A furnished apartment inventory checklist is a signed, photo-backed list of every piece of furniture, appliance, and fixture in a rental unit, made at move-in — and under Philippine law, it is the single document that decides who wins a deposit dispute at move-out. The Civil Code does not require a written inventory, but it does set a default rule that makes one necessary in practice: absent proof otherwise, “the law presumes that the lessee received [the unit] in good condition” (Civil Code of the Philippines, Art. 1666, LawPhil). For an unfurnished room that is a minor risk. For a fully furnished condo with a sofa, a mattress, a refrigerator, and a dozen smaller fixtures, it is the difference between a smooth deposit refund and a drawn-out argument over a scratch, a stain, or an appliance that “already didn’t work.”
Decision Snapshot
- What it is: a room-by-room list of every furnished item and existing defect, backed by dated photos or video, completed and signed by both tenant and landlord (or their agent) before the tenant moves belongings in.
- Where/how to do it: walk through the empty-of-your-belongings unit together at key handover, check off each item on a written template, photograph anything already scratched, stained, or not working, and have both sides sign or at least acknowledge the list in writing (email or chat counts).
- The key qualifying detail: it has to happen before you move your own things in and start using the unit — once you’ve lived in it a while, it becomes much harder to prove which marks were already there.
- The main rule involved: Civil Code Arts. 1665–1668 make the tenant liable for deterioration beyond “ordinary wear and tear,” but only presume good condition at the start absent your own evidence — and for rent-control-covered units, RA 9653 caps what can be deducted to what is “commensurate to the pecuniary damage done.”
- An important caveat: a verbal walkthrough or a landlord’s casual “it’s all fine” is not documentation — if nothing is written, dated, and kept, you have nothing to show a court, a barangay, or even a reasonable landlord months later.
- Next step: use the room-by-room checklist below at your next move-in, send a copy to your landlord the same day by email or chat, and keep your own copy somewhere you can find it a year later.
Why a Written Inventory Matters Under Philippine Law
Philippine lease law puts real obligations on a tenant for the condition of the thing leased — obligations most renters only discover when a landlord invokes them at move-out. Four Civil Code articles work together to create the risk an inventory is meant to manage:
| Provision | What it says | Why it matters for a furnished unit |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 1665 | The lessee must return the thing leased “as he received it, save what has been lost or impaired by the lapse of time, or by ordinary wear and tear, or from an inevitable cause.” | Normal fading, minor scuffs, and age-related wear are not chargeable — but you need a baseline to prove what counted as “ordinary” versus new damage. |
| Art. 1666 | “In the absence of a statement concerning the condition of the thing at the time the lease was constituted, the law presumes that the lessee received it in good condition, unless there is proof to the contrary.” | This is the default that works against you. No written inventory means the unit is legally presumed to have been handed over in good condition — so any pre-existing scratch, stain, or broken latch you didn’t document becomes, by default, something you have to disprove, not something the landlord has to prove you caused. |
| Art. 1667 | The lessee “is responsible for the deterioration or loss of the thing leased, unless he proves that it took place without his fault” (natural calamities excepted). | The burden sits on the tenant to show damage wasn’t their fault — a documented, dated inventory is the clearest way to meet that burden. |
| Art. 1668 | The lessee is liable for deterioration caused by members of the household, guests, and visitors. | Liability extends beyond the named tenant — all the more reason to have a clear starting-condition record everyone can point back to. |
Read together, Articles 1665 to 1668 of the Civil Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 386), LawPhil put the practical burden of proof on the tenant for anything beyond ordinary wear and tear — and Article 1666 is explicit that the default, absent your own documentation, favors a finding of “good condition” at handover. A signed, photographed inventory is simply the evidence that lets a tenant meet that burden instead of losing the argument by default.
For units covered by the Rent Control Act, there’s a second layer worth knowing. Republic Act No. 9653 allows a landlord to forfeit part of the security deposit only “in the amount commensurate to the pecuniary damage done” when a tenant “destroys any house components and accessories” or leaves bills unpaid (Republic Act No. 9653, Sec. 7, LawPhil) — not an automatic forfeiture of the whole deposit. That standard still requires evidence of what the damage actually is and what it costs to fix, which is exactly what a move-in-to-move-out inventory comparison supplies. For the deposit mechanics themselves — how much can be withheld, bank-deposit requirements, and interest — see our guides on advance rent vs. security deposit and security deposit rules in the Philippines.
Furnished vs. Unfurnished: Why the Stakes Are Higher
An unfurnished unit limits a damage dispute mostly to the structure itself — walls, floors, fixtures, maybe the kitchen counter. A furnished unit multiplies the number of items that can be disputed, because every sofa, mattress, dining set, curtain, and appliance the landlord provided is also something that can arrive scuffed, leave scuffed, or simply wear out during the lease — and each one is a separate potential line item at move-out.
| Factor | Unfurnished Unit | Furnished Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Items that can be disputed | Mainly walls, floors, fixed fixtures, built-in cabinetry | All of the above, plus every piece of furniture, appliance, linen, and decor the landlord supplied |
| Ease of proving pre-existing condition | Relatively simple — fewer, larger, harder-to-move items | Harder — small items can be moved, swapped, or have damage that’s easy to dispute without a baseline |
| Typical deposit size | Usually lower, tied mainly to rent level | Often higher, partly to cover the replacement cost of furnishings |
| Value of a written inventory | Useful | Essential — without one, nearly every furnished item is a potential “he-said, she-said” |
When to Do the Inventory
The inventory has to happen at the key handover, before you move your own belongings in and before you’ve used anything in the unit. Doing it later — a week in, once you’re already settled — defeats the purpose: by then you can no longer credibly separate “already like this” from “happened while I was living here.” If the landlord or their agent isn’t available to walk through with you at handover, do it yourself the same day you get the keys, timestamp the photos, and send the completed list to the landlord immediately afterward so there’s a dated record even without their physical presence.
The Furnished Apartment Move-In Inventory Checklist
Work through the unit room by room. For each item, note its condition (good / fair / damaged), take a dated photo, and write down anything already wrong — a stain, a wobble, a crack, a button that doesn’t light up.
Living and Dining Area
- Sofa/seating — upholstery stains, tears, sagging, odor
- Coffee table, side tables, TV console — scratches, dents, wobble
- Dining table and chairs — surface condition, chair stability, missing pieces
- Television, cable/set-top box, remote controls — power on, screen condition, remote batteries
- Curtains or blinds — tears, stains, missing hooks/rods, functioning mechanism
- Air conditioning unit(s) — powers on, cools, visible leaks, remote included
- Light fixtures and ceiling fans — all bulbs working, fan speeds functional
Bedroom(s)
- Bed frame and headboard — stability, scratches, missing slats
- Mattress — stains, odor, sagging, protective cover present or not
- Pillows, linens, comforter (if provided) — cleanliness, condition, quantity
- Closet/wardrobe — doors, hinges, shelving, drawer glides
- Dresser or study desk/chair — surface condition, drawer function
- Window screens and locks — intact, functioning
Kitchen
- Refrigerator — powers on, cools, door seal, shelving intact, interior cleanliness
- Stove/cooktop and oven or microwave — all burners/functions work
- Range hood/exhaust fan — operates, filter condition
- Sink and faucet — leaks, drainage, water pressure
- Cabinets and countertop — surface condition, hinges, handles
- Cookware, utensils, small appliances, if included — itemized count and condition
- Water dispenser or filtration system, if provided — functioning
Bathroom
- Toilet — flushes properly, no leaks at the base, seat condition
- Shower/water heater — hot water works, visible wiring condition, leaks
- Sink, faucet, and mirror — chips, cracks, drainage
- Exhaust fan — operates
- Towel bars, hooks, shower curtain/door — secure, functional
Whole-Unit Items and Utilities
- Walls, ceiling, and flooring — cracks, water stains, scuffs, loose tiles
- Door and window locks, keys, access cards/fobs — count issued, all functioning
- Smoke detectors and fire extinguisher, if provided — present and apparently functional
- Electric meter reading at handover (or sub-meter, if applicable)
- Water meter reading at handover, if separately metered
- Wi-Fi router/internet equipment, if included — present, functional
- Any existing pest, mold, or dampness issues — noted explicitly, however minor
How to Document the Inventory, Step by Step
- Get the checklist in writing before the walkthrough. Use the room-by-room list above (or a version adapted from it), printed or on a phone/tablet, so nothing gets skipped.
- Walk through every room with the landlord or their representative present, if possible. A joint walkthrough is stronger evidence than a solo one, because the landlord can’t later claim they never saw the unit’s condition at handover.
- Photograph or video every item, not just the damaged ones. A “good condition” photo of an intact mattress is just as useful later as a photo of a stain — it proves the baseline either way.
- Write down every existing defect explicitly, even small ones. A line like “small scratch on dining table, left corner” is far stronger than a general “table has some wear.”
- Test that appliances actually work — power on the air conditioner, run the stove burners, flush the toilet, check the water heater — rather than assuming something plugged in means something functional.
- Record the electric and water meter readings at the moment of handover, so there’s no dispute later about who used what before you moved in.
- Have both parties sign or initial the completed list. If the landlord won’t sign in person, send the completed checklist and photos by email or chat the same day — a timestamped message is still evidence, even without a signature.
- Keep your own copy somewhere durable — cloud storage, email sent-to-self, or a dedicated folder — since a lease can run a year or more before the inventory matters again.
What Happens at Move-Out
The move-in inventory only pays off if you repeat it at move-out, using the same checklist as the comparison point. Walk through the same rooms, photograph the same items, and line up each one against your move-in record. Three outcomes typically follow:
- No change beyond ordinary wear and tear — faded upholstery color, minor scuffing from normal foot traffic, a mattress that’s simply older. Under Article 1665 of the Civil Code, this is not chargeable, and the deposit should be returned in full (less any unpaid bills).
- New, documented damage — a cracked table, a stained mattress that wasn’t stained at move-in, a broken appliance. This can lawfully be deducted from the deposit, ideally supported by a repair quote or receipt showing the deduction is “commensurate to the pecuniary damage done,” per RA 9653 Sec. 7.
- Disputed damage — the landlord claims something is new damage; your move-in photos show it was already there. This is exactly the scenario the inventory exists to resolve, usually without needing to escalate further.
Worked Example: How the Checklist Changes the Outcome
The scenario below is a simplified, hypothetical illustration only — not a real transaction, and not legal advice.
- Move-in: A tenant moves into a furnished one-bedroom condo. During the walkthrough, she photographs a dining chair with a slightly wobbly leg and a small existing stain on the mattress corner, and notes both explicitly on her signed checklist. She emails the completed checklist and photos to the landlord that same afternoon.
- During the lease: The tenant lives in the unit for fourteen months, including normal day-to-day use of the furniture and appliances.
- Move-out: The landlord’s inspection flags the wobbly chair and the mattress stain as “tenant damage” and proposes deducting roughly ₱3,500 from the deposit for both.
- Resolution: The tenant forwards her dated move-in email and photos showing both issues already present before she moved in. Because the condition was documented at handover, neither item is treated as new, tenant-caused damage, and the deposit is returned in full apart from a legitimately unpaid final utility bill.
If a Dispute Happens Anyway
- Ask for an itemized accounting in writing — the specific items being charged and the amount tied to each, not a single lump “forfeited” figure.
- Present your move-in inventory and photos side by side with the move-out claim, item by item.
- Raise it at the barangay if you and the landlord both actually reside in the same city or municipality — Katarungang Pambarangay conciliation under the Local Government Code is generally a required first step before a formal case (Republic Act No. 7160, Secs. 408 and 412, LawPhil).
- File a small claims case if conciliation doesn’t resolve it. A security-deposit dispute is a straightforward money claim, and the Supreme Court’s 2022 Rules on Expedited Procedures raised the small claims threshold to ₱1,000,000, letting claims within that amount be filed and heard without a lawyer (Supreme Court of the Philippines, SC Issues Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts).
What to Verify Before You Rely on This
- Confirm your lease actually describes the furnished items — ideally as an attached schedule or annex, not just the word “furnished” in the contract.
- Check whether your unit is rent-control-covered, since that determines which statutory deposit caps and deduction standard under RA 9653 apply.
- Keep both the move-in and move-out photo sets in the same format and, ideally, from similar angles, so a comparison is easy to make later.
- Get any landlord acknowledgment in writing, even if it’s just a reply confirming they received your checklist — not only a verbal “okay.”
- Verify current small-claims and barangay-conciliation procedures with the court or barangay directly, since monetary thresholds and filing rules can change by Supreme Court issuance or legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a move-in inventory checklist legally required in the Philippines?
No statute requires a written inventory. But because Civil Code Article 1666 presumes a unit was received in good condition absent proof otherwise, skipping one leaves a tenant with no evidence to rebut that presumption if a dispute arises.
What if my landlord refuses to do a joint walkthrough?
Do the inventory yourself the moment you get the keys, timestamp your photos, and send the completed checklist to the landlord in writing the same day. A dated message the landlord received and didn’t dispute at the time is still meaningful evidence, even without a joint signature.
Do phone photos count as evidence without a signed document?
Dated photos sent to the landlord at move-in are meaningful supporting evidence on their own, though a signed written inventory alongside them is stronger because it shows both parties reviewed and acknowledged the same list of items and conditions.
What counts as “ordinary wear and tear” versus chargeable damage?
Ordinary wear and tear is the gradual, expected deterioration from normal use over time — fading fabric, minor scuffing, a mattress softening with age. Chargeable damage is harm beyond that: a cracked appliance, a torn cushion from misuse, a burn mark, something broken that was working at move-in. The move-in inventory is what lets you — or an inspector — tell the two apart later.
Can I use a generic move-in checklist template, or does it need to match my unit exactly?
A generic template is a fine starting point, but it only protects you if you actually go through and note every item specific to your unit — including items a generic template might not list, like a particular appliance brand or an existing defect unique to that apartment.
Does this apply to unfurnished units too?
Yes, the same Civil Code presumption and burden-of-proof issue apply to any lease, furnished or not. A furnished unit simply has far more individual items that can be disputed, which is why a detailed inventory matters more there.
What if there’s no inventory and the landlord claims damage at move-out?
Without a move-in record, you’re working from memory against the landlord’s claim, and Article 1666’s default presumption of “good condition at the start” works against you in practice — any other evidence you have (older photos, messages describing the unit, witnesses) becomes important, but none of it is as clean as a dated inventory would have been.
Who should keep the signed copy of the checklist?
Both parties should. Send a copy to the landlord in writing at the time, and keep your own copy — ideally backed up somewhere other than just your phone — since a lease can run well over a year before the inventory is needed again at move-out.
What to Do Next
Before you accept the keys to a furnished unit, print or pull up a room-by-room checklist like the one above and block out enough time to actually go through it — rushing the walkthrough defeats the purpose. Photograph everything, note every existing flaw no matter how small, get the landlord’s acknowledgment in writing, and keep your own copy somewhere you’ll still be able to find it when the lease ends. Do the same walkthrough again at move-out, and you’ll have turned what is normally the most contentious part of renting in the Philippines into a simple side-by-side comparison.
Figures and procedures in this article reflect the Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9653, and the Supreme Court’s 2022 Rules on Expedited Procedures as of October 16, 2026. Small-claims thresholds, barangay-conciliation rules, and rent-control coverage can change by legislation, regulation, or court issuance. Always confirm current figures and procedures with DHSUD, your local barangay, the courts, or a licensed Philippine lawyer before relying on this guide for an actual tenancy.
