Who uses this form
Agents, brokers, and property managers documenting a property at walkthrough, move-in, or move-out.
How to use the property condition report form
A property condition report is a representation, and that changes how it should be filled in. Where an inspection note is wrong or vague, the consequence arrives months later in a dispute, and the standard the document will be held to is what a reasonable person would have understood it to say.
So the defects field asks for location and apparent severity per defect, and specifically for what was observed rather than what was assumed. "Water damage in the property" is not a usable record. "Staining to the ceiling below the upstairs bathroom, approximately 60cm across, dry to the touch at inspection" is - and it distinguishes an active leak from a historic one, which is the distinction a buyer or tenant cares about.
The specialist referral field exists because a general walkthrough is not an engineering survey, and saying so in the document protects everyone. Recording that a crack warranted a structural opinion is materially different from recording a judgment about whether the structure is sound.
The interior section is organised by room rather than by defect type, because that is how the property is walked and how a reader will check the report against reality. Occupancy status is captured because it constrains what could be inspected: a tenanted property with furniture against the walls was not inspected to the same standard as an empty one, and the report should not imply otherwise.
Systems are recorded with age as well as condition, because the two answer different questions. A furnace that works but is twenty-two years old is a functioning system and a foreseeable expense, and a buyer deciding on an offer needs both facts. Reporting only "operational at inspection" is accurate and unhelpful.
For tenancy use, the same document does double duty at move-in and move-out, and its value depends entirely on the two versions being comparable. That means the same rooms in the same order with the same level of detail - a thorough move-in report and a cursory move-out report cannot establish what changed, which is the only thing a deposit dispute turns on. Photographs referenced against the written record strengthen it considerably.
A closing caution on language. Words like "minor", "cosmetic", and "as expected for age" are judgments that read as observations, and they are the ones argued about afterwards. Describing what was seen and leaving the characterisation out produces a document that is harder to dispute and easier to defend.
Every field, explained
13 fields. Required fields are marked; the rest are optional.
Property
- Property AddressLong textRequired
- Full address including unit number
- Date of WalkthroughDateRequired
- Date the property was inspected
- Inspected ByText
- Who conducted the walkthrough
- Occupancy StatusChoice
- Whether the property was occupied, vacant, or tenanted at inspection
- Year BuiltNumber
- Approximate construction year, if known
Condition
- Exterior and GroundsLong text
- Roof, siding, windows, drainage, landscaping, and driveway
- Structure and FoundationLong text
- Visible cracking, settlement, moisture staining, and anything warranting specialist inspection
- Interior by RoomLong textRequired
- Condition of each room: flooring, walls, ceilings, fixtures, and any damage
- Kitchen and BathroomsLong text
- Appliances, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, ventilation, and signs of leaks
- SystemsLong text
- Heating, cooling, electrical panel, and water heater - age and apparent condition
Findings
- Defects NotedLong textRequired
- Each defect with its location and apparent severity - this section is a representation a buyer may rely on, so record what was observed rather than what was assumed
- Specialist Inspection RecommendedLong text
- Anything requiring a licensed specialist rather than a general walkthrough
- Overall ConditionChoice
- Summary assessment
What a completed form is used for
- Pre-listing condition assessment
- Move-in and move-out documentation for a tenancy
- Recording condition before and after works
- Supporting disclosure obligations on a sale
- Establishing a baseline for a deposit dispute
- Recording system age alongside condition for a purchase decision
- Identifying where a licensed specialist inspection is needed
Property Condition Report questions
What should a property condition report cover?
The property address and inspection date, who inspected and what the occupancy status was, then condition by area: exterior and grounds, structure, interior room by room, kitchen and bathrooms, and systems. Defects should be listed individually with location and apparent severity, and anything needing a licensed specialist should be flagged as such rather than judged.
How specific do defect descriptions need to be?
Specific enough that someone reading it later can find the defect and understand what was seen. Location, extent, and whether it appeared active or historic. Vague descriptions are the ones that cause disputes, because both sides can read them as supporting their position.
Is a condition report the same as a home inspection?
No, and the difference matters. A condition report records observations from a walkthrough. A home inspection is performed by a licensed inspector to a defined standard and produces findings a buyer can rely on differently. A condition report should say where a specialist inspection is recommended rather than substituting for one.
Should photographs accompany a condition report?
For tenancy and pre-purchase use, yes - and they should be referenced against the written entries rather than supplied as a separate album. A photograph proves the condition existed; the written entry explains what you concluded from it. Neither substitutes for the other in a dispute.
Can this be dictated during the walkthrough?
Yes, and it captures substantially more than writing up afterwards - the detail worth recording is noticed on site and degrades within hours. Because the finished document is a representation a buyer or tenant may rely on, it is worth having the transcript reviewed rather than filed from raw automated output.