The first hour in a rented flat decides the deposit argument

Almost every dispute over a security deposit is a dispute about what the flat looked like when the tenant moved in. The tenant remembers a stained wall, the landlord remembers a freshly painted one, and neither has evidence.

Whoever has dated photographs generally prevails. So spend an hour on the first day, before the furniture arrives:

1. Photograph every room, fixture and appliance.
2. Write down every defect.
3. Ask the landlord to sign the list, or at least acknowledge it on WhatsApp.

It is an awkward conversation for ten minutes and it settles the last day of the tenancy. Also check the paperwork before you take the keys: a signed rent agreement with every page initialled, and a receipt for the deposit.

The free tenant move-in checklist from My Property Pages has 6 sections and 45 checks, and you can print it or edit it in Word.