What if no report was drawn up at move-in?

Document the condition yourself with dated photographs and report any defects you find in writing within a few days. Without any documentation it is assumed, in case of doubt, that the apartment was handed over free of defects.

How long do I have to keep the report?

Until the tenancy ends, and beyond that until all claims arising from the handover have been settled.

Process & handover

Move-In Report (Antrittsprotokoll)

Also known as: Move-in inspection report · Check-in report · Einzugsprotokoll · Übernahmeprotokoll

The move-in report (Antrittsprotokoll) documents the condition of a rented property when you move in. It is the basis for deciding which defects can be charged to the tenant at the later apartment handover and which already existed beforehand.

The most important document of the whole tenancy

At move-in the report feels like a formality. At the handover — often years later — it is the decisive evidence. Anything recorded there as a defect cannot be charged to you when you return the property. Anything missing is, in case of doubt, assumed to have been in order when you moved in.

So take your time. Check every room, open every window, test the external blinds, the appliances and the taps, look under carpets and behind cupboards. Scratches in the parquet, stains on the carpet, cracks in tile joints, broken blind slats — all of it belongs in the report.

Reporting defects afterwards is possible

If you only notice defects after moving in, you can report them later. Do so in writing and quickly — the usual window is ten to fourteen days after taking over the property. Photograph the defect and send the notification in a way that lets you prove it was dispatched.

Keep it until the tenancy ends

Store the move-in report together with your lease and take it with you to the apartment handover. A surprising number of disputes at handovers dissolve the moment the move-in report is put on the table.

A case from practice

A tenant in Uster had a water stain on the bedroom ceiling entered in the move-in report when she moved in. Six years later, at the handover, the property manager demands a contribution towards repainting that room. The move-in report proves the damage pre-existed — the claim is withdrawn.

Services that cover this

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Frequently asked questions about Move-In Report (Antrittsprotokoll)

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