Moving in
How to complete an entry condition report
Check Form 1a room by room, add your own comments and dated evidence, then return the signed report within seven days of the later of moving in or receiving it.
Key facts
- The manager or owner prepares and signs the first version
- The tenant has 7 days to return it
- Photos and video can support the written report
- The completed copy must be returned to the tenant within 14 days
Do not treat it as a formality
The entry report is the baseline used when condition and bond issues arise later. Test locks, taps, hot water, appliances, lights, fans, smoke alarms, power points and access devices, then record anything dirty, damaged, missing or not working.
Use specific descriptions such as location, size, colour and condition. 'Mark on wall' is weaker than 'two dark scuffs, about 8 cm, beside the bedroom door'. Add extra pages where the form has too little space.
Match photos to the form
Take wide photos that identify the room and close-ups that show the defect. Preserve the original files and make a simple index so each image can be connected to a line on the report.
Emailing a large batch of unlabelled photos is less useful than a clear set linked to room names and comments. Keep proof of when and how the evidence was sent.
Return it on time and keep the final copy
The tenant must return the signed, completed report within seven days after the later of occupying the premises or being given the report. The property manager or owner must then send the signed completed copy back within 14 days.
Store the final report, photos, video and delivery proof somewhere you can still access at the end of the tenancy. Do not leave the only copy in an agency portal.
Inspect before daily life hides the condition
Form 1a is strongest when it is completed before boxes, furniture, rugs and cleaning products cover the surfaces being recorded. Walk the property in daylight if possible and note what you could not see or test. The aim is not to reject a home for every scuff; it is to create a fair, specific starting record.
Keep the tenancy agreement and any advertisement or inspection photographs nearby. If a promised appliance, curtain, key or repair is missing, list it separately and send a written request. Do not rely on a later conversation to prove what was included.
Use the same route every time
Inspect the entrance, living areas, bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, outdoor areas, parking and storage in a repeatable order. Open cupboards, test accessible locks and latches, check taps and drainage and photograph supplied appliances. Record stains, dents, chips, mould, water marks, loose handles, damaged screens and missing parts with their exact location.
Take a wide photograph and then a close photograph for a significant issue. Include a ruler or familiar object when size matters, but do not create a safety risk to get the shot. Keep original files with a date and room name; a later cropped screenshot may remove the context that proves where the mark was.
Record facts, not conclusions
A useful comment says what was seen, where and when: ‘brown water mark on ceiling above laundry door, photographed 12 September’. A conclusion such as ‘owner caused the leak’ may need further evidence. Describe the effect on use and report a safety or repair issue through a separate written message.
If the first report says ‘good’ but you disagree, add your comment and explain the difference rather than silently signing. If an item cannot be tested, write ‘not tested—power disconnected’ and ask for a follow-up. Your version should remain readable to someone who was not present at the inspection.
Return the report within the current timeframe
For a general tenancy, the tenant normally returns the completed report within seven days under the RTA process. Check the current form instructions and count from the relevant receipt or possession date. Send it through a traceable method and keep the attachment, portal confirmation or sent email.
Do not wait for the manager to agree with every comment. Your signed and returned version records your position. If a revised copy arrives, compare it with your original and save both. A change in wording should never erase the evidence you returned on time.
Use the report when the tenancy ends
Store Form 1a with the exit report, repair requests, receipts and photographs. When a deduction is proposed, point to the exact room, item and starting condition. A pre-existing stain or damaged inclusion may explain why the tenant should not pay for a full replacement, while a new tenant-caused defect can still require a reasonable repair amount.
Back up the folder and keep it until the bond and any dispute are finished. If the agent says an item was never reported, send the dated comment and photograph rather than a general statement that the property was already damaged. Contact the RTA or QSTARS when the evidence or claimed amount remains disputed.
Primary source checked
RTA — Entry condition report