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Apartment Damage Deposits
The apartment inspection form can be detailed or open-ended, providing for detailed written descriptions of damage by either the landlord or the renter.
Normally, the checklist is divided by room or area to further specify the exact location of damage or distinguish between damage present in one room that may not be present throughout the unit. After the apartment inspection form is completed and signed by both parties, copies should be provided along with lease agreements for both owner, or property manager, and renter.
Even things that either party perceive as normal wear and tear should by documented on an apartment inspection form.
The concept of normal wear and tear generally has a vague meaning that only courts can decide in issues of dispute. Prior to tenancy, a renter should use the apartment inspection form to document conditions such as faded paint, worn areas of carpeting, and any detail however innocuous to the landlord at the time.
This will prevent future disputes concerning further use to these areas. Damaged door frames, cracks in porcelain bathroom fixtures, wall blemishes like cracks or nail holes, should all be documented in the apartment inspection form to avoid having a portion of the deposit held by the landlord for these items.
Photos can also be taken by the renter to further provide documentation of the properties condition, both prior to tenancy, and upon vacating the unit.
Landlord-tenant disputes produce high traffic through the courtrooms of every state, and many of these disputes concern withheld deposits and claimed property damage. The diligent completion of an apartment inspection form can often either resolve such disputes before a judge is forced to decide on them or provide either party with valuable documentation should a dispute end up being resolved by the courts. Each state varies in the way their laws deal with landlord-tenant disputes.
Generally, laws in each state provide protection for both parties, as long as a rental transaction was handled legally and completely. Completing a rental agreement should always include an apartment inspection form for the financial protection of both parties involved.
Sample Forms:
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