A well written comprehensive property condition report is important and acts as a form of protection for you as a landlord.

Many landlords leave things to the last minute, or worse, don’t even do them at all.

Condition reports don’t need to be difficult to do- the last thing you want is to be taken to court by tenants who want their bond back, without any evidence.

Condition reports need to include the minimum content defined by the law in each state/territory.

They need to be written, although you can add photos and videos as well.

Your reports should have a list of items, separated by room, with categories like “clean”, “undamaged” etc with a “yes” or “no” alongside it, with a space for comment.

If you put a “no” on your report, it’s important to provide a detailed comment and be specific about what is damaged and how.

Do your report, after you clean and fix up the property, so that tenants will have to leave the property in the same condition.

If things can’t be fixed before the tenant moves in, make a note and provide a date when the repairs will be done.

Photos and videos can be a great way to get a true sense of the condition of the property. Make sure the lights are on and blinds open, with all external and internal doors open.

Introduce the video with your name, why you are making the video - with the date and address of the property. You can even add commentary, but be objective and factual.

You can upload your Property Condition Report onto the RealRenta platform for your tenants to access at any time.

Using a platform like RealRenta, enables you to communicate with your tenants in a professional manner, whilst the platform records all your interactions and keeps a full history of the tenancy.