Taking good photos during a rental inspection: 8 tips

Almost every dispute at the end of a tenancy comes back to the same question: what did it look like at the start? A good description helps, but a photo says more. At least, if it is a good photo.

A blurry photo of a dark corner, or a close-up nobody can place in a room anymore, is of little use a year later. Taking good photos is not an art. It is mostly a matter of having a fixed approach. Here are 8 tips.

1. Start with an overview photo of each room

Stand in the doorway and photograph the room as completely as possible. Then turn around and photograph the other side. That records the general condition: walls, floor, ceiling, windows and any furnishings.

Overview photos give context to all the details you capture afterwards. They also show what was not wrong, which is just as valuable.

2. Then the details: from far to close

For any damage, take two photos. One from a distance, so it is clear where the damage is: which wall, next to which window, under which cupboard. And one close-up of the damage itself.

A close-up of a scratch without context could be anywhere. With the overview photo next to it, there is no doubt left.

3. Make sure there is enough light

Switch on all the lights, open the curtains and plan the inspection during the day if you can. Especially in autumn and winter it is already getting dark by half past four, and photos then show much less than you see in person.

Be careful with the flash on shiny surfaces such as tiles, glass or painted doors. The reflection often hides exactly what you want to show. Shoot at a slight angle instead: scratches and dents stand out better when the light falls across them from the side.

4. Check the photo straight away

Tap the screen to focus on the damage and look at the photo right after taking it. Is it sharp? Is the damage clearly visible?

Retaking a photo takes two seconds. Coming back a month later to do it properly is usually no longer possible.

5. Show how big it is

A stain of "a few centimetres" means something different to everyone. Put a coin, pen or tape measure next to the damage. That makes the size clear to anyone, even someone who has never seen the property.

6. Photograph meter readings and keys

A photo of the meter leaves no room for typos. Nobody has to wonder whether it was 4,318 or 4,381.

The same goes for keys. Lay them out side by side on a table and take one photo. At move-out you then know exactly which keys were handed over and which ones need to come back.

7. Do not forget the places you rarely look

Behind the door, inside cupboards, under the sink, the sealant in the bathroom, the windowsills and the ceiling. These are exactly the spots where existing damage or damp often hides, and where disputes come up later.

It takes a few extra minutes, but these are the photos you will miss most afterwards.

8. At move-out, shoot from the same angle

At the final inspection you want to compare with the starting condition. That is easiest when you take your photos from the same position as at the start of the tenancy. You then see at a glance what has changed, and so does the tenant.

With the comparison feature you see the photos from the move-in inspection per room next to your new entries while you fill in the move-out report. So you know exactly which angle you used last time.

New: take a photo straight from the report

Inspecting with your phone or tablet? You now see a Take photo button in every part of the report. It opens the rear camera of your device directly, without going through your gallery first. Take the photo, confirm, and it is in the report.

Want to add an existing photo or a document instead, such as a maintenance report or a PDF? Use the paper clip icon right next to it.

You can add up to ten photos per room, and two per damage, meter reading and key. Enough for an overview and a detail, and it makes you choose deliberately which photos really matter.

Good photos, fewer disputes

All photos appear in the PDF report right next to the room, damage or meter reading they belong to. Both parties sign the report, so there is one document everyone can fall back on.

Curious what that looks like? View an example inspection report, or read how to document damage in a rental property.