Move-in/move-out inspection — checklist + photos + signature

In Quebec, unlike in some other places, move-in inspection is not legally required. But it's your only protection against unfair landlord accusations at move-out. Housing committees handle hundreds of cases each year where landlords wrongfully retain money "for damage that already existed".

⚠️ In Quebec, no security deposit is legal. But the landlord can still sue you at the TAL after move-out for damage they claim you caused. The inspection is your proof.

Why do a move-in inspection?

• 📷 Written and photographic evidence of the unit's initial state
• 🛡️ Protection against abusive retentions on deposits or TAL claims
• 📋 List of issues to fix before fully moving in
• 🤝 Clear framework between you and the landlord from day one
• 📊 Reference for move-out: what was already broken isn't your responsibility

When to do the move-in inspection?

The day of move-in, ideally before bringing in furniture. If impossible: within 7 days, noting the defects in a registered letter to the landlord.

If the landlord refuses a joint inspection, do it alone with photos + written testimonies from a friend present.

Detailed room-by-room checklist

🚪 Entry and entrance hall

• Front door (paint, locks, peephole)
• Floor (stains, scratches, loose boards)
• Walls (holes, cracks, stains)
• Ceiling (moisture stains, cracks)
• Switches and outlets (functional, clean)
• Baseboards (intact, clean)

🍳 Kitchen

• Counter (stains, burns, scratches)
• Cabinets and drawers (hinges, fronts, clean inside)
• Sink and faucet (functional, no rust)
• Fridge (clean inside, intact gaskets, working)
• Stove (clean burners, working oven)
• Dishwasher if present (programs, pressure)
• Hood (clean filter, working)
• Backsplash (intact tiles, grout)
• Floor (linoleum/tiles intact)
• Drawers open, hinges tight

🛁 Bathroom

• Toilet (bowl, seat, working flush)
• Sink (no cracks, clean drain)
• Tub/shower (enamel, silicone seals, fixtures)
• Tile (intact, grout not blackened)
• Mirror and medicine cabinet
• Fan (working)
• Floor (no humidity warping)
• Ceiling (moisture stains, mold)

🛋️ Living room

• Floor (scratches, stains, loose boards)
• Walls (holes, stains, recent paint?)
• Ceiling (cracks, stains)
• Windows (intact glass, mechanisms, screens)
• Provided blinds or curtains
• Heater/radiator (paint, working)
• Outlets and switches

🛏️ Bedrooms

• Floor
• Walls and ceiling
• Windows (locks, screens)
• Closets (hinges, shelves, rods)
• Heater
• Smoke detector (working, recent battery)

🧺 Laundry room

• Provided machines (washer, dryer) — model, condition, working
• Connections (watertight hoses)
• Floor pan (drainage)

🌡️ Heating system

• Type (electric, gas, oil)
• Thermostats (working, programmable?)
• Heaters/radiators in each room
• Filters (recently changed?)

🚪 Extras

• Balcony or terrace (floor condition, railing)
• Storage locker (dry, access)
• Parking (number, ground condition)
• Mailbox (key, condition)

Photo rules — the proof that counts

Mandatory format

• 📅 Timestamp enabled (date + time on photo, check camera settings)
• 📐 General photos of each room (4 angles)
• 🔍 Detail photos of each defect/damage (close-up)
• 📏 Scale visible on defects (place a coin or pencil next to it)
• 💡 Good lighting (lights on + daylight)
• 📦 Empty unit ideally (but not mandatory)

Must-photograph list

1. Each room from 4 angles
2. Meters (Hydro, water, gas) with reading visible
3. All existing defects (close-up + general photo)
4. All equipment (stove, fridge, dishwasher, machines)
5. Locks and keys
6. Electrical panels (panel, fuses)
7. Outside if applicable (balcony, yard, locker)

Photo storage

• ☁️ Cloud (Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox) — auto backup
• 📧 Email yourself (proof of date)
• 💾 Keep originals for the entire lease + 3 years
• 🔒 Untouched metadata (don't edit photos)

The written inspection document

No official form exists in Quebec. Recommended structure:

Move-in inspection — [full address]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Tenant: [full name]
Landlord: [full name]

Room by room (check: Good / Acceptable / Bad / Defect to flag)
• Kitchen — counter: [state]
• Kitchen — cabinets: [state]
... (continue for each item)

Meters:
• Hydro-Québec: [reading]
• Water: [reading if applicable]

Keys provided: [number + types]
Photos: [number] photos attached as appendix (email)

Done in [city], on [date]
Tenant signature: ___________
Landlord signature: ___________

Normal wear vs damage (must-know)

In Quebec, tribunals distinguish normal wear (you don't pay for) from damage (you may owe).

✅ Normal wear (NOT your responsibility)

• Chair marks on walls at backrest level
• Small dust marks in corners
• Faded paint after 5+ years
• Slightly worn wood floor after 10 years
• Yellowed silicone seals
• Slight yellowing of outlet plates
• Small nail holes (hanging décor)

🚩 Damage (YOUR responsibility)

• Holes larger than 3 cm in walls
• Cigarette burn on floor or counter
• Permanent uncleanable stain
• Floor damaged by leak (that you didn't report)
• Broken window
• Locks changed without authorization
• Pets having scratched walls or floor
• Mold caused by your lack of ventilation

Move-out inspection

Repeat the same process at move-out, ideally with the landlord present. Compare to the move-in inspection.

Steps

1. Deep clean before inspection (kitchen, bathroom, floor)
2. Repair small damage that's your responsibility (holes, paint)
3. Schedule the landlord in writing (letter or email) for inspection
4. Redo photos + document with them
5. Note final meters
6. Hand over keys in person with written acknowledgment
7. Recover your deposit (if applicable, but reminder: illegal in Quebec)

Common disputes — what ends up at TAL

• 🚩 Landlord charges "repairs" that are normal wear
• 🚩 Landlord claims damage existed at start without proof
• 🚩 Landlord didn't do a move-in inspection and now disputes
• 🚩 Landlord invents damage after your move-out (before next tenant)
• 🚩 Landlord charges abusive cleaning fees
• 🚩 Landlord retains deposit (illegal anyway)

In all these cases, your move-in inspection + photos is the proof that saves you. Without it, it's your word against theirs, and the TAL might partially side against you.

Dispute letter template

"Dear Sir/Madam,

Following your demand for $[amount] for repairs at my former unit [address], I contest this claim.

Please find attached the move-in inspection signed on [date] and [number] photos taken that day. These documents establish that the defects you allege already existed when I arrived, or constitute normal wear of the unit.

I invite you to withdraw this demand. Otherwise, I will file with the TAL to assert my rights.

Best regards,
[Name, signature, date]"

How Coloka helps with your inspection

• ✅ Inspection template downloadable as PDF (French + English)
• ✅ Secure storage of your move-in photos in your account
• ✅ Messaging with landlord to confirm inspection date
• ✅ Verified listings with detailed photos from the start

Resources

• TAL — file a contestation
• RCLALQ — housing committees, free help
• Apartment viewing checklist
• Breaking a lease in Quebec

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Final tip: print this checklist and bring it on move-in day. Doing the inspection in 30-45 minutes at the start is your insurance against disputes that can last months and cost thousands of dollars.

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