Form 1 Property Condition Report in Western Australia

Why Form 1 Matters

Form 1 is the prescribed Property Condition Report under Section 27C of the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA). It's the baseline evidence for comparing the property's condition at the end of a tenancy. Without a properly completed Form 1, a landlord lacks the prescribed starting record, which can make a bond claim harder to prove.

Failing to provide Form 1 to the tenant within the required timeframe carries a fine of up to $5,000. More practically, it removes the prescribed baseline and can make a bond claim harder to prove.

The Legal Sequence

The Form 1 process has strict timing:

1. Before or at key handover — The landlord must complete Form 1, detailing the condition of every room, surface, fixture, and fitting. Two copies go to the tenant before or when they take possession.

2. Tenant has 7 calendar days — The tenant inspects the property, marks any disagreements or additional observations on their copy, signs it, and returns one copy to the landlord.

3. If the tenant doesn't return it — The landlord's original assessment stands as the accepted baseline. But this isn't a blank cheque — landlords can't include blanket waiver clauses or pre-tick everything as "satisfactory" when it isn't.

How to Fill It Out Properly

Form 1 is a prescribed statutory form. You can add extra descriptive categories or detail, but you cannot remove or modify any standard fields.

Room by room, surface by surface. Go through every space in the property: walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, light fittings, power points, cupboards, benchtops, appliances, taps, drains, outdoor areas, fencing, gardens. For each element, note the condition honestly — clean, marks present, scratched, stained, chipped.

Be specific, not vague. "Good condition" tells a dispute assessor nothing. "Two small nail holes above light switch, paint scuff 10cm on skirting near bedroom door" gives the Commissioner something to compare against at exit.

Photograph everything. Form 1 alone is persuasive, and date-stamped photographs and video walkthroughs of every surface, appliance, and outdoor area can strengthen the record. Take photos in natural light, include close-ups of any existing damage, and capture meter readings (electricity, gas, water) on the day of key handover.

Common Mistakes on Form 1

Skipping outdoor areas. Garden beds, fencing, driveways, carports, and sheds are all part of the premises. If you don't document their condition at move-in, it will be harder to show a change at move-out.

Use the prescribed form. Download the current Form 1 from the Consumer Protection website rather than reusing a copy from a previous tenancy.

Pre-filling the exit column. Form 1 has columns for both entry and exit condition. Only complete the entry column at move-in. The exit column is filled during the final inspection after the tenant hands back the keys.

Using Form 1 at the End of the Tenancy

When the tenant vacates and returns all keys, the landlord conducts a final inspection using the original Form 1 as the comparative baseline. The tenant must be given a reasonable opportunity to be present.

Walk through the same rooms, in the same order, comparing the current state against what was recorded at entry. Note any differences in the exit column. This side-by-side comparison becomes the core evidence in any bond deduction claim — whether the matter is resolved by agreement, the Commissioner for Consumer Protection, or the Magistrates Court.

If the entry Form 1 says "two small nail holes above light switch" and the exit inspection shows the same two nail holes, that's not damage. If the exit shows a fist-sized hole in the plasterboard that wasn't there before, the Form 1 comparison makes the deduction straightforward.

The Rental Bonds in Western Australia guide includes a property inspection checklist template that supplements Form 1 with a structured photo evidence log and room-by-room annotation guide.

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