Saskatchewan Rental Inspection Checklist (Free)

What this checklist covers

The checklist walks through the rental unit room-by-room, recording the condition of every fixture, surface, and major appliance both at move-in and at move-out. Each row has a condition column (Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor) and a notes column for damage or maintenance items.

Exterior & entrance — front door + lock + weatherstripping, mailbox, exterior lighting, walkways + steps, deck or patio, yard / fencing.
Kitchen — fridge, stove, dishwasher, cabinets, countertops, sink + faucet + drain, exhaust fan, flooring, walls + ceiling.
Bathroom(s) — toilet, sink + faucet, tub / shower + caulk, exhaust fan, mirror, flooring, towel bars, walls + ceiling, water pressure.
Living room / dining room — flooring, walls, ceiling, windows + screens, light fixtures, blinds / curtains.
Bedroom(s) — flooring, walls, closet doors + rods, windows + screens, light fixtures, smoke alarm.
Mechanical / safety — furnace, hot-water tank, electrical panel, smoke + CO alarms, locks + deadbolts, plumbing visible.
Laundry / utility — washer + dryer (if included), utility sink, drainage, vent.
Common area / storage — for multi-unit buildings: shared hallway, parking stall, locker, garbage + recycling.

Why a written inspection report matters in Saskatchewan

Section 32 of the RTA, 2006 governs the return of security deposits and any deductions for damage. Section 49(7) is explicit: a tenant is not responsible for reasonable wear and tear. Combined, the rules put the burden on the landlord to prove that any damage being claimed against the deposit didn't exist at move-in and was caused by the tenant.

At an Office of Residential Tenancies hearing, a signed move-in inspection report with notes and photos is the strongest single piece of evidence. Without one, the ORT presumes the damage pre-existed and the deduction usually fails. Landlords who don't do written inspections lose a meaningful percentage of contested deposit claims for that reason alone.

When to inspect

Move-in — within the first 7 days of the tenancy. Walk through with the new tenant, fill in every row, both parties sign, both parties take photos, you give the tenant a signed copy.
Mid-tenancy — 6-month or 12-month walk-throughs are common. Section 45 of the RTA, 2006 requires at least 24 hours' written notice and entry between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. (unless the tenant agrees otherwise). Use the same checklist; flag any new issues; both sign.
Move-out — on the day the tenant returns possession. Compare against the move-in report. Note any differences. Both parties sign + photo any damage. The signed report is your primary evidence at the ORT if the deposit is contested.

How to use the checklist with your tenant

Walk through together. The point of a two-party inspection is to make disputes harder later. If the tenant flags something at move-in (a stain, a chip, a faulty outlet), write it in the notes column and initial it. That same item now isn't something they can be charged for at move-out.
Photograph anything not “Excellent”. Date-stamped photos paired with checklist entries are the strongest evidence at hearing. One per item is usually enough.
Both parties sign, both parties keep copies. Sign and date the signature page. Give the tenant a copy immediately (PDF email is fine if both agree); keep a copy in your tenancy file.
Reuse the same form at move-out. Print the signed move-in copy, walk through with the move-in entries visible, and mark the move-out condition in the second column. Differences are the basis for any deposit deduction.

Mobile-home site rentals follow different rules

Section 54(3) and the regulations carve mobile-home pad rentals out of the standard residential-tenancy framework. This checklist is not designed for mobile-home pad tenancies — for those, contact the Office of Residential Tenancies for the appropriate inspection-report format.

Frequently asked questions

Is a written inspection report legally required in Saskatchewan?

The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 doesn't word it as a strict 'must produce a form' requirement, but the ORT relies heavily on written inspection reports when ruling on security-deposit disputes under section 32. Without a signed inspection report from both parties, your ability to deduct from the deposit for damage drops sharply — the ORT presumes damage existed at move-in unless the landlord can prove otherwise.

When can I enter a rental unit to do an inspection?

Section 45 of the RTA, 2006 lets a landlord enter a rental unit only with the tenant's consent OR with at least 24 hours' written notice stating the date, the time (between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless the tenant agrees otherwise), and the reason. Routine condition inspections are a valid reason. Move-in and move-out inspections are typically arranged by mutual agreement so both parties can be present.

What happens if the tenant won't sign the inspection report?

Document everything anyway — date, time, witnesses present, photos, written observations. Note 'tenant declined to sign' on the report. The ORT will accept a properly-documented inspection report even if the tenant refused to co-sign, especially if you can show you offered them the chance and they declined. Photos and dated communication are critical here.

Can I deduct damages from the security deposit without an inspection report?

Section 32 lets you deduct from the deposit for damage beyond reasonable wear and tear. But under section 49(7) the tenant is not responsible for reasonable wear and tear — and the burden of proof is on the landlord. Without a written move-in inspection report, you can't show what condition the unit was in when the tenant moved in, which makes any deduction much harder to defend at the ORT.

Do I need an inspection between tenancies?

Yes — even when you're between tenants. A move-out inspection with the outgoing tenant + a separate move-in inspection with the incoming tenant gives you a clean baseline for each tenancy. If the same checklist + photos cover both, you don't have to argue later about which tenant caused what.

How do I document damage that the tenant disputes?

Photos with timestamps, written notes describing the location and severity of the damage, repair quotes or invoices, and dated communication with the tenant. The ORT looks for a paper trail — a single photo on its own is much weaker than a photo plus a description plus a contemporaneous email. The checklist's 'Notes' column is where you build that record at the time of inspection.

Do mid-tenancy inspections matter?

Yes. Section 45 entries for routine inspections, plus periodic written reports, help you catch maintenance issues early and reduce the size of any move-out dispute. Many Saskatchewan landlords do a 6-month walk-through with the tenant. Use a copy of this checklist for it — focus on safety items (smoke alarms, locks, heating) plus any flagged issues from move-in.

Sources

The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (CanLII) — full statute (s. 32 deposit return, s. 45 entry rules, s. 49 repair obligations)
Government of Saskatchewan — Security Deposits and Utilities
Office of Residential Tenancies (gov directory) — for filing deposit-dispute applications

Need help with inspections at scale?

GoodDoors does written move-in and move-out inspections on every tenancy across our Regina and Saskatoon portfolio — every tenant has a dated, two-party-signed report with photos. That single piece of process detail is why our security-deposit disputes resolve in our favour the vast majority of the time. If you'd like to hand that off, contact us or call (306) 994-5475.

Saskatchewan Rental Inspection Checklist

Get the Saskatchewan rental inspection checklist