TL;DR
How condition reports work across European rental markets. Legal requirements, what to document, dispute prevention, and country-by-country rules for inventory checks.
A condition report is the single most important document for protecting your security deposit. It records the state of the property at move-in and again at move-out, creating an objective comparison that determines whether damage occurred during your tenancy. In some European countries, the report is legally required. In others, skipping it means the landlord's word against yours.
What Is a Condition Report?
Known by different names across Europe, the condition report is a room-by-room inventory of the property's state. In France it is the etat des lieux, in Germany the Wohnungsubergabeprotokoll, in Italy the verbale di consegna, in Spain the acta de entrega, and in the Netherlands the opnamerapport. Whatever the name, the purpose is identical: document everything before you move in so that at move-out, both parties can agree on what changed.
Country-by-Country Requirements
France
French law (Loi ALUR, 2014) makes the etat des lieux mandatory for all residential leases. It must be completed jointly by landlord and tenant, in writing, at both move-in and move-out. If the landlord refuses to conduct one, the tenant can request a bailiff (huissier de justice) to prepare it, with costs split equally. Without a move-in report, the tenant is presumed to have received the property in good condition, which makes it nearly impossible to contest deductions later. The report must describe each room, note the condition of walls, floors, fixtures, and appliances, and record meter readings for water, gas, and electricity.
Germany
German law does not legally require a Wohnungsubergabeprotokoll, but it is standard practice and strongly recommended by tenant associations (Mietervereine). Most professional landlords and agencies conduct one as a matter of course. The protocol typically lists each room, notes the condition of walls, flooring, windows, doors, kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, and any existing damage. Both parties sign the document. Without it, disputes over the Kaution (deposit) become difficult to resolve, and courts will look for any available evidence, including photographs with metadata.
United Kingdom
In England and Wales, a detailed inventory is not legally required but is essential for deposit disputes handled by tenancy deposit schemes (TDS, DPS, or mydeposits). If the landlord cannot produce a check-in inventory, adjudicators typically rule in the tenant's favour. The inventory usually includes photographs, descriptions of furnishings, and a schedule of condition for each room. Scotland has similar practices, with deposit disputes handled by SafeDeposits Scotland or Letting Protection Service Scotland.
Spain
Spanish law does not mandate a formal condition report, but Article 1563 of the Civil Code states that if no inventory exists, the tenant is presumed to have received the property in good condition. This presumption works against the tenant, making it critical to create your own report even if the landlord does not suggest one. Many agencies in Spain now provide a standard acta de entrega as part of the move-in process, listing furniture, appliances, keys, and the condition of each room.
Italy
Italian rental law does not require a verbale di consegna, but without one, recovering unjustified deposit deductions through the courts is slow and expensive. The report should list every item in the property, note the condition of walls, floors, and fixtures, and be signed by both parties with the date. Photographs attached to the report carry significant weight in any dispute. Many Italian agencies now use standardised digital forms with embedded photos.
Netherlands
Dutch rental law does not mandate a condition report, but the Huurcommissie (Rent Tribunal) and courts expect evidence of the property's condition at the start of the tenancy when resolving deposit disputes. An opnamerapport signed by both parties is the standard. In social housing managed by housing associations, the association typically provides a standard inspection form. In the private sector, the quality of documentation varies widely by agency.
Belgium
Belgian law (Brussels, Wallonia, and Flanders each have regional rental codes) requires a condition report (plaatsbeschrijving / etat des lieux) for furnished and unfurnished rentals. It must be completed within the first month of the lease. If no report exists, the tenant is presumed to have received the property in the condition it was in at the end of the tenancy, which is the opposite of the Spanish/Italian presumption and protects the tenant.
Portugal
Portuguese law does not require a formal condition report, but the auto de vistoria is increasingly common, particularly through agencies. Without one, Article 1043 of the Civil Code presumes the tenant received the property in good condition. Tenants should insist on a report and attach photographs.
What to Document
A thorough condition report covers every room and records the following for each: wall condition (marks, holes, cracks, paint colour), flooring (scratches, stains, wear patterns), windows and doors (operation, locks, seals, glass condition), kitchen (appliances, worktops, cupboards, taps), bathroom (tiles, grout, fixtures, sealant, mould), lighting (fixtures, bulbs working), furniture (if furnished: condition of each item), and meter readings (gas, electricity, water). The report should also note the number and type of keys handed over.
How to Protect Yourself
Take timestamped photographs and video of every room, every wall, every appliance, and every existing mark or scratch. Email these to the landlord or agency on the day of move-in so there is a dated record in both parties' inboxes. If the landlord provides a condition report, read every line before signing. Add handwritten notes for anything the report missed or described inaccurately. If the landlord refuses to conduct a report, write your own and send it by registered post or email, requesting acknowledgement.
At move-out, repeat the process. Compare each room against the original report. Normal wear and tear (faded paint, minor carpet wear, small nail holes from picture hanging) is not deductible damage in most European jurisdictions. If the landlord claims deductions you disagree with, the condition reports become your primary evidence. See our deposit law comparison table for refund deadlines and dispute mechanisms across 30 countries.
The Role of Rental Agencies
Professional agencies typically handle condition reports as part of their service, using standardised forms, digital checklists, and photographic evidence. This is one of the practical advantages of renting through an agency rather than directly from a private landlord. Agencies that score well on our agency rating system consistently produce detailed, bilingual condition reports and store them digitally for the duration of the tenancy.