Condition Report for Rental Properties in Tasmania: How to Get It Right

The ingoing condition report is the single most important document in a Tasmanian tenancy. It determines who wins the bond dispute at the end. Landlords who treat it as a formality — filling it in hastily on handover day with vague notes like "good condition" — lose legitimate claims because they cannot prove what the property looked like when the tenant moved in.

The Statutory Timeline

Section 26 of the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 sets a strict sequence:

Day 0 (handover): If the landlord requires a bond, they provide two signed copies of the ingoing condition report to the tenant at or before the tenancy begins. Not one copy — two.

Days 1–2 (tenant review): The tenant inspects the property, notes any additional marks or discrepancies on both copies, signs one copy and returns it to the landlord within two days of receipt.

Both parties then retain their signed copy. This is the evidentiary baseline for the entire tenancy.

The Consumer Affairs Tasmania Template

Consumer Affairs Tasmania provides an example condition report template. You are not legally required to use this template — a condition report can be prepared in another written format — but using the government example keeps things standardised and avoids disputes about format.

The template is available as a downloadable Word document from the Consumer Affairs Tasmania website. It covers each room and area of the property with space for written descriptions of condition.

Why Photos Matter More Than Words

The written form is the legal framework. The photographs are the evidence that makes it stick.

Date-stamped, high-resolution photographs of every room should accompany the written report. Aim for comprehensive coverage:

• All walls, floors and ceilings in each room
• Window frames, tracks and coverings
• Kitchen appliances — stovetop, oven interior, sink, benchtops
• Bathroom — shower, basin, toilet, tiles, grout
• External walls, gutters, fences and garden areas
• Any existing damage, marks, stains or wear

The ingoing condition report and dated photographs help show the property's condition in a bond dispute. A written note that says "small mark on bedroom wall" is less clear than a dated photograph showing the exact mark, its size and location.

Modern smartphones timestamp photos automatically in EXIF data, but take a photo of that day's newspaper or a screen showing the date at the start of the set as belt-and-braces proof.

Common Mistakes

Vague descriptions. "Lounge room — good condition" tells the RTC nothing. Be specific: "Small scuff mark (approx 2 cm) on skirting board below east window. No other marks."

Missing the return window. If the tenant does not return their annotated copy within two days, follow up in writing immediately. An unreturned report weakens the tenant's position in a dispute, but only if you can show you provided it on time and chased it.

No outgoing report. The condition report system works by comparing ingoing and outgoing states. Completing an outgoing report with the same level of detail and photography at the end of the tenancy is just as important as the ingoing one.

How Long to Keep Them

Retain both the ingoing and outgoing condition reports, along with all photographs, for at least two years after the tenancy ends. These records can support a bond dispute before the Residential Tenancy Commissioner.

Trade certificates (CECs, GFNs) should be kept for 10 years. Smoke alarm logs for seven years. The condition report archive is the shortest retention period, but it is the most frequently needed.

Bond Disputes Without a Condition Report

If you do not complete a proper ingoing condition report and a bond dispute arises, it may be difficult to support a claim for damage. The report and dated photographs help show the property's condition at the start of the tenancy. The cost of a thorough condition report — perhaps an hour of your time — is nothing compared to losing a four-week bond.

The Rental Minimum Standards in Tasmania guide includes a condition report photography protocol, a document assembly checklist and a pre-tenancy disclosure pack walkthrough that covers every document you need before handing over keys.

See more Tasmania guides →