What to photograph when you move in: the checklist (2026)
What to photograph when you move in: the checklist
Every room from two directions, a close-up of every irregularity, all meter readings and the keys.
The same spots get forgotten nearly every time: window frames and handles, blind straps, silicone joints, the shower enclosure, the inside of oven and fridge, radiators, sockets, door leaves with frames, skirting, the balcony and the cellar or attic compartment.
§ 538 BGBIn 60 seconds
Two levels per room: a wide shot from two opposite corners so all four walls, floor and ceiling are captured, plus a close-up of every irregularity.
Close-ups only is a common mistake: they prove the scratch but not that the rest of the wall was intact.
Put something for scale in the close-ups: a hand, a coin, a folding rule.
Photograph in daylight: what you could not see in the dark becomes a question of interpretation later.
Capture meter readings for electricity, gas, water and heating with the meter number legible: those figures decide your first Nebenkostenabrechnung.
What the law says
You are not liable for changes through contractual use, and for genuine damage the landlord carries the burden of proof first. In practice, though, what decides it is who can show what the flat looked like on move-in day, without that initial condition it comes down to one word against another.
Room by room
Every room: walls (all four), ceiling, floor, including under radiators and in corners · skirting and threshold strips · door leaf on both sides, frame, handle, lock · windows: frame, handles, seals, panes, sill · blinds: strap, box, slats, run them fully down and up once · sockets, switches, light fittings · radiators with thermostat and connections
Kitchen: worktop, fronts, handles, cupboard interiors · sink, tap, silicone joints · oven and hob, including inside · fridge inside, seals, freezer compartment · extractor and grease filter · tiled splashback
Bathroom: shower enclosure, glass, profiles, tray · bath, taps, shower head · silicone joints at bath, shower and basin · WC inside and out, cistern, seat · basin, vanity unit, mirror cabinet · ventilation and drains
Hall and ancillary rooms: flat door inside and out, locking system · fitted wardrobes inside · balcony or terrace: floor, railing, door · cellar, attic or storage compartment · any communal areas allocated to you
The twelve spots almost everyone forgets
Silicone joints in bathroom and kitchen · the inside of oven and fridge · window handles and seals · blind straps and boxes · door frames and edges · skirting behind where furniture will stand · radiators from behind and the floor connection · sockets and switches · shower profiles and drain traps · balcony floor and railing · cellar or attic compartment · the letterbox and doorbell label.
Meters and keys: readings for electricity, gas, water (hot and cold) and heating, one photo each with the meter number and reading legible. All the keys handed over side by side in one picture, counted separately by type.
What it means for each side
- Take the 20 to 30 minutes on move-in day, not at move-out.
- Photograph the ancillary areas too: balcony, cellar, attic, letterbox.
- Send the same set of pictures to the landlord the same day.
- Back them up in two places and keep them until six months after move-out.
- Do move-in and move-out identically. The value is in the comparison.
- Take wide shots, not only close-ups of defects.
- Capture the meter number and reading in the same frame.
- Note in the record that photos were taken, and have both sides sign.
Common mistakes
Without wide shots it stays open what the rest looked like.
Too dark, too little detail, easy to attack, and defects that would have been visible on careful inspection are hard to raise afterwards.
The date on the image file is changeable and proves nothing.
Ancillary areas are part of the tenancy too, and a broken device deletes your evidence.
What to do next
Note the photos in the move-in record. How many were taken, and of what. Do it with BildProof, about two minutes a room →
Have both sides sign; only then is the record a private document (§ 416 ZPO).
Email the same set of pictures to the landlord the same day.
Back them up in two places and keep them until at least six months after move-out (§ 548 Abs. 1 BGB).
Frequently asked questions
What must I photograph when moving in?
Every room as an overview from two directions, every existing mark as a close-up, all meter readings for electricity, gas and water, and every key handed over. Plus the spots that experience shows get forgotten: window frames and handles, silicone joints, the shower enclosure, the inside of oven and fridge, radiators, door frames, skirting boards, balcony and secondary rooms.
How many photos make sense?
For a two-room flat, 60 to 100 shots is realistic if you cover each room from two directions and every mark in detail. The number itself is not a measure of quality. Completeness is. Undocumented areas count against whoever carries the burden of proof in a dispute.
Are photos alone enough, or do I need a record too?
You need both. The Einzugsprotokoll signed by both sides is a Privaturkunde (private document, § 416 ZPO) and therefore procedurally stronger; the photos are Augenscheinsobjekte (objects of visual inspection, § 371 ZPO) that show the condition vividly. Reference the photos in the record and give both sides the identical set of images.
Should I photograph even if the flat has just been renovated?
Yes, especially then. A renovated flat is the best possible initial condition for you, and that is exactly what you want to be able to prove. New-builds and freshly renovated flats also often have small workmanship defects that get attributed to you later if nobody recorded them.
What if I missed something at move-in?
Report the defect to the landlord in writing as early as possible, with a photo, noting that it was already present at handover. The shorter the gap since move-in, the more credible it is. You are in any case obliged to report defects without undue delay (§ 536c BGB), and for the evidential position, reporting early and in writing is what counts.
How long should I keep the move-in photos?
At least until six months after you move out: the landlord's claims for changes or deterioration expire six months after the flat is returned (§ 548(1) BGB). Store the images in two places. A new device or a defect must not erase your evidence.
This page gives general information as at the date shown. It does not replace legal advice on an individual case.