Do it together, at handoff, before anyone unpacks
The photos only carry weight if both people agree they are accurate, so walk the unit together and take them before the subletter's boxes come in. Photos taken a week later, after they have moved their things around, prove nothing about the condition you handed over.
What to photograph, room by room
- Every wall and the floor of each room, wide enough to show the whole surface.
- Any existing damage up close: scuffs, stains, chips, cracked tiles, holes from old hooks.
- Appliances, and turn each one on: fridge, stove, microwave, washer, dryer, dishwasher.
- Bathroom fixtures, caulking, and under-sink areas where leaks hide.
- Windows, blinds, screens, and locks, plus the front door and any keys or fobs.
- Meter readings or thermostat settings if utilities are part of the deal.
Make sure the photos are timestamped and shared
A photo with no reliable date is a photo the other side can wave away. Use something that records when the photo was taken and make sure both people have the same set, so neither can claim they never saw them. This is the whole point: one shared, dated record instead of two phones with two different stories.
Repeat the routine at move-out
When the sublet ends, walk it again and take the same shots. Now the deposit conversation is a two-minute comparison of two dated sets, not a debate, and whoever is owed money has the evidence to back it up.