What to Photograph at Move-In: A Room-by-Room Evidence List

Why photos matter under the deposit rules

North Carolina lets your landlord take deductions from your security deposit and requires an itemized accounting. (N.C.G.S. §§ 42-51, 42-53.)

A dispute about 'damage' is really a dispute about the home's condition at move-in. Dated photos settle it with facts, not memory.

The room-by-room shot list

Kitchen: appliances inside and out, counters, sink and under-sink, floor. Bathroom: tub or shower, toilet, sink, tiles, floor. Bedroom: walls, floors, closets, windows. Living areas: floors, walls, blinds or curtains, doors.

Everywhere: meters, thermostat, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and anything already worn, stained, cracked, or broken.

Photograph from the doorway first, then close-ups of anything worth noting. A wide shot plus detail is stronger than either alone.

Log up to five photos per area

Add your photos in the Move-In Logger — up to five per area — with the date each was taken and a short note in your own words. 'Stain on carpet, bedroom 1' beats 'carpet was bad'.

Download the dated report

Any time you want, download a free Move-In Condition Report PDF: your areas, notes, photo thumbnails, and the dates you entered.