Quick answer. Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act does not mandate a specific inspection format, but RTDRS practice makes it clear: security deposit deductions are almost impossible to defend without a jointly-signed written move-in condition report and a matched move-out report, each supported by 60 to 120 dated photographs. Both parties should attend both inspections in person, walk through the unit room by room, document the condition of walls, floors, ceilings, appliances, fixtures, and any pre-existing damage in writing, and sign the report at the end. Photographs should be timestamped (using a smartphone that records date and time in the EXIF data), taken from consistent angles, and stored in a location outside the tenant's control. At move-out, use the move-in report and photographs as the reference, document any changes, and calculate deductions against the matched evidence. Landlords who skip either inspection or fail to obtain the tenant's signature routinely lose deposit disputes even when the underlying deductions would be justified.
Why the Inspection Matters
The inspection is not a bureaucratic formality; it is the evidence base for every claim about damage during the tenancy. At an RTDRS deposit hearing, the officer looks for: was there a joint move-in inspection? Was there a matched move-out inspection? Are there dated photographs from both? Is the alleged damage documented as different between the two reports? Without positive answers to those questions, most deductions fail. The tenant does not need to prove the damage was pre-existing; the landlord must prove it was not.
The Move-In Inspection: Step-by-Step
Schedule the Inspection at Move-In (Not Later)
The inspection should happen on the day of move-in, before the tenant has fully unpacked, or within 48 hours at the latest. A joint walk-through with both parties present is standard. Trying to conduct the move-in inspection a week later, after the tenant has fully occupied the unit, is much less useful and often disputed later.
Room-by-Room Walk-Through
Start at the entrance and walk through every room in a consistent order. For each room, document: walls (paint condition, any marks, nail holes, dents), floors (carpet condition, hardwood condition, any stains or scratches), ceilings, doors and doorframes, windows and window coverings, light fixtures and switches, electrical outlets, any built-in cabinets or shelves. In the kitchen, document each appliance (make, model, condition, any dings or scratches), countertops, sink, and cabinets. In bathrooms, document tub or shower condition, sink, toilet, mirror, ventilation. In utility spaces, document furnace, water heater, and any laundry appliances.
Take 60 to 120 Photographs
Photograph every wall, every appliance, every fixture, and any pre-existing damage close up. Include wide shots of each room for context and close-ups of any specific issues. Use a smartphone with location and date metadata enabled. Photographs should be uploaded immediately to cloud storage outside the tenant's control (Google Drive, Dropbox, property management software). Do not rely on the phone alone; phones are lost. A full move-in inspection of a 2-bedroom Calgary condo typically produces 80 to 100 photographs; a single-family home 100 to 150.
Both Parties Sign the Report
At the end of the walk-through, both parties sign and date the written condition report. Each party should get a copy (paper or digital). The signed report is the reference document for the entire tenancy. If the tenant refuses to sign, note the refusal on the report, take a photograph of the report showing the refusal note, and have a witness sign as observer. A refused signature is not fatal, but it does shift the evidentiary weight and requires more supporting documentation.
The Move-Out Inspection: Match the Move-In
The move-out inspection should mirror the move-in process. Schedule it for the day of the tenant's vacating (or the day after if the tenant vacates in the evening). Walk through the unit in the same order using the same report structure. Take matched photographs from the same angles. For each room, compare against the move-in report and note any changes: 'Living room, north wall: move-in report noted small dent near door; move-out photograph shows dent unchanged. Additional: new scratch above baseboard approximately 15cm, not documented at move-in.' The specificity of this documentation is what supports a deduction.
Handling Tenant Refusal to Attend Move-Out
Sometimes tenants refuse or fail to attend the move-out inspection. If this happens, document the refusal (email or text asking the tenant to schedule, tenant's decline or non-response), then conduct the inspection with a witness (another property manager, a contractor, or a family member) and note the tenant's absence on the report. Take extra photographs, capture the state of the unit thoroughly, and rely on the witness signature for evidentiary weight. RTDRS accepts this approach where the landlord has documented reasonable effort to include the tenant.
Documenting Wear and Tear vs Damage
The key distinction for deposit deductions. Ordinary wear and tear (not deductible): small nail holes from hanging pictures, faded paint from sunlight, minor carpet compression in traffic paths, worn bath caulking, minor scratches on hardwood from furniture. Damage beyond wear and tear (deductible if documented): large holes in walls, burns on carpets or countertops, broken appliances, missing fixtures, stains that cannot be cleaned with standard methods, damage from unauthorised alterations. The move-in and move-out reports side-by-side are what distinguishes 'pre-existing minor scuff' from 'new significant damage.'
The Condition Report Template
A workable condition report includes: property address; tenant name(s); date of inspection; type of inspection (move-in or move-out); a room-by-room table listing walls, floors, ceilings, appliances, fixtures with columns for 'Condition' and 'Notes'; a section for any pre-existing damage or missing items; a section for any specific tenant-noted concerns; landlord signature; tenant signature; witness signature (if applicable); photograph inventory reference (e.g., 'Photos 1 to 89 filed in cloud folder XYZ, date-stamped').
Digital Tools for Inspection
Several Alberta-friendly property management platforms include integrated inspection modules that produce a shareable digital report with embedded photographs, tenant signature capture on-device, and automatic cloud storage. Examples include the inspection features in Rentec Direct, Buildium, AppFolio, and Yardi Breeze. For individual landlords, a smartphone with a paper checklist and cloud photo upload works well without added cost. The key is not the tool; it is the consistency and completeness of the documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a condition report legally required in Alberta?
The RTA does not mandate a specific report format, but the reality of RTDRS practice is that deposit deductions without a jointly-signed report and photographs almost always fail. Consider it required by evidentiary necessity even if not by statute.
How many photographs are enough?
Aim for 60 to 120 for a standard 2-bedroom unit. Better to have too many than too few. Include: every wall of every room, every appliance close-up, every fixture, every window, every door, any pre-existing damage close-up. Save them in a dated folder immediately.
What if the tenant refuses to sign the report?
Note the refusal on the report itself. Have a witness (another property manager, a family member, a contractor) sign as observer. Take a photograph of the completed report showing the tenant refusal note. This is not fatal but requires more corroborating evidence at any dispute.
Do I need to inspect between tenancies for wear and tear only?
You should always inspect between tenancies as part of your own operational awareness. However, the specific move-in condition report is with the incoming tenant, and it should reflect the actual current condition (including any wear from the previous tenancy). Do not carry forward the previous tenant's move-in report as the current tenant's baseline; each tenant gets their own.
Does UrbanLease handle move-in and move-out inspections for owner clients?
Yes. Every UrbanLease-managed tenancy includes a joint move-in inspection with 60 to 120 dated photographs, mid-lease inspections at 3 to 6 month intervals, and a matched move-out inspection with photographs, all uploaded to the owner portal for permanent record. Property management services provided by PREP Realty, a RECA-licensed Alberta brokerage.
Bottom Line
The condition report and photograph inventory are the evidence base for every deposit-related dispute. Landlords who conduct joint, signed, comprehensive inspections at both move-in and move-out typically defend their deductions successfully at RTDRS. Landlords who skip either inspection or rely on memory typically lose. This is one of the highest-return 60 to 90 minutes an individual landlord can spend on any tenancy. UrbanLease handles this workflow as a standard part of every managed tenancy under PREP Realty.