Property Inspection in Israel: What You Need to Photograph

The move-in inspection is often the document written in haste, because the tenant is waiting for their keys and everyone is in a rush. It is also the document brought out two years later when deciding who pays for repairs. These two moments operate at different speeds, and that is precisely where the problem lies.

What the document must prove

A move-in inspection is not intended to describe the apartment. Its purpose is to prove its condition on a specific date, so that neither party can dispute it later.

The difference is practical. Writing « paint in good condition » proves nothing. A dated photograph of the living room wall proves something. In the event of a disagreement, the photo settles the matter, not the adjective.

What to photograph, room by room

The simple rule: everything that can degrade, wear out, or go missing.

• Walls and ceilings in every room, using wide shots followed by close-ups of any existing marks.
• Floors, with close-ups of existing scratches or cracked tiles.
• The kitchen: cabinet fronts, countertops, oven interior, stovetops, sink, and faucets.
• Bathrooms: seals, shower trays, faucets, vanity units, and signs of moisture.
• Fixtures: windows, handles, roller shutters, and mosquito nets.
• Equipment: air conditioners in each room, water heaters, intercom, and mailbox.
• The balcony: flooring, railings, drainage, and signs of water infiltration.
• Meters: electricity, water, and gas, with the reading clearly visible in the photo.

One photo per item is sufficient, provided it is sharp and the location is identifiable. Thirty photos are more effective than three pages of description.

Equipment to test, not just photograph

A photographed air conditioner is not necessarily a working air conditioner. Before handing over the keys, every appliance must be turned on and noted:

• Every air conditioner, in both cooling and heating modes.
• The water heater, both electric and solar if both are present.
• The stovetop and the oven.
• The roller shutters, one by one.
• Water pressure at all taps.

A faulty appliance identified on move-in day can be repaired calmly. The same appliance discovered by the tenant in their first week becomes an emergency repair and, occasionally, a dispute over rent.

What is almost always forgotten

Keys. How many sets, for which doors, plus the building entry badge, the gate remote, and the mailbox key. The exact number must be recorded in the document; otherwise, their return becomes a point of contention.

The location of the water shut-off valve. A single photo ensures the tenant knows where to cut the water if a leak occurs at midnight.

Furniture, if applicable. In a partially furnished rental, every piece of furniture left behind must be listed and photographed, otherwise its disappearance cannot be proven.

The move-out: compare, do not restart

The move-out inspection is not written from scratch. It is conducted using the move-in inspection as a reference, room by room, in the same order.

This allows for the distinction between normal wear and tear, which is not the tenant’s responsibility, and actual damage, which is. Faded paint after three years is wear and tear. A wall with twelve holes from wall plugs is not.

Who should do it

Owners living abroad often delegate this step to a relative for convenience. This is a common mistake: the person on-site often lacks the methodology or the incentive to be thorough, rendering the resulting document useless.

For the properties we manage, the inspection is carried out by our team, both at move-in and move-out, and the photographic file is sent to you. This is also the first thing we check when an owner entrusts us with a property that is already occupied: in half of these cases, there is no usable inspection report available.