Signing the rental agreement and collecting the keys is only half of the move-in process. The other half — the part that protects your security deposit when you eventually move out — is the Move-In Inspection Checklist. This is the document where you and your landlord record the exact condition of the apartment or villa on the day you take over, so that pre-existing scratches, stains and faults cannot be pinned on you later.
In the UAE’s rental market, where security deposits are typically 5% of annual rent for unfurnished units and up to 10% for furnished ones, a careful move-in inspection is one of the simplest ways to protect your money. This guide walks you through how to prepare, what to check room by room, and how to record everything so the checklist actually holds up at move-out.
Quick Answer
A Move-In Inspection Checklist is a written and photo record of the property’s condition, completed on or before the day you move in. Walk through every room with your landlord or agent, note every defect, stain, scratch and faulty item, photograph everything with timestamps, have both parties sign and date the report, and keep a copy. This report becomes your evidence at move-out, protecting your security deposit from disputes over pre-existing damage.
Why the Move-In Inspection Matters in the UAE
When a tenancy ends in the UAE, landlords have the right to deduct the cost of damage beyond normal wear and tear from your security deposit. The problem is that “damage” is a matter of opinion — and without a signed move-in report, it is your word against the landlord’s about whether that cracked tile was already there.
A documented inspection solves this by creating a shared, agreed-upon record on day one. If the report notes a stain on the living-room carpet at move-in, the landlord cannot charge you for it at move-out. This is also why the inspection works best when both parties walk through together: a signed report carries far more weight in a rental dispute than a private set of photos taken by one side only.
What to Prepare Before the Inspection
Do the inspection before your furniture arrives if you possibly can — empty rooms make defects far easier to spot. Schedule it in daylight, since natural light reveals marks and stains that ceiling lights hide. Bring the following:
- A printed checklist (the room-by-room guide below works as one)
- A smartphone with enough storage for dozens of timestamped photos and short videos
- A torch or phone flashlight for dark corners, under sinks and behind appliances
- Two pens, so both parties can sign the report on the spot
- Your rental agreement, so you can confirm which appliances and fittings the landlord is responsible for
If you have already completed the broader checks from how to check a rental property before moving in, the inspection is simply the formal, recorded version of that walkthrough — now with both signatures on it.
Room-by-Room Move-In Inspection Checklist
Every room (repeat for each)
- Walls: scuffs, dents, nail holes, peeling paint, damp patches or mould — photograph each mark
- Floors: scratches on wood, cracked or chipped tiles, stained carpet edges, grout condition
- Ceilings: water stains (a sign of a leak above), cracks, discolouration
- Doors: locks, handles, hinges, alignment, and whether each door closes properly
- Windows: glass cracks or chips, locks, seals, curtain rods or blinds, whether each opens and closes
- Switches and sockets: test every single one — dead sockets are among the most commonly overlooked items
- Light fixtures: working bulbs, shades, fan speed settings where fitted
Kitchen
- All appliances listed in the tenancy contract: oven, hob, extractor, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine — switch each one on and confirm it works
- Kitchen cabinets and drawers: open every one; check hinges, handles and interior stains
- Sink and taps: run the water, check pressure and drainage, look for leaks under the sink
- Worktops: burns, cuts, chips, lifting edges
- Grout and seals around the sink and splashback: missing or blackened sealant invites mould
Bathrooms
- Flush every toilet; check the cistern refills and the base for leaks
- Run taps and showers; check water pressure, temperature and drainage
- Tiles and grout: cracks, missing grout, mould in corners
- Extractor fan: does it switch on and actually extract air?
- Mirrors, shelves and towel rails: secure and undamaged
- Under-sink cabinet: any sign of past leaks, damp or warped board
Bedrooms, living areas and balconies
- Built-in wardrobes: doors, rails, drawers, internal condition
- Air-conditioning: run each unit for a few minutes, check cooling and note any unusual noise — AC disputes are common in the UAE
- Balcony: tiles, railing stability, drainage outlet, exterior wall condition
- Water heater (if accessible): age, visible rust, pilot or indicator lights
Common areas and exterior (villas and shared buildings)
- Parking bay: number matches the contract, lines visible, no damage to walls
- Storage or maid’s room: lock, light, condition
- Villa exterior: gate and locks, garden irrigation, external paint, boundary walls
- Shared building: note any damage to the unit’s front door, intercom function and mailbox
How to Record the Condition Properly
A checklist of ticks is a start, but written detail is what protects you. For every item that is not in perfect condition, write a short note: location, item, and the defect (“Master bedroom, south wall: two nail holes and a 30cm scuff at skirting height”). Vague entries like “walls okay” help no one.
Photograph every defect you note, plus take wide establishing shots of each room. Keep the phone’s date and time stamp on, and back the photos up to cloud storage the same day — if you need them a year later at move-out, a dead phone should not be the end of your evidence. Our guide to how to document property condition explains photo standards and what to include so your records hold up in a dispute.
Video walkthroughs are a useful supplement: a slow, continuous video through each room, narrating what you see, is hard to dispute and takes only minutes. It does not replace the written checklist, but it strengthens it.
Getting the Report Signed
The single most important step: both you and the landlord (or the authorised agent) must sign and date the final report, ideally on the same day as the walkthrough. Each of you keeps an identical copy. If the landlord will not attend, complete the inspection anyway, photograph everything, and email the report to the landlord the same day — a timestamped email creates a record that the landlord saw it.
If the agent conducts the inspection, make sure they have written authorisation from the landlord to sign on their behalf. An agent’s signature without authority is weak evidence.
What Happens If You Find Problems
Move-in inspections frequently turn up faults the previous viewing missed — a common reason the viewing checklist and the formal inspection should be treated as separate steps. For anything that affects habitability or safety — leaks, broken locks, dead AC in summer, non-working water heater — report it to the landlord in writing immediately and ask for a repair deadline. Our guide to how to report maintenance problems covers how to file requests so there is a paper trail.
For minor cosmetic issues, you generally do not need repairs — you just need them recorded so they are not charged to you later. But do not let the landlord wave away a fault verbally (“I’ll fix that next week”) without writing it in the report; verbal promises evaporate, written ones do not.
If your landlord asks you to pay for pre-existing damage or withholds your deposit unfairly at the end of the tenancy, keep your maintenance request records alongside the move-in report — together they show exactly what was wrong, when, and who was responsible.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing the inspection. A proper walkthrough of a two-bedroom apartment takes 45–60 minutes. Landlords who hurry you through in ten minutes are not doing you a favour.
- Inspecting at night. Poor lighting hides stains, cracks and paint defects.
- Not testing things. Every tap, socket, switch, appliance and AC unit — “looks fine” is not an inspection.
- Skipping signatures. An unsigned checklist is just notes. Get it signed.
- Losing the copy. Store a digital copy where you can find it a year later, and keep it with your copy of the rental agreement.
- Forgetting the utilities. Read and photograph all meter readings (DEWA, gas, chilled water) at handover, and make sure your utility accounts are set up in your name from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is a move-in inspection legally required in the UAE?
There is no single federal law mandating a specific inspection form, but Dubai’s tenancy framework and standard Ejari-registered contracts reference the property’s condition, and Dubai Land Department guidance supports documenting handover condition. In practice, the inspection is your strongest protection in deposit disputes, so treat it as essential even where it is not strictly required.
Who should be present at the inspection?
Ideally you and the landlord together. If the landlord cannot attend, the authorised agent is the next best option — confirm in writing that they can sign for the landlord. A neutral third party (a friend or colleague) is also worth bringing as a witness.
What if the landlord refuses to sign the report?
Complete the inspection anyway and email the signed-by-you report with photos to the landlord the same day. The timestamped email proves the landlord was informed of the recorded condition and did not object, which is far better than no record at all.
Should I do the inspection before or after my furniture arrives?
Before, always. Furniture hides floor damage, wall marks and skirting defects. If you cannot avoid moving in first, push large items against walls last and photograph behind them.
How detailed should the report be?
More detailed than you think necessary. Note every mark, however small — a “small scratch on fridge door” costs you nothing to record now and could save you a few hundred dirhams in a deposit deduction later.
Can I use the move-in report for maintenance requests later?
Yes — the report doubles as a baseline for future maintenance claims. If something that was working at move-in breaks later, the report plus your dated maintenance requests prove it was fine at handover and failed during your tenancy through no fault of yours.
The Bottom Line
A Move-In Inspection Checklist is the cheapest insurance policy a UAE tenant can buy: an hour of careful work on day one that protects your deposit for the entire tenancy. Walk every room, test everything, write it down, photograph it, and get signatures — then file the report where you can find it when it matters. When move-out day comes, you will be glad you did.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Paxi, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Paxi is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.