WA law requires a Condition Report to be completed by the tenant and landlord at the beginning and end of the tenancy.

 Condition Reports record the general state of repair and condition of the rental premises at the beginning and end of the tenancy. If an issue arises about damage or disrepair to the premises, the Condition Reports are used as evidence by the Tribunal or Court to determine who is liable.

A comprehensive property condition report acts as protection for you too. Check this document very carefully. This is your opportunity to change anything that you think is not correct on both copies.

If you feel that your the report does not accurately reflect the condition of a rental property when you move in there are a number of things you can do.

In Western Australia, for example, you have seven days from the date you received your PCR to add any amendments to items you disagree with. If you feel there are too many errors, contact your property manager and ask them to attend your property.

To simplify matters, be sure that when describing each item, you also include the following:

•  It's level of cleanliness
•  It's the degree of newness or damage
•  How functional it is

Here is a list of things to think about when going through creating descriptions for your PCR:

• Walls – Are there any nails or hang marks on the walls? Is there any peeling wallpaper? Are there any scribble marks on the walls?
• Electrical appliances – Do the dishwasher, washing machine, TV etc. work properly?
• Furniture – What condition are the couches, beds, chairs, tables in?
• Flooring – Are there any holes in the carpets? How worn out do they look? Are there any cracks on the floorboards?
• Water supply – How strong is the water flow in all the taps in the house? Are there any signs of leaky pipes in the property?
• Power sockets – Do they all work? Are there any faulty sockets that need replacing?
• Lawns and gardens – How much care has been put into maintaining the lawn? What is the condition of the fence surrounding the lawn?

IMPORTANT: You can always take photographs or videos too...

 In addition to the Condition Report at the start of the tenancy, the tenant and landlord must complete a second Condition Report at the end of the tenancy agreement.

This Condition Report must be completed at the premises by the landlord or the property manager.

RENTING PROPERTIES