Form 1a: Entry condition report

Who sends or completes it?

The property manager or owner prepares, signs and gives the first copy to the tenant.

When is it used?

At the start of a house, unit, townhouse or other general tenancy.

Read the entire form, including its notes and timeframes. The correct next step can depend on your agreement type, the stated reason, how the document was delivered and what has already happened.

Start the inspection before you unpack

Form 1a is the baseline for a general tenancy. It is not a promise that the property is new; it records the condition and the inclusions that were supplied when the tenancy began. Walk through before furniture, boxes and rugs hide walls, floors, cupboards, windows or appliances. If the property is occupied when you inspect it, note what you could not reasonably see and ask for a follow-up inspection.

Take the report, the agreement and your own camera through the property in the same order. Record the date and the room or item in every photograph. A wide photograph shows where an issue is; a close photograph shows the detail. Keep the original files rather than relying only on compressed images sent through a messaging app.

Inspect each room and supplied inclusion

Use a repeatable route: entrance, living areas, bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, outdoor areas, parking and storage. Open cupboards, test doors and windows, look under sinks, and check supplied appliances without creating a safety risk. Record marks, chips, stains, mould, missing parts, dents, loose handles, damaged flyscreens and anything that is not clean or working as expected.

The outside areas matter too. Photograph fences, gates, paths, gardens, bins, letterboxes, remotes and parking spaces. List every key, fob and remote separately. If a meter reading is visible, record it with the date. A short note such as ‘rear bedroom wall—small blue mark beside window’ is far stronger than ‘some damage in bedroom’ months later.

Add your comments instead of silently accepting the first copy

The manager or owner generally prepares and signs the first version, but the tenant can add comments and identify differences. Do not cross out a description without explaining the correction. If the report says ‘good’ but the carpet has a large stain, write the location and attach a photograph. If an item cannot be tested, say why and report it when access becomes possible.

Separate an observation from a conclusion. ‘Water marks under the laundry tap on 12 September’ is evidence; ‘the owner caused the leak’ is a conclusion that may require more investigation. Ask for repairs in a separate written message so the condition record and the repair request can be found independently.

Return the completed report within the seven-day window

For a general tenancy, the tenant normally has seven days to return the completed report. Check the exact start and receipt dates, because the period is tied to when the report or possession was provided under the current RTA process. Send it using a method that gives you a copy and evidence of delivery, such as the agency portal or a reply email with the attachment.

Do not wait for an agent to agree with every comment before returning the report. Your signed version records what you say the condition was. Keep the version you sent, the delivery record and any reply. If the manager later supplies a revised copy, compare it with your original rather than deleting your own evidence.

Keep the report for the final comparison

The completed Form 1a becomes the reference point when the tenancy ends. Store it with dated photos, repair requests and receipts in a folder labelled with the property address and tenancy dates. Back it up somewhere separate from the phone that took the photographs. A clear file name such as ‘2026-09-12 kitchen sink underside’ makes later searching much easier.

If a proposed bond deduction refers to a mark or repair that was present at the start, point to the exact entry-report comment and photograph. The report does not prevent a claim for new tenant-caused damage, but it helps separate pre-existing condition from deterioration during the tenancy. Ask the RTA or QSTARS for individual guidance if the evidence is disputed.