You might also consider taking photographs, especially if your rental property is brand new. Do this in the presence of the tenant, and include the photographs as part of your home inspection and rental property report.

Crucial Things to Watch Out During Your Home Inspection

In addition to reviewing the appearance of the fixtures, you'll also want to make sure everything is in good working condition. Make sure sinks and tubs drain properly, all appliances work, and note any damages even if it seems minor. Pay attention to the condition of your paint, floors, carpeting, woodwork, light fixtures and appliances.

Don't be surprised if the tenant comes back a few days after moving in to report other minor flaws that were overlooked during the initial walk through.

If they are truly minor, it's best to take the tenant's word for it; chances are the tenant didn't cause the damage in the first couple of days. Investigate further if the report seems shady or seems too serious to have been overlooked during the first walk through.

The bottom line is that your home inspection checklist is a key ingredient for making sure that you and your tenant have a clear picture of the rental property's condition upon move-in. Use the home inspection checklist as a tool to make sure the property is returned to you in an acceptable condition as when the tenant first moved in.

However you do have to accept that fact that there will naturally be minor wears and tears due to normal daily use by your tenants. Teo Zhenjie