For a September move in Boston, start your condition checklist before furniture enters the apartment: photograph each room and describe existing defects. If the landlord takes a security deposit, Massachusetts also requires a separate signed statement of condition. Photos support that document; they do not replace it. The tenant’s return deadline depends on when they receive it and when they move in. Massachusetts statement-of-condition guidance

Before September 1, arrange the inspection and handoff

Use the remaining August preparation window to arrange access for an inspection before unloading. Confirm the appointment, who will deliver keys, and how to reach the manager if the apartment is still occupied or work remains unfinished. A joint walkthrough is useful, but prepare to make your own record if the manager cannot attend.

Create one folder for the lease, deposit receipt, condition statement, photographs, and correspondence. Record the tenancy’s start date separately from the date you actually move in. Save the date you receive the statement, too: these dates serve different purposes under the deadline rules below.

Keep the inspection appointment in your moving schedule so it does not depend on finding spare time during unloading. For truck and street logistics, consult Boston’s moving resources, updated March 26, 2026. For broader preparation and market context, see our renting guides and local housing research.

Inspect and photograph the empty apartment

Photograph each room from several corners, then take close-ups of individual defects. Pair each close-up with a wider view showing its location. Include surfaces that appear undamaged to give both parties a fuller starting record.

Work through these checks before boxes cover floors and furniture blocks walls:

• Walls, ceilings, and floors: Record holes, cracks, stains, peeling surfaces, scratches, damaged boards, and carpet marks. Check closets and areas behind doors.
• Doors and windows: Note broken panes, damaged screens, loose handles, and locks or latches that do not operate. Identify the particular window or door.
• Kitchen: Photograph counters, cabinet interiors, the sink cabinet, and supplied appliances inside and outside. Record visible damage and any operating problem you observe during safe, ordinary use.
• Bathroom and plumbing: Check faucets, drainage, the toilet, and accessible areas beneath sinks. Record leaks, loose fixtures, damaged tile, and the condition of tubs or showers.
• Cleanliness, moisture, and pests: Photograph debris, droppings, stains, or visible growth. Describe odors in writing. Record observations without guessing their cause or identifying a substance from a photograph.
• Safety and access: Note missing or visibly damaged smoke or carbon-monoxide alarms, exposed wiring, and blocked exits. A renter’s walkthrough does not certify code compliance.

Mark anything you could not inspect or test, including the reason. Record an appliance disconnected during turnover as untested.

Give each defect a location and photo reference. A hypothetical entry could read: “Bedroom facing street, windowsill below left window: chipped paint; photos B03–B04.” Save original files and a backup, and send the written list with its supporting images. Keep the sent message and any acknowledgment.

Track the statement of condition’s three deadlines

When a landlord takes a security deposit for a residential tenancy covered by Massachusetts’ security-deposit law, the separate statement must describe the apartment’s condition, list existing damage, and carry the landlord’s or agent’s signature. The prescribed notice must appear at the top of its first page in 12-point bold type. Managers should use a form that meets these requirements. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 186, Section 15B(2)(c)

Track each deadline from the event that starts it:

In a hypothetical September 1 move-in with the statement received September 8, the tenant’s return deadline would be September 23. The move-in date alone does not set that deadline.

If the statement is accurate, sign and return it. If it is inaccurate or incomplete, attach a separate signed damage list and return the documents together. Reference supporting photographs in that list. Keep the entire returned package and evidence of delivery. Required signing and correction procedure

State guidance warns that a court may treat failure to return the statement as agreement with its contents in a later deposit-recovery case. If no statement arrives, request it in writing and follow the state’s recommendation to send your own condition statement, retaining a copy. State guidance

Document repair requests and key delivery

A condition entry records what existed at handoff. A maintenance request asks the landlord or manager to act. When a defect needs repair, include it in the condition record and send a clearly identified repair request. The Attorney General’s guidance explains that landlords must maintain habitable housing throughout the tenancy. Landlord maintenance obligations

For each unresolved item, record when it was reported, the person contacted, the requested work, and any promised visit or completion date. When the repair is complete, add the completion date and new photographs while preserving the original entry. A promise to repair should not erase evidence of the initial condition.

Report urgent safety problems promptly, even if the paperwork is unfinished. For suspected housing-code violations, Boston directs residents to Inspectional Services or BOS:311.

Document key delivery separately: note the date and time, who handed over the keys, how many keys or fobs arrived, which doors they operate, and anything missing or defective. If access is delayed, preserve messages showing the agreed handoff and when access became available. Record actual move-in separately from key receipt.

For an unresolved dispute over paperwork or access, consult a Massachusetts housing lawyer; Boston’s Office of Housing Stability can connect tenants and small landlords with legal resources.

Managers can build this process into their rental management practices: keep the original statement, tenant’s additions, written response, photo references, repair history, and key acknowledgment together. Give the tenant copies of the completed exchange so both parties can retrieve the same record later.