What should tenants record at check-in?

Rental inventory checklist: the Inventory List

The Inventory List is the first record to check when you move into a rented HDB flat. Under CEA's tenancy agreement template for HDB flats, clause 14.1 says that when the landlord hands over possession at the start of the term, the landlord prepares two copies of the Inventory List (Annexure B) for your endorsement. Each party keeps one copy. The list is conclusive evidence of the condition of the furniture and fixtures in the flat, for the agreement and for any extension, renewal or continuation of the tenancy.

Annexure B in the template describes the quantity and condition of each piece of furniture, fixture and fitting. It is set out by area: living area, dining area, master bedroom, bedroom 2, bedroom 3, attached bathroom, common toilet, kitchen and keys. Each line has three columns: Description, Quantity and Remarks. This is your check-in inventory: rental contents, item by item.

Read every line before you endorse it, and raise any missing item, wrong quantity or unrecorded fault with the landlord first.

The Property Condition Report

The second record is yours to prepare. Under CEA's template, clause 15.1 says the tenant prepares two copies of the Property Condition Report (Annexure C) for the landlord's endorsement, and each party keeps one copy. It describes the condition of the flat at the start of the term and is conclusive evidence, including for any extension, renewal or continuation.

Clause 15.1 asks for it within the Problem-Free Period, and the form itself says within 30 days of the start of the term, so check the dates in your own agreement.

Used room by room, Annexure C's headings work as a rental defect list (template).

Photos and timestamps

Annexure C has a Photo entry beside each condition heading, from floors to curtains and drapes, alongside Move In and Move Out columns (template). Appliances and furniture are recorded item by item, with Move In and Move Out entries.

What follows is practical advice, not a rule in the template or from any agency. At move-in, photograph each room as a whole, then each existing mark you note on the report, such as a stain on a floor, a hole in a wall or a scratch on a table.

The same report later takes its Move Out entries, so photos taken from similar angles make the two sets easier to compare. For the rest of moving day, see the moving house checklist.

Agreeing the list with the landlord

Under CEA's template, clause 4.1 says that during the Problem-Free Period, defects you identify and bring to the landlord's attention in writing are for the landlord to rectify. After that period, clause 4.2 makes the tenant pay for minor repairs up to the amount set in ITEM 10 of the agreement. So report defects in writing within that period, and keep a copy.

CEA's guidance on renting says you can negotiate the terms and conditions of the tenancy with the other party before signing. It also says a property agent's role ends once the landlord and tenant have signed the tenancy agreement and the property is handed over. Facilitating repairs to faulty appliances or furniture during the tenancy is property management, not estate agency work, and falls outside CEA's regulatory purview.

For repair costs after you move in, see who pays for repairs in a rental. The tenant and landlord FAQ answers related questions, including the Problem-Free Period and deposits.

The full check-in checklist

Use this list when you get the keys.

• Check each Inventory List item against the flat, area by area.
• Confirm the quantity on each line.
• Note the condition of each item in the Remarks column.
• Count the keys and check them against the list.
• Go through each Annexure C heading, room by room.
• Record appliances and furniture item by item.
• Photograph each room and each existing mark.
• Keep the original photo files and share copies with the landlord.
• Report defects to the landlord in writing within the Problem-Free Period.
• Endorse both copies of each record and keep one.
• Under CEA's template, clause 4.4: keep an aircon servicing contract with servicing at least once every 3 months, and send the landlord a copy within 30 days of the start of the term.

When the tenancy ends, the end of tenancy checklist covers the move-out steps. If you book move-out cleaning, the price depends on the job, so compare what each company publishes. For minor repairs you arrange yourself after the Problem-Free Period, use find the right service to see which trade fits the job.

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