’re doing your due diligence and aren’t going to be on the line for any issues in your rental, you’ll need to do a thorough apartment inspection both upon move in and at the end of your lease when you’re packed up and ready to go. The inspection you do upon move-in is especially important, since it will be your landlord or management company’s responsibility to fix anything that’s broken, in poor condition, or just not working up to par.

Many landlords will provide you with an apartment inspection checklist that you can use to guide yourself through the process. Others may just leave you to your own devices. Either way, take notes about any defects you find, noting what the exact problems are and where they’re located. Take photos as well for additional documentation. And to ensure that you’re doing the most comprehensive job possible, make sure you’re hitting all the key apartment inspection checkpoints listed below.

The Basics

Electric

Go around and flip all of the light switches on and off to make sure that they’re working properly. Do the same for any bathroom fans, and check each outlet to make sure it’s working as well. An easy way to do this is just to quickly plug your phone charger into each outlet. If your phone starts to charge, you’re good to go.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Your apartment is required to have at least one smoke detector, but most will have a few—one in the kitchen and one in each bedroom. If your unit has an attached garage, fireplace, and/or fuel-fired heater, it will also need to have a carbon monoxide detector. Check to make sure these devices are present and have green indicator lights letting you know they’re functioning properly.

Heating and cooling

If you have central air, turn on the heat and then the air conditioning to ensure they’re coming through each vent. If you have radiator heat, you may need to ask your landlord to turn them on for you to check, depending on the time of year. Make sure that the visible parts of your heating and cooling system appear clean and well-maintained, including filters.

Windows

Verify that all of your windows are intact, meaning no cracks or broken glass. Look for condensation in between the panes, which would suggest a hole that needs to be sealed over. You should be able to both open and lock each of your windows, and many cities require bars over the outside of the windows if you’re on the ground floor. If you have screens, check those as well, making sure they’re sturdy and have no tears. Also check that blinds or other window treatments are in good condition.

Doors

Your doors should all have working handles and be able to open and close easily. Double check all doors leading to the exterior to make sure that their locks are functioning exactly as they should.

Walls and ceilings

Take a close look at the walls and ceilings during your apartment inspection, keeping an eye out for chips and cracks, stains, mold, and signs of water damage (generally visible by either stains or an appearance of puffiness in the paint).

Flooring

If you have carpet, check for stains, rips, or other signs of damage. Check wood floors for scratches and water damage, and tile for chips and signs of mold in the grout. Unless it’s a brand new unit you can expect that your floors will have a little bit of wear and tear, but it’s better to document them in their current state when you move in than to possibly getting blamed for these things later.

General condition of the unit

Note the overall condition and cleanliness of the unit, being sure to look in easy-to-miss spots like cabinets and closets. Look for things like mold, rodent droppings, or signs of a pest infestation.

Bathrooms

Toilets

Flush toilets to make sure they drain and fill correctly. Check back a couple of minutes later to listen for any ongoing sounds of running water, which would suggest the tank is not working as it should.

Showers, tubs, and faucets

Turn on all faucets to make sure there is a good flow of water pressure, testing out both hot and cold water so you know they’re functioning properly. Look for signs of mold or mildew around drains, in grout, and on tiles or porcelain, and check for rust on the fixtures. Examine tile or porcelain in your shower, tub, and sink for chips, scratches, or cracks as well.

Cabinets

Take a look inside all bathroom cabinets for any signs of leaking water. You’ll also want to make sure cabinet doors open and close as they should and are correctly on their hinges.

General

You can tell a lot about the condition of a bathroom by how it smells. Take note if you notice a damp or musty smell, since sometimes mold or other types of water damage are not visible on the surface.

The Kitchen

Appliances

Test out each appliance to make sure it functions. Don’t forget to check each burner on the stove, the fan on the microwave or hood above your range, and other individual appliance functions that you might otherwise miss until you really need them.

Refrigerator

Look at the cleanliness of the refrigerator. In addition to being completely empty, it should also be scrubbed clean of any leftover food or stains from the previous tenant.

Sink

Check the faucet to make sure it works and look under the sink to see if there is any water leaking out of the pipes. If you have a garbage disposal, find the switch for it and make sure that works as well.

Drawers and cabinets

Drawers and cabinets should be clean and easy to open and close. This is where you’ll really want to keep an eye out for rodent droppings or bugs, since they tend to go where the food is.

Bedrooms

Closets

Take a look in the closets and make sure any built-in storage systems are sturdy and in good condition. Closet doors should open and close easily.

General

Bedrooms are usually a blank slate as far as what’s in them, so you will have already checked their main features—things like windows, floors, walls, and heating and cooling—as part of your apartment inspection. Like you did in the bathroom, note if you notice any distinctive smells, which could come from something spilled in the carpet or water damage behind the walls.

Laundry

Washer and dryer

Check that the washer and dryer drum are both clean and in good condition. Turn the knobs or press some of the buttons to ensure they’re both on and functioning. Ask your landlord about the last time your dryer’s ducts were cleaned, since over time they build up lint and can become a fire hazard.

Floor

Look for any signs of water damage around the pipes and under the washer, including any mold.

What to do if you find something wrong during your apartment inspection

As noted above, it’s crucial that you document any negative findings clearly and in writing. Take photos of damage on your phone so that each image is dated. Be as thorough as you can so that you’re completely covering your bases and so that if maintenance does need to come in they have a detailed account of what needs to be done.

After you have completed your apartment inspection, provide your landlord with your written findings. Don’t feel bad about asking for things to get fixed—it’s what landlords are there for (and, if they’re a good landlord, they’d prefer you let them know about something that’s wrong rather than let the problem get worse). Have your landlord sign off on your inspection notes after he or she looks them over. If you’re just moving in, ask when you can expect everything to be taken care of.

The apartment inspection is your time to protect yourself—and your security deposit—both during move in and move out. The more you can make note of, the better off you’ll be. Plan to devote about thirty minutes to an hour to a comprehensive inspection, and make sure to do it before you start unpacking your things if it’s your move in inspection. It may help to ask a friend or family member to help you out, since they may notice something that you missed.

You’re rarely going to find an apartment that’s perfect on all fronts. Do your apartment inspection correctly though and at least any imperfections you find will be somebody else’s responsibility.