To fill out a residential lease inventory and condition form, walk through the unit room by room on move-in day with the form, a pen, and your phone camera; note every defect specifically on the checklist; return the completed form to your landlord by the deadline in your lease; and keep a copy for yourself. In Texas, the standard version is the Texas REALTORS Residential Lease Inventory and Condition Form (TXR-2006), and the care you take with it on day one is what protects your security deposit on move-out day.
Get the Right Form Before Move-In
If your landlord uses a Texas REALTORS lease (TXR-2001), the TXR-2006 inventory form is usually handed to you as a companion document at signing. Some landlords use their own version or a generic template, which is fine as long as it covers the same ground. No Texas statute forces a landlord to provide the form, but most standard leases reference it and require you to complete it. If you weren’t given a form, ask for one in writing before your move-in date.
The Rule That Governs Everything You Write
The form itself says it: “All items are presumed to be in good condition unless noted otherwise.” That one line is why a sloppy walkthrough costs money. Anything you skip or leave blank, the landlord can treat as having been in perfect shape when you arrived. If you later dispute a deduction, you carry the harder argument.
So be specific. “Stain on carpet near closet, approx. 6 inches, brown” is useful. “Carpet — stain” is not. The same form gets used again at move-out, and vague notes invite reinterpretation.
How to Do the Walkthrough
Set aside 30 to 45 minutes. Bring the form, a pen, your phone, and good lighting. Go room by room in the order the form lists them rather than bouncing around.
For every item on the checklist, look at it, test it if it moves, and write a note if anything is off. Test every lock, window latch, smoke detector, and piece of equipment before you sign off; the form’s instructions say this explicitly. A smoke detector that chirps on day one is the landlord’s problem. A smoke detector that chirps on day 90 with no move-in note could become yours. Switch on anything mechanical: garbage disposals, ceiling fans, garage door openers, appliance burners, the vent hood fan.
Leave irrelevant lines blank. The “presumed in good condition” default only applies to items the property actually has. If your apartment has no garage, skip the garage section entirely.
What the Form Covers
The TXR-2006 divides the property into sections that mirror how you’d walk through a house or apartment. Each section lists specific items with space for move-in notes and, later, move-out notes side by side.
- Exterior: mailbox, pool and spa equipment, fences and gates, lawn, trees and shrubs, roof and gutters, siding and paint, driveway, front and back doors (knobs, locks, lights, doorbell), patio door, water shut-off valve, underground sprinklers, exterior faucets, patio or deck, and electrical breakers.
- Garage: ceilings and walls, floor, automatic door opener, safety reversal mechanism, remotes, garage doors, exterior doors and stops, and storage room.
- Entry and halls: ceiling and walls, paint or wallpaper, doors and door stops, locks and knobs, light fixtures, flooring, windows and screens, window latches, plugs and switches, and closet shelves and rods.
- Living room, dining room, and family room: the same wall-to-ceiling-to-floor items, plus ceiling fans, window coverings, cabinets, and fireplaces where applicable.
- Kitchen and breakfast area: all standard room items, plus pantry shelves, cabinet and drawer handles, countertops, range or cooktop, microwave, oven racks, broiler pan, vent hood with light and fan, filter, garbage disposer, sink and faucet, dishwasher, and refrigerator.
- Bedrooms and bathrooms: standard room items, plus closet shelves and rods, cabinet handles, countertops, sinks and faucets, tub or shower and faucets, toilet and seat, exhaust fans, heaters, and towel fixtures.
- Keys: a count section for house keys, mailbox keys, gate keys, garage remotes, and any other access devices.
One clarification: the form is not a repair request. If you discover problems that need fixing during the walkthrough, submit a separate written maintenance request to the landlord as your lease requires. The inventory form documents what exists; it doesn’t obligate the landlord to fix anything listed on it unless a separate repair obligation applies.
Back It Up With Timestamped Photos
The written form is the legal baseline, but photos make it far more persuasive. During the same walkthrough, photograph every defect you noted, plus a handful of wide shots showing each room’s overall condition. Capture close-ups of scratches, stains, dents, and anything that could be disputed.
Make sure your phone’s location services and automatic date stamps are turned on. Metadata embedded in digital photos (GPS coordinates, timestamps, device identifiers) is what connects an image to a specific time and place. Email a selection of the photos to yourself immediately after the walkthrough so the email timestamp provides a second layer of proof. If a dispute ever reaches a courtroom, unaltered photos with intact metadata are treated as far more reliable than images with no verifiable origin.
When and How to Return the Form
Texas law doesn’t set a specific number of days for returning the completed form. Your lease does. The form itself instructs you to “complete the move-in section of this form and return it to your Landlord within the time required by your lease.” Read your lease for the exact deadline. Missing it weakens your position if a deposit dispute arises later, because the landlord can argue the unit was in good shape when you took possession.
How you deliver the form matters almost as much as what you wrote on it. Hand-delivering it to the management office and asking for a signed, dated copy back is the most straightforward approach. If you mail it, use certified mail with a return receipt so you have proof of both the send date and the delivery date. When your landlord accepts email submissions, send it as a PDF attachment and save the sent-message confirmation with its timestamp. Whatever method you use, keep your own completed copy. A form you filled out but can’t produce later does you no good.
Why This Form Matters for Your Deposit
Texas Property Code Chapter 92, Subchapter C governs security deposits. The inventory form is not mentioned in the statute, but it is the single most useful piece of evidence when a deposit dispute arises.
A landlord can deduct from your deposit for damages you are legally responsible for under the lease but cannot retain any portion to cover normal wear and tear.1State of Texas. Texas Property Code Section 92-104 – Retention of Security Deposit Accounting Texas law doesn’t define “normal wear and tear,” which is exactly why the inventory form matters so much. Faded paint, minor scuffs on hardwood near doorways, and carpet that shows foot traffic patterns after years of use are generally considered normal wear. A hole punched in drywall, a broken window, or pet stains soaked into subflooring are not. Your move-in form is what proves whether a given condition existed before you arrived or appeared on your watch.
After you move out, the landlord has 30 days to either return your full deposit or send you what remains along with a written description and itemized list of every deduction. That clock does not begin until you provide a written forwarding address.2State of Texas. Texas Property Code Chapter 92 – Residential Tenancies Leave your forwarding address in writing on or before move-out day.
Older Homes: Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
If the rental was built before 1978, federal law adds a separate requirement on top of the inventory form. Before you sign the lease, the landlord must disclose any known information about lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards, provide all available testing records, give you the EPA pamphlet “Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home,” and include a signed lead warning statement with the lease. Exemptions include units built after 1977, zero-bedroom efficiencies where no child under six lives or is expected to live, short-term vacation rentals of 100 days or less, and housing designated for elderly or disabled residents with no young children in residence.3US EPA. Real Estate Disclosures About Potential Lead Hazards
When you do your inventory walkthrough in a pre-1978 home, pay particular attention to chipping, peeling, or flaking paint on window sills, door frames, and trim. Those are the areas most likely to contain lead paint and the areas most likely to generate a disclosure issue later.