In Australia, entry and exit condition reports are central to rental evidence. NSW Fair Trading describes the condition report as evidence of how the property was before a tenant moved in, and says more detail, including time-stamped photographs, can reduce disputes at the end of a tenancy. Consumer Affairs Victoria, the Queensland RTA, and WA Consumer Protection all give similar weight to condition reports and supporting photos.
The simple rule: photograph anything you would want to explain later if someone claimed it was new damage, missing, dirty, or not working. Do it before your belongings hide the surfaces at move-in, and again after the property is empty and cleaned at move-out.
Start with the whole room
For each room, take one wide photo from the doorway, then one from the opposite corner if the space is large enough. These photos give context. A close-up of a dent in a skirting board is much stronger when it sits beside a wider photo showing exactly which wall it belongs to.
Work room by room: entry, living area, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry, hallway, balcony, garage, storage cage, garden, shed, driveway, and any shared or exclusive-use outdoor areas listed in the agreement. If the property is furnished, photograph each supplied item and its condition.
Then capture the common bond flashpoints
- Walls, skirting boards, doors, frames, handles, locks, and flyscreens.
- Floors, carpet stains, lifted boards, cracked tiles, rugs, and thresholds.
- Kitchen benches, cupboards, sink, tapware, splashback, cooktop, oven, rangehood, dishwasher, and fridge space.
- Bathroom grout, mirrors, vanity, drains, shower screen, bath, toilet, exhaust fan, and signs of mould or water damage.
- Windows, blinds, curtains, curtain rods, tracks, security screens, and broken or stiff fittings.
- Light fittings, power points, smoke alarms, air conditioners, heaters, hot water systems, and any remote controls.
- Outdoor areas, bins, fencing, paving, lawns, gardens, letterbox, clothesline, and existing rubbish.
Take a photo of each meter reading if you have access to it. If you receive keys, fobs, garage remotes, parking permits, or swipe cards, photograph them together before handover and again when you return them.
Make each photo useful
A useful inspection photo usually has three parts: a wide context shot, a close-up of the issue, and a note that names the room and problem. Instead of a camera roll full of mystery images, aim for captions like "Bedroom 2 - chip in paint above left power point" or "Kitchen - oven door seal loose at move-in".
Time matters too. Queensland's RTA gives an example where date-stamped photos helped a tenant dispute a bond claim for bedroom wall marks that were recorded at entry. WA Consumer Protection recommends photos with date stamps. Victoria recommends dating and labelling photos and attaching them to the condition report. If your phone or reporting tool records capture time automatically, keep that metadata intact where possible.
Know your local timing
Each state and territory has its own rules. As examples, NSW tenants are told to return the completed condition report within seven days of moving in. Queensland tenants must return the signed and completed entry condition report within seven days after occupying the premises or receiving the report, whichever is later. Victoria uses five business days. WA tenants should return one completed copy within seven days of receiving the property condition report.
That is why the safest habit is to photograph early. At move-in, do it before unpacking. At move-out, do it after cleaning, after removing your items, and before returning the keys.
Do not skip ordinary wear
Small scuffs, loose handles, old chips, tired carpet edges, and worn grout are exactly the details people forget. The point is not to make the property look bad. It is to create a fair record of what was already there. At the end of the tenancy, the entry and exit records help distinguish new damage from fair wear and tear.
Before you finish
Check the condition report one last time against your photos. If the report says "clean and undamaged" but your photos show a cracked tile, stained carpet, missing blind wand, or scratched benchtop, write that down before submitting it. Keep a copy of the report, the photo set, and any emails or messages you send with it.
Sources checked
Reviewed 26 June 2026 against official Australian tenancy authority guidance. This article is general information, not legal advice.