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Move-in inventory report template for Switzerland

Handover report for a flat (move-in and move-out)Wohnungsübergabeprotokoll (Antritts- und Rückgabeprotokoll)

The report the landlord and tenant draw up together when the keys change hands at the start and at the end of a lease. It records the state of each room, the meter readings and the keys. At the end, it is also the landlord's notice of defects that the tenant must answer for.

Use it on the handover day at move-in and again on the return day at move-out, with the same layout so the two can be compared. At move-in it proves which defects already existed. At move-out the landlord must inspect the flat and notify the tenant at once of defects the tenant is liable for, or lose the claim, so the return report doubles as that notice.

Reviewed October 28, 2026. Not legal advice. Have a notary or lawyer check your case before you sign.

Key facts

Applies to
Whole country under federal lease law. Text in German for the German-speaking cantons.
Previous tenancy report
The new tenant can ask to see the return report of the previous tenancy at handover (OR Art. 256a para 1).
Condition at return
The condition that results from use in line with the contract. Normal wear is not the tenant's cost (OR Art. 267 para 1).
Landlord's notice of defects
At once on return, naming each defect. Otherwise the landlord loses the claim (OR Art. 267a).
Hidden defects
The landlord must notify them at once on discovery (OR Art. 267a).
Lump-sum exit charges
Void if the tenant promised in advance to pay more than the actual damage (OR Art. 267 para 2).
Amount of damages
Repair cost or the damaged item's current value. A joint lifespan table of the landowners' and tenants' associations helps set it.
Small repairs and cleaning
The tenant's cost, according to local usage (OR Art. 259). The final cleaning is part of it.
Deposit release
With both parties' consent, a final payment order or a final judgment (OR Art. 257e para 3).
Deposit after 1 year
The tenant can claim it from the bank if the landlord brings no claim within 1 year (OR Art. 257e para 3).

The document

Text shown

You sign the German version. The English version helps you understand it. Your answers fill both.

Handover report for a flat (move-in and move-out)

  1. 1.General information

    1. 1.1

      Type of report: Type of report. Date and time: Date and time of the inspection. Premises: Address and flat.

    2. 1.2

      Present for the landlord: Landlord or agent, and person present. Present for the tenant: Tenant or tenants present.

      A person who represents a party should carry a written authority.

  2. 2.Meter readings

    1. 2.1

      Electricity: Electricity meter number and reading. Gas: Gas meter number and reading. Heat and hot water: Heat, hot water and allocator readings.

      Photograph each meter with its number. Tell the utility the reading on the handover day.

  3. 3.Keys

    1. 3.1

      Keys and access devices handed over: Keys handed over.

      At move-out the tenant returns every key received, including copies the tenant made. Compare the list with the move-in report.

  4. 4.Entrance and corridor

    1. 4.1

      Condition: Entrance and corridor.

      Check the floor, walls, ceiling, door, intercom and built-in cupboards.

  5. 5.Living room

    1. 5.1

      Condition: Living room.

      Check floor, walls, ceiling, windows, blinds, radiators, sockets and lighting. Name the floor type (parquet, tiles, carpet) and age. Age sets its current value.

  6. 6.Bedrooms

    1. 6.1

      Condition: Bedrooms.

      Write one line per room. Check the same items as in the living room.

  7. 7.Kitchen

    1. 7.1

      Condition: Kitchen.

      Check floor, walls, worktop, units, sink and taps, hob, oven, fridge, dishwasher and hood. Switch on each appliance and record whether it works.

  8. 8.Bathroom and WC

    1. 8.1

      Condition: Bathroom and WC.

      Check floor and tiles, basin, bath or shower, toilet, taps, mirror cabinet and ventilation. Look for worn joints, limescale, mould or leaks.

  9. 9.Balcony, cellar, attic and parking

    1. 9.1

      Condition: Balcony, cellar, attic and parking.

  10. 10.Appliances and fixtures let with the flat

    1. 10.1

      Condition and function: Appliances and fixtures let.

      List each appliance and fixture, such as washing machine, dryer, blinds and awnings, and state whether each works.

  11. 11.Defects found

    1. 11.1

      The parties record the following defects: Defects found.

      At move-in, list existing defects. At move-out, list new defects beyond normal wear. Give each its place. A vague entry is no notice of defects.

    2. 11.2

      Optional

      For the move-out report: the landlord holds the tenant liable for the defects listed above, to the extent they go beyond normal wear and tear.

      Use it in the move-out report only, and do not delete it there. A notice of defects must show that the landlord holds the tenant liable.

  12. 12.Costs accepted (move-out only)

    1. 12.1

      Optional

      The tenant accepts the following defects at the tenant's cost: Defects tenant pays, amount or method. For all other defects, this signature is not an acknowledgement.

      Move-out only. Use it when the tenant agrees to pay specific items. The amount is at most the repair cost or the item's current value.

  13. 13.Move-out details

    1. 13.1

      Optional

      Tenant's new address: Tenant's new address.

      Move-out only. The landlord needs the address to send the final ancillary cost statement and to agree the deposit release.

  14. 14.Remarks and reservations

    1. 14.1

      Remarks and reservations of the parties: Reservations and remarks of either party. Number of photos attached: Number of photos attached.

      A party who disagrees with an entry writes the reservation here before signing.

    2. 14.2

      Defects that a normal inspection could not reveal are reserved and will be notified immediately after their discovery.

      This repeats OR Art. 267a para 3. At move-in, the tenant should also report in writing any defect found soon after moving in.

  15. 15.Signatures

    1. 15.1

      This report was drawn up jointly and signed in two copies. Place of signature, Date and time of the inspection. The landlord: ______. The tenant: ______.

      Each party keeps a signed copy with the photos.

Formalities

  1. The law sets no form for the report.
  2. Both parties, or their representatives, inspect the flat together, fill in the report and sign it. Each keeps a copy.
  3. Take dated photos and attach them.
  4. A party who disagrees with an entry writes a reservation next to it before signing. Sign only what you accept.
  5. If the tenant refuses to attend the return, the landlord must send the notice of defects in writing at once, by registered post for proof.

Common mistakes

  • Writing "in Ordnung" for a whole room. Describe floors, walls, ceilings and each fitting, and note every mark, crack or hole with its place.
  • Signing a line that says the tenant accepts the costs of listed defects without checking each one. Write "nicht anerkannt" next to any defect you dispute.
  • As landlord, waiting days after the return to send the list of defects. The notice must be immediate, or the claim is lost.
  • Charging the tenant for nail holes, picture outlines or faded paint. These are normal wear.
  • Charging the full price of a new carpet or paint job. Damages are limited to the current value, which falls with the item's age.
  • Skipping the meter readings and the key count. Without them, the last bills and the cost of a missing key are hard to settle.

Legal basis

Sources

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