When you move into an apartment, be sure walk through the apartment with the property manager or landlord and do a full inspection. The rental home should be clean when you move in and when you move out.
As part of the lease agreement that the tenant signs, you are agreeing to leave the rental property in the same condition as it was in when you first moved in, except for normal wear and tear.
BE A SMART RENTER:
- Don’t skip the inspection! It is important to do a full walk-through tour of your new apartment before or shortly after you move in.
- Repairs: If there are any items that need to be repaired or replaced, tell the landlord/property manager of the problem. Write down when you communicated with them and agree on when they will fix the problem.
- Take photos: To help resolve possible future disagreements, tenants may want to take photos of the apartment before move-in and after move-out. Store the photos in a secure place (even if they are on your phone) so you can find them if you need them.
*Use our Move-In Move-Out Checklist and Renting-in-Indiana-Checklists to help document the condition of the property. *
Photo credit: Chris Benson/Unsplash
Updated: 9/2/2025