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Receiving the keys to a new home marks a significant transition, but the initial hour inside an empty property is crucial for protecting your security, safety, and financial interests. Administrative procedures for key collection vary depending on the Australian state or territory and whether the move involves a tenancy or a property purchase. Regardless of the specific transaction type, running through a systematic inspection before unloading furniture ensures any pre-existing issues are logged immediately.
1. Access and Physical Security
The immediate priority upon gaining entry is testing every piece of access hardware provided. Work through all external doors, testing deadlocks, screen locks, and standard handle locks with every key on your set. Do not assume all keys fit or that duplicate keys work identically.
Check every window lock throughout the home to ensure windows secure properly and open smoothly. If the property includes a garage with remote entry, test the remote mechanisms from both outside and inside. Where properties utilize digital security, such as smart locks or internal alarm systems, confirm that access codes are functional and that you can arm and disarm the systems without error.
2. Utility Metering and Timestamped Records
Utility charges should only reflect consumption from the exact moment you take possession. On the day you collect your keys, locate the electricity, gas, and water meters for the property.
Take clear, timestamped photographs of each meter face showing the current reading and meter serial number. Recording these timestamped photos on key collection day provides concrete evidence of starting readings, protecting you against improper billing for energy or water used by previous occupants.
3. Essential Safety Systems and Infrastructure
Before bringing personal belongings inside, verify that basic safety mechanisms and property infrastructure are functioning correctly:
- Safety switches (RCDs): Locate the main switchboard and inspect the Residual Current Devices (RCDs) to confirm they are in position.
- Smoke alarms: Press the test button on each smoke alarm in the home to verify that the audible alarm sounds as required.
- Hot water service: Turn on taps to confirm that the hot water service is operational and supplying heated water.
Please note that electrical and plumbing repairs are required by law in Australia to be performed by licensed tradespeople. Do not attempt DIY repairs on switchboards, wiring, hot water units, or plumbing lines. Any professional, licensed trade, legal, or medical issues should always be referred to appropriate qualified experts.
4. Interior and Exterior Property Condition
An empty property offers the best conditions for capturing clear evidence of a home’s physical baseline. Before moving heavy furniture or boxes into rooms, document all spaces thoroughly using timestamped video or high-resolution photography.
Focus your documentation on specific areas prone to wear and tear or prior damage:
- Walls and paintwork: Capture existing wall marks, scuffs, cracks, or hooks.
- Flooring: Record pre-existing carpet stains, frayed edges, or timber floor scratches.
- Built-in appliances: Take photos showing the cleanliness and structural condition of ovens, stovetops, rangehoods, and dishwashers.
- Outdoor areas: Photograph patios, lawns, fencing, sheds, and garden beds to record their initial state.
5. Tenant Condition Reports
For tenants, thorough entry documentation is vital for bond protection. The condition report process for tenants is governed by specific state and territory tenancy authorities, meaning exact timelines and submission rules depend on local jurisdiction requirements.
Upon move-in, tenants must carefully cross-reference their timestamped photo and video evidence directly with the official Condition Report provided by the landlord or real estate agency. If pre-existing marks, carpet stains, or broken fixtures are missing from the official report, note them in detail before signing and returning the documentation within the timeframe stipulated by your state or territory tenancy authority.
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