Move-in condition report

Proof of condition, from day one.

We document every room with timestamped photos and video, before the keys change hands. Report delivered in 24 hours.

Book a move-in visitEstimate your price
From $249 · $0.30 per sqft · Los Angeles metro
ScoutmyplaceSAMPLE
Move-in report
4823 Sample Avenue
Los Angeles, California · Scout on site
NEWGOODUSEDWORNDAMAGED
18Rooms and areas
141Elements
312Photos
01Living roomGood · Clean
02KitchenUsed · Clean
03BedroomGood · Clean
04BathroomWorn · Needs cleaning
Your eyes on the ground.Independent report
24 hoursfrom the visit to the delivered report
AB 2801documentation aligned with California deposit law
4 yearsreport and photos kept on file
From $249$0.30 per sqft, exact price shown before you pay
LA metroincluding Glendale and Burbank
California AB 2801

Photo proof is now part of the law.

Since 2025, California ties the security deposit to photographic evidence. The rules are simple, and they all point to the same moment: the day the tenancy starts.

Move-in photosLandlords must photograph the unit at the start of the tenancy to later justify any deposit deduction.
21 daysAfter move-out, the deposit and an itemized statement must be returned within 21 days, with documentation for every deduction.
Burden of proofDeductions are limited to what is reasonably necessary, and it is on the landlord to support them with evidence.

No move-in record, no deduction. If you cannot show the condition at move-in, you cannot keep money from the deposit.

General information about California law AB 2801 (Civil Code § 1950.5), not legal advice.

The report

What you receive.

A structured record of the whole property on day one, built so the comparison at move-out is possible.

Room by room, element by element

Walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures, appliances. Each element gets a factual condition and cleanliness rating, from new to damaged, with notes where it matters.

Timestamped photos

Wide shots for context, close-ups for defects. Every photo is dated and tied to its room and element.

Video walkthrough, included

A continuous walkthrough of the property. A photo series is selective by nature; a continuous video has no gaps. It is part of the report, not an add-on.

Keys, meters, detectors

Keys handed over and their counts, meter readings, smoke and CO detectors checked and photographed.

Signed on site

Our scout signs the record. When the tenant or the owner is present, they can sign too.

Online and PDF

An interactive online report plus a print ready PDF, delivered by email and kept available for four years.

See a sample report
Independent by design

Who writes the report decides what it is worth.

A record filled in by the landlord protects the landlord. A record filled in by the tenant protects the tenant. A report produced by a third party with no stake in the deposit protects the facts.

A record made by one of the parties
A Scoutmyplace report
Who takes the photos
The landlord, the manager, or the tenant
A trained independent scout
Interest in the outcome
Direct
None
Same structure at move-in and move-out
Rarely
Always, built for comparison
Signed on site
Sometimes
Scout signature, plus tenant or owner when present
Kept on file for 4 years
Depends on habits
Included
For owners and managers

Deductions for real damage, backed by a baseline the tenant can verify. The record that makes a claim defensible at move-out.

For tenants

The same report, the same photos, to contest a deduction the baseline does not support. What was already worn on day one stays on the record.

That is what neutral means: the report does not take sides, it takes note.

How it works

Three steps, one visit.

Book online

Address, property size, date. The exact price shows before you pay. The visit can happen with or without you there.

Our scout documents

On site, room by room: condition, cleanliness, photos, video, keys, meters, detectors. About an hour for most units.

Your report in 24 hours

Interactive online report plus PDF, delivered by email. Kept on file for four years.

Pricing

Priced by surface. Nothing hidden.

One rate, one minimum, and the exact figure before you pay.

Property size
1,100 sqft
Base, 1,100 sqft × $0.30$330
Total$330
Add-ons
Book a move-in visit

The exact price shows again at checkout before you pay. Above 4,000 sqft, write to hello@scoutmyplace.com for a custom quote.

Full refund if the visit cannot happen for any reason outside your control.

Plans moved? You have 60 days to rebook the visit at no cost.

Your report and photos stay available for four years.

Questions

Before you book.

Do I need to be there during the visit?
No. At booking you name the person who gives access, the owner, the manager, or the tenant, and our scout coordinates directly with them. You receive the report the next day wherever you are.
When should the visit happen?
Ideally on the day of key handover or just before, when the unit is empty. The closer the record is to day one of the tenancy, the stronger the baseline.
Is a move-in report required by law?
California requires landlords to photograph the unit at the start of the tenancy to justify later deposit deductions. Scoutmyplace goes beyond that minimum: a structured, signed, third party record of every room. General information, not legal advice.
Can the report be used in a deposit dispute?
The report is a factual, dated, signed record produced by a party with no stake in the outcome. It does not take sides and does not recommend outcomes; what weight to give it is for the parties, or a court, to decide.
What if the surface on site differs from what I declared?
Our scout confirms the surface during the visit. If it meaningfully differs from what was declared at booking, Scoutmyplace reserves the right to adjust the price before the report is delivered.
How fast can a scout come?
Standard booking notice is 24 hours. The Priority add-on unlocks time slots less than 24 hours away, as soon as 6 hours after ordering, subject to scout availability.
Does it cover furnished units and outdoor spaces?
Furnished units are covered with a furniture and equipment record per room. Private outdoor spaces, a yard, a pool, an ADU, are covered by the outdoor spaces add-on.
What languages is the report available in?
English or French, chosen at booking. The site is in English; the report language is yours.

Book the visit before the keys change hands.

Book a move-in visitSee a sample report