Apartment handover after moving: record, photos and keys

1. Arrange the appointment and prepare the return

Section 546 of Germany’s Civil Code (BGB) requires the rented property to be returned after the tenancy ends. Agree the actual appointment with the landlord or an authorised representative in good time. Confirm who will attend, which spaces are included and who is authorised to receive the keys.

Schedule the handover separately from the moving van’s slot. Allow time after the apartment is cleared for the agreed preparations, the walkthrough and documentation. Record both the tenancy end date and the agreed handover appointment; a transport booking does not settle these arrangements.

• Have the tenancy agreement, move-in record, earlier photographs and subsequent written agreements ready.
• Include the cellar, storage room, parking space and any items rented with the apartment.
• Check access to meters, lighting and the contact person for locked areas.
• Sort keys by what they open and count them before the appointment.

• Add the handover appointment to your moving checklist

• Section 546 BGB: tenant’s duty to return the property

2. Separate the condition from responsibility for repairs

First record what you can actually observe. A description of the condition does not, on its own, establish who must carry out or pay for a repair.

Section 535 BGB includes the landlord’s duty to maintain the rented property. Under section 538 BGB, tenants are not responsible for changes or deterioration caused by use in accordance with the tenancy. This does not automatically classify every mark or scratch: its cause, extent and circumstances can matter.

Moving out does not, by itself, tell you whether you owe particular decorating work. Check the contract, the original condition and later agreements. Standard contract terms must also be valid; section 307 BGB concerns the review of terms that unfairly disadvantage a contracting party. Obtain advice on the individual case if a demand is disputed.

• Section 535 BGB: main obligations under a tenancy
• Section 538 BGB: deterioration through use in accordance with the tenancy
• Section 307 BGB: review of contract terms

3. Record specific observations room by room

Choose a consistent route, for example entrance, living areas, kitchen, bathroom and ancillary spaces. Identify the object, its precise location and what you can see. Compare it with the move-in documents without assigning a cause that has not been established.

Distinguish between looking at something, trying it briefly and not checking it. Looking at a tap does not confirm that the whole plumbing installation is free from faults. Explicitly leave inaccessible areas open. The following entries are fictional examples of factual wording, not assessments of damage.

4. Connect each photograph to the written record

An overview shows where a feature is; a closer photograph shows the detail. Use a simple reference system such as LR-01 and LR-02 and put the reference beside the corresponding observation. Include the date and room in your photo list instead of relying solely on the order in your phone’s gallery.

Keep the original files unchanged and make a second copy. If annotations would help, add them to additional copies. Take photographs for the purpose of the handover and avoid unnecessary images of personal documents or other people. Share the records only with the intended recipients.

• Take a room overview followed by photographs of relevant details.
• Connect the image number, location and brief description in a photo index.
• Give later photographs their actual capture date and time.
• Check that the files are sharp, complete and readable on a second device or storage location.

5. List meter readings and keys separately

Reading the meters and returning the keys are separate events. Record what actually happened for each.

For each meter you read, record the utility, meter number, displayed reading and unit, plus the date and time. Link the corresponding photograph. Where there are several displays, include the display identifier. If a meter is inaccessible or unreadable, do not enter an invented zero; record the reason and what still needs to be clarified.

Count the keys together again when they are actually handed over. List apartment, building entrance, mailbox, cellar and other access separately, including any fobs or remote controls. Record the recipient, date and time. Explicitly note missing keys or differences from the original inventory.

6. An editable draft for your handover notes

Use the blank fields as a working document. Add entries for each room, meter or type of key as needed. The draft contains no prewritten acceptance of a payment obligation and no declaration that all visible or hidden defects have been ruled out.

Copy your entries into your own document before leaving this page. Add the attachments there and review the final shared version before signing it. The worksheet alone is not a handover record agreed by both parties.

7. Review disputed points and signatures carefully

Read every page and attachment before signing. Separate observed conditions, differing views and further steps that have actually been agreed. Accepting costs, waiving a right or promising specific work goes beyond a simple condition note. Clarify wording that you do not understand or agree with before accepting it.

Berliner Mieterverein explains that there is no general obligation to sign a handover record. If you disagree, you can preserve your own documentation and seek legal advice. An example note could read: “Landlord describes the mark as new; tenant refers to move-in photo E-03; no agreement on the cause.” This example does not determine liability.

If the other party does not attend, contact the landlord to arrange the return, including the keys. Record attempts to make contact and what actually happens. An unanswered message or your own condition list does not automatically fulfil the obligation to return the property.

• Berliner Mieterverein: ten questions about returning an apartment (28 November 2018)
• Mieterbund Darmstadt: handover when moving out (23 May 2024)
• Section 546 BGB: tenant’s duty to return the property

8. Save the records and assign outstanding tasks

Make sure everyone receives the same final version and attachments. Store the handover record, photo index, original images, meter readings and evidence of the key return together. Identify later additions as additions instead of silently changing the original version.

Only transfer tasks that were actually agreed into your follow-up list, with the responsible person and agreed date. Submit readings to utility providers through their respective procedures; writing them in the handover record does not automatically notify the providers. Address questions about the transport contract separately with the company carrying out the move.

umzughilfen.de forwards enquiries to independent partners. The named partner issues the quote, enters into the contract, performs the service and invoices you; payment goes directly to that partner. umzughilfen.de remains responsible for its own referral activities and data processing.

• Coordinate moving services and the transport schedule

Common questions about apartment handovers