A thorough property inspection at move-in and move-out is the single most effective way to prevent deposit disputes in Saudi Arabia. This checklist covers what to inspect, what to document, and how to create a record that holds up under Ejar compliance requirements and, if needed, formal dispute resolution.
Use this checklist as a starting point. For a digital version that auto-generates an Ejar-ready report, PropX guides you through the same process on your phone.
Before You Start: What to Prepare
- Your phone, fully charged, with camera and storage space available
- The Ejar contract reference number for the tenancy
- The tenant present (or their representative), both parties should walk through together
- A systematic approach: always move room by room, in the same order
Key principle: Document everything you would want to dispute later, from both sides. Landlords document damage. Tenants document existing wear. Both parties should agree on what is recorded before signing off.
Room-by-Room Checklist
For each room, record:
- Overall condition rating (Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor)
- Wall condition, paint, cracks, stains, holes
- Floor condition, type, visible damage, stains, wear
- Ceiling condition, cracks, stains, paint
- Windows and doors, operation, locks, glass, frames
- Lighting fixtures, present and working
- AC unit, present, operational, any visible damage
- Photographs from multiple angles, including close-ups of any damage
Kitchen
- Countertop condition, chips, scratches, staining
- Cabinet doors and hinges, operation and condition
- Oven / hob, present, clean, operational
- Extractor fan, present, working
- Sink and taps, leaks, water pressure, condition
- Dishwasher (if present), operational
- Refrigerator (if present), condition and operation
- Tiling, cracks, loose tiles, grout condition
Bathrooms
- Toilet, flush operation, seat condition, no leaks
- Sink and taps, water pressure, drainage, no leaks
- Shower or bath, tray/surround condition, drainage, taps
- Tiles, cracks, loose tiles, grout discolouration
- Mirror (if fixed), condition
- Extractor fan, operational
- Water heater (if in unit), visible condition
Bedrooms
- Built-in wardrobes, doors, rails, shelving condition
- AC unit, condition and operation
- Window operation and locks
- Walls, any marks, holes, or damage beyond normal
- Flooring, carpet wear, tile cracks, or scratches
- Light fittings, present and working
Living and Dining Areas
- Walls, paint condition, any marks or damage
- Flooring, type and condition, any visible damage
- AC units, number, condition, operation
- Curtain rails or blinds (if provided)
- Power sockets and light switches, present and functional
- Balcony (if present), flooring, railing, drainage
Utilities and Building Services
- Water meter reading, record and photograph
- Electricity meter reading, record and photograph
- Main water stop valve, location and operation
- Parking space (if allocated), condition noted
- Storage (if allocated), condition noted
- Keys and access cards, confirm number received
After the Walk-Through
Once the walk-through is complete:
- Review the record together, both landlord and tenant should review everything noted and agree it is accurate
- Note any disagreements, if the tenant disputes a condition rating, record their objection alongside the landlord's assessment
- Get digital sign-off, both parties should confirm the record digitally, with a timestamp
- Provide a copy to the tenant, the tenant is entitled to their own copy of the move-in record
- Store securely, the record needs to be retrievable at the end of the tenancy, which may be years later
Move-Out: What Changes
At move-out, repeat the same process using the move-in record as your baseline. For each item, note whether it is in the same condition, better, or worse than at move-in. Any deterioration beyond normal wear and tear should be photographed and noted with a specific deduction amount if applicable.
The move-out record and the move-in record together form your evidence package, which is exactly what Ejar dispute resolution and the Saudi Real Estate Dispute Committee expect.
Skip the paper
PropX does this automatically
PropX guides you through a structured room-by-room inspection on your phone, generates the report, and gets digital sign-off from both parties, in minutes, not hours.
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