ACT Entry Condition Report: Property Manager's Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

The entry condition report in the Australian Capital Territory is governed by Section 29 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT). The document itself is called the Condition of Premises Report, available from the ACT Revenue Office (part of Access Canberra). Unlike Queensland's RTA Form 1a or Victoria's prescribed Form 4, the ACT form is not named by form number in everyday practice — it is simply referred to as the condition report or the Condition of Premises Report.

Two features of the ACT regime are unusual by Australian standards. First, the lessor must deliver two signed copies to the tenant no later than the day after the tenant takes possession. There is no seven-day delivery window: one calendar day after possession is the outer limit. Second, the tenant has 14 days from receiving the copies to review the report, annotate any disagreements, and return one signed copy — the longest review window in Australia. Queensland gives tenants seven days; Victoria gives five business days; South Australia has no fixed statutory return period; the ACT gives a full two weeks.

These two features together mean that an ACT entry condition report must be completed before handover (to meet the day-after deadline) and must be specific enough to rebut an item-by-item dispute raised up to two weeks later (to survive the extended review window).

For the broader ACT compliance framework — bond lodgement, routine inspection notice periods, consecutive tenancy exemptions, and ACAT procedure — see the ACT condition report requirements guide. For the exit condition report, see the exit condition report ACT guide.

Section 29(1) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT) requires the lessor to give the tenant the two signed copies "not later than the day after" they take possession of the premises. This is the most exacting delivery deadline in Australia. Most other states either require delivery at the start of the tenancy or allow up to seven days; the ACT allows one calendar day after possession — and calendar day, not business day.

The practical implication is straightforward: the entry condition report must be completed before key handover, not on the morning after. If a tenant takes possession on a Friday afternoon, the deadline is Saturday. If the keys are handed over on a Wednesday, the deadline is Thursday — not Friday, not the following Monday.

The safest operational approach is to treat the entry condition report as a pre-condition of key handover rather than a follow-up task. Complete and sign the report during the pre-tenancy walkthrough — after the final clean, while the property is vacant — and provide both signed copies to the tenant at the same time as the keys and the tenancy agreement. This approach eliminates the delivery risk entirely and produces an entry record that is contemporaneous with the moment of possession.

Completing the report while the tenant is present at handover is feasible but adds time pressure and reduces documentation quality. If a tenant is waiting with furniture in a van, the natural pressure is to complete the report quickly — which is how items get missed, photos get skipped, and notations become vague. The pre-handover walkthrough, conducted alone or with a colleague before the tenant arrives, produces a more complete and more defensible record.

For consecutive tenancies — where the same tenant renews their lease — Section 29 does not require a new condition report if an existing report is already on file. The original entry report remains the comparison document at exit, potentially years later. This exemption is discussed further in the ACT condition report requirements guide.

The ACT Revenue Office (Access Canberra) publishes the prescribed Condition of Premises Report template. Property managers should use this form, or inspection management software that generates output matching its structure, rather than a generic multi-state template or an agency-designed form. ACAT members are familiar with the prescribed layout, and a non-standard form may be given less weight in bond proceedings.

The form covers the premises room by room, including external areas. It records the condition of walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and fittings in each space, as well as any goods or inclusions provided with the tenancy. For furnished properties, every piece of furniture and every appliance listed in the tenancy agreement must appear in the report with its condition noted.

The form uses a condition rating system alongside space for written descriptions. Written descriptions are where the evidential value of an entry report is made or lost. A condition rating alone — a tick in a box, or a single-word label — tells an ACAT member almost nothing. A written description that allows an ACAT member who has never visited the property to understand exactly what they are looking at is what produces a defensible record.

The current prescribed form and related guidance are available from the ACT Revenue Office. If you use inspection management software, confirm with your vendor that the ACT output aligns with the current Condition of Premises Report format.

A complete and defensible entry condition report starts before you arrive at the property. These preparation steps shape the quality of the final record.

Complete all cleaning and maintenance before the inspection. The entry condition report documents the condition the tenant receives the property in. Completing the inspection while tradespeople are still working, or before the final clean, produces a record that does not reflect what the tenant actually moved into. Run the entry inspection after every preparation task is complete and the property is fully vacant.

Download or configure the prescribed form in advance. If you use paper forms, download the current Condition of Premises Report template from the ACT Revenue Office and bring copies. If you use inspection management software, configure the property record — number of bedrooms, bathrooms, inclusions from the tenancy agreement — before leaving the office. Property-specific setup done in the office removes that task from the on-site workload.

Cross-reference the tenancy agreement's inclusions list. Every item listed in the tenancy agreement as an inclusion must appear in the entry condition report with its condition noted. Missing inclusions at entry leave no baseline for comparison at exit, which makes claims for missing or damaged inclusions extremely difficult to substantiate at ACAT. Bring the signed tenancy agreement to the inspection and work through the inclusions list item by item.

Prepare your device for photography. A thorough entry inspection of a three-bedroom property produces between 60 and 120 photographs. Arrive with a fully charged phone or tablet, confirmed storage capacity, and — if using cloud-connected inspection software — a working network connection or a confirmed offline sync capability. An inspection that cannot be photographed fully because of a flat battery is not recoverable once the tenant takes possession.

Allow sufficient time. Rushing an entry inspection is the most common cause of incomplete condition records. A well-documented three-bedroom property requires 45 to 60 minutes. Build that time into the inspection schedule rather than compressing it to fit between other appointments.

Work through the property in the same order as the prescribed form — room by room, from entry to outdoor areas. Systematic coverage ensures that no area is accidentally skipped, and produces a report that follows the same structure ACAT members expect to navigate in bond proceedings.

Entry and hallways. Record the front door lock, operation, and the number and type of keys issued (this becomes a bond item if keys are not returned at exit). Document the flooring, walls, ceiling, and light fittings. Hallway walls at shoulder height, around door handles, and at skirting board level accumulate marks and scuffs during ordinary tenancy use; document their condition at entry specifically so fair wear and tear is distinguished from damage at exit.

Living and dining areas. Cover all four walls including the surfaces below windows, around power points, and around light switches. Note the ceiling condition — any existing water marks, patched areas, or discolouration should be recorded, because these are frequently disputed at exit when a tenant has reported a leak during the tenancy. Document the floor covering material and condition, every window (operation and seal), window coverings (blind condition, curtain condition), and fixed appliances such as split-system air conditioners or wall-mounted heating units.

Bedrooms. For each bedroom: walls and ceiling, the floor covering, windows and flyscreens, built-in wardrobes (shelves, hanging rails, floor of the wardrobe, sliding door operation), door condition and hardware, and any ceiling fans or fixed inclusions. Built-in wardrobe interiors are commonly overlooked and commonly disputed — their condition at entry should be explicit in the report.

Kitchen. The kitchen requires the most detailed documentation because it generates the majority of ACT bond disputes. For each item, write a specific description: the oven interior (base, rear wall, racks, and door glass — are they clean? Is there existing residue?), the cooktop elements or burners (including any existing marks on the ceramic, grill marks, or burner deterioration), the rangehood and filter (built-up grease at entry is a common point of dispute), the benchtop material and any pre-existing chips, scratches, or heat marks, the splashback, all cupboard interiors including base surfaces and shelves, the dishwasher if present (interior, racks, and door seal), sink and tapware, and any pantry or overhead storage. Vague kitchen descriptions carry almost no evidential weight at ACAT — this room demands the most specific written record in the property.

Bathrooms and toilet. For each bathroom: tiles and grout condition (note any existing mould, discolouration, or damaged grout with specific location — grout is the most commonly disputed bathroom item at ACAT), shower screen and seals, bath if present (base, taps, overflow), toilet bowl and cistern, vanity surface and cabinet, tapware, and exhaust fan. Shower screens develop soap scum and seal deterioration during a tenancy; recording their entry condition specifically protects against exit claims for deterioration that was already present.

Laundry. The tub and tapware, walls (particularly splash zones), flooring, and — if the washing machine or dryer is a tenancy inclusion — the appliance exterior, drum interior, and any visible filter.

Outdoor areas. Outdoor documentation matters in the ACT because garden and yard maintenance obligations are a source of ACAT disputes. Document: lawn condition and approximate length at entry, garden beds (weeded, mulched, visible plant condition), paths and paving (including any cracking or moss growth), clothesline, letterbox, fencing and gates (noting any pre-existing rot, loose palings, or hardware issues), the carport or garage (floor condition, roller door operation and seals), and any sheds or outbuildings. The standard of outdoor condition the tenant is expected to maintain at exit is benchmarked against the entry record — vague outdoor documentation leaves the exit comparison without a clear baseline.

For every item: specific descriptions, not just ratings. The Condition of Premises Report's rating fields are useful shorthand. Supplement each rating with a written description that a person who has never visited the property could use to identify the specific feature. Ask yourself for each item: if someone stands in this room at exit, can they tell from this description whether anything changed?

The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT) does not specifically mandate photographs as part of the entry condition report. In practice, ACAT consistently assigns significant evidential weight to timestamped photographs in bond disputes. The 14-day tenant review window — the longest in Australia — means that entry photographs need to be specific enough to rebut an item-by-item dispute raised up to two weeks after the entry inspection. Written descriptions alone, without photographs, are substantially weaker.

Photograph every room from two positions. A wide-angle shot from the doorway — capturing walls, floor, and ceiling in the same frame — establishes the room's general entry condition. A second shot from the opposite corner or a different angle provides coverage for the areas the doorway shot does not capture. These two overview photographs are the baseline before the detail work begins.

Photograph every item for which you have written a specific condition note. Any item noted in the report with a mark, stain, pre-existing damage, or unusual condition must have at least one close-up photograph. A written description without a matching photograph is more vulnerable to a tenant challenging whether the condition was actually present at entry — a photograph removes that ambiguity.

Prioritise high-friction items. The items most frequently disputed at ACAT bond hearings are the oven interior, shower screen and tiles, carpet, painted walls, and garden areas. For the oven: a photograph from the front showing the interior, one of the base, one of the rear cavity wall, one with racks visible or removed, and one of the door glass. For the shower screen: the screen surface and seals. For the carpet: a wide shot of the full floor from the doorway, plus close-ups of any pre-existing staining, worn areas, or joining sections.

Photograph pre-existing damage with specificity. If the report records "small chip on front edge of kitchen benchtop near the sink," there must be a close-up photograph of that chip. The written description and the photograph must correspond clearly — not just be vaguely related.

Confirm device timestamps are accurate. The date and time embedded in each photograph's metadata is the primary evidence of when the entry inspection occurred. Check that your device's clock is set correctly before you begin. Inspection management software that overlays the capture timestamp on the image or stores it in the image metadata provides additional confirmation. The 14-day review window means that photographs taken within a few days of move-in could conceivably be misrepresented as entry photographs — a confirmed, contemporaneous timestamp removes this ambiguity.

Organise photographs room by room. A folder of 80 unorganised photographs is difficult to present at ACAT. Photographs organised in the same room sequence as the Condition of Premises Report — and ideally attached to specific items within a digital inspection record — can be navigated efficiently in proceedings. Most dedicated inspection software handles this organisation automatically.

Section 29 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT) requires the lessor to provide two signed copies of the Condition of Premises Report. "Signed" means the lessor's section must be completed and signed before the copies are handed to the tenant. An unsigned report does not satisfy the Section 29 obligation.

Complete and sign before handover. The entry section of the report must be completed in full and signed before the copies are provided to the tenant. Providing an incomplete or unsigned report and expecting the tenant to finish it introduces compliance risk and produces a weaker evidentiary document.

Provide both copies at the time of key handover, or before. The day-after-possession deadline means there is almost no margin for delay. The safest and most defensible approach is to treat both copies of the condition report as part of the handover pack — handed over simultaneously with the keys and the tenancy agreement. This eliminates any dispute about whether the deadline was met.

Electronic delivery. Emailing the completed and signed report to the tenant at or before key handover is an effective and defensible delivery method. The email timestamp is a precise record of when the document was provided. This is particularly valuable in the ACT because the one-day deadline is tight; email delivery with a timestamp proves when the document was received. If you use this method, keep the email in the tenancy file for the duration of the tenancy and beyond.

Document delivery. Whether you provide copies by hand or electronically, note in the tenancy file when the report was provided. A file note recording the date, method of delivery, and who was present (for in-person handover) or the email timestamp (for electronic delivery) is simple to make and valuable if the question ever arises at ACAT.

Once the tenant receives their two copies, they have 14 days to review the Condition of Premises Report, note any disagreements, and return one signed copy. On the returned copy, the tenant must indicate whether they agree with the report as a whole or only with specific parts, and identify any parts they dispute.

The 14-day window is the longest in Australia, and it requires property managers to treat the entry record differently from other states. A tenant has two full weeks to walk through the property, compare their own observations against the written descriptions, and raise specific disagreements — all within their legal rights. The entry record needs to be specific enough to answer those disagreements.

Allow the full 14 days before following up. Do not contact the tenant on day 8 to ask whether the report will be returned. The 14-day period is the tenant's right. Set a calendar reminder for day 14 and follow up then if the copy has not been returned.

Send a courtesy reminder at day 12. A brief email — "Just a reminder that the signed copy of the entry condition report is due back by [date]" — reduces the likelihood of a non-return without applying pressure before the deadline. The reminder itself creates a documented communication trail showing the tenant was given a clear opportunity to note any disagreements.

If the tenant returns the copy with no disagreements: The signed report from both parties is the agreed baseline for the tenancy. File it alongside the entry photographs in a location that remains accessible for the duration of the tenancy and for any post-tenancy record-keeping period required by your agency's professional standards obligations.

If the tenant returns the copy with amendments or disagreements: Review each point carefully. If the tenant identifies a genuine entry condition issue that was missed — mould in a corner of the bathroom, a pre-existing crack in a tile — acknowledge it and add a note to the tenancy record. Photograph the item if access is possible. If the tenant disputes something that you believe is accurately recorded and supported by photographs, note the disagreement in the tenancy file. Both the agent's assessment and the tenant's written disagreement form part of the record and may be relevant if the item becomes the subject of a bond claim at ACAT.

If the tenant does not return the copy: The Act does not impose a formal consequence on the tenant for failing to return the condition report within 14 days. The lessor's version of the report stands as the entry record. Document the non-return with a file note recording when both copies were provided and that no return was received within the review period. If the tenant did not sign the copy, and a dispute later arises about whether they agreed with the entry record, this file note is your evidence that a proper opportunity was given.

The Condition of Premises Report's primary function is to establish the baseline that every bond claim at the end of the tenancy is measured against. In the ACT, bond is held by the ACT Revenue Office — not by the lessor or the agent — and is released only by joint agreement or by ACAT order. A lessor who wants to claim from the bond must either reach agreement with the tenant or apply to ACAT.

At ACAT, the evidentiary standard is clear: the lessor must demonstrate that alleged damage or cleaning deficiencies (a) were not present at entry, (b) are not fair wear and tear, and (c) are costed by actual invoices. The entry condition report is the evidence for point (a). Without a specific, well-documented entry record, ACAT members cannot determine whether a claimed defect arose during the tenancy or was already there when the tenant moved in. In the absence of a clear entry record, ACAT typically finds in the tenant's favour.

The 14-day review window has a direct consequence for how ACAT reads the entry report. If the tenant raised specific disagreements during the review period, those disagreements form part of the entry record and must be addressed in any ACAT claim that touches the disputed items. If the tenant returned the copy without disagreement, or did not return it at all, the lessor's version of the report stands as the uncontested entry baseline.

ACAT also applies depreciation when assessing bond claims for repair or replacement of items. The entry condition report's record of the item's age and condition at the start of the tenancy is the reference point for depreciation arguments. A carpet recorded at entry as already showing early wear does not support a full replacement claim at exit. Recording the actual condition of major items — carpet, paint, appliances — at entry gives both parties an accurate foundation for depreciation arguments and reduces the likelihood of an inflated claim that ACAT will cut back.

For the ACAT dispute process, including the seven-day advance claims list requirement and what evidence to prepare, see the ACAT bond dispute guide. For the full bond claim process across Australia, see how to claim bond at the end of tenancy.

The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT) preserves the standard Australian principle that a tenant is not liable for fair wear and tear — the ordinary deterioration that results from normal residential use of the property over time. The distinction between fair wear and tear and damage the tenant is responsible for is the most common point of dispute in ACT bond proceedings.

Fair wear and tear in the ACT includes: minor scuff marks on walls in high-traffic areas (hallways, around door handles, near light switches, behind doors) from ordinary movement during the tenancy; gradual dulling or fading of painted surfaces over several years; slight carpet pile compression from furniture sitting in one position throughout a long tenancy; minor marks around frequently used surfaces such as tapware edges and bench corners that result from routine daily use; and gradual dulling of floor finishes over an extended occupancy. These are ordinary consequences of residential use and are not recoverable from the bond.

Damage that is claimable — distinct from fair wear and tear — includes: holes or significant gouges in walls from unsanctioned fixings, impact damage, or removal of items; carpet staining from spills, pet accidents, or burns; cracked tiles, broken fixtures, or damaged glass; heavy grease or carbonised residue in the oven or rangehood filter from absence of cleaning during a tenancy of normal duration; mould in bathrooms or kitchens that results from inadequate ventilation habits rather than a structural building defect; pet damage to flyscreens, floor coverings, garden, or fencing; and missing or broken inclusions.

ACAT considers the length of the tenancy when assessing what level of deterioration is reasonable fair wear and tear for that property. Deterioration that appears after six months is judged differently from the same deterioration after five years. The entry condition report's record of the item's condition at the start of the tenancy is the reference point — and a report that records an item as flawless when it had some pre-existing wear does not strengthen the lessor's position. Accurately recording pre-existing wear at entry protects the tenant from being held responsible for it, and protects the lessor's ability to claim only for genuinely new damage.

For practical examples and a detailed Australia-wide analysis of the line between fair wear and tear and damage, see the fair wear and tear vs damage guide.

These errors appear most often in ACT condition reports that struggle at ACAT bond proceedings.

Providing the report after the day-after deadline. The one-day timeline is tighter than most property managers expect. A condition report emailed on the morning after a Friday handover and received by the tenant on Saturday morning may still be inside the window — but a report emailed on Monday after a Friday handover is not. The safest practice is to provide both copies at the time of key handover, which eliminates the deadline risk entirely.

Thin photographic records that cannot rebut a 14-day dispute. The extended review window means that a tenant has two weeks to look closely at every surface in the property and identify disagreements. A single wide-angle photo of each room cannot answer a specific challenge about the condition of a light switch plate, a tile grout line, or a windowsill. Each surface and each item that carries any risk of being disputed needs its own dated photograph. This is not excessive — it is what the 14-day review window demands.

Using a generic or non-prescribed template. The ACT Revenue Office provides the prescribed Condition of Premises Report for a reason. A non-standard agency form, a generic multi-state template, or a software output that does not match the prescribed structure may be treated less favourably at ACAT than a properly completed prescribed form. Confirm that your template or software output aligns with the current ACT prescribed form.

Missing inclusions from the report. Any item listed in the tenancy agreement as an inclusion must appear in the entry condition report. Missing inclusions leave no entry baseline for that item, which makes claims for missing or damaged inclusions almost impossible to substantiate at ACAT.

Not treating tenant disagreements seriously. A tenant who returns their copy with specific, item-by-item disagreements during the 14-day window is not necessarily being obstructive. If the disagreement identifies a genuine entry condition issue, acknowledging it and documenting it protects both parties. Dismissing tenant disagreements without investigation can create an entry record that ACAT finds inconsistent with the tenant's documented experience of the property at move-in.

Not signing the report before providing it. Section 29 requires the lessor to provide signed copies. An unsigned condition report does not satisfy the statutory obligation and may be challenged as non-compliant at ACAT.

Dedicated inspection management software materially improves both the quality and efficiency of ACT entry condition reports. For ACT property managers, the capabilities that matter most are those that address the specific challenges of the ACT regime: the day-after delivery deadline, the 14-day review window, and ACAT's evidential standards.

ACT-prescribed form alignment. The software must generate a Condition of Premises Report that matches the current ACT prescribed format — room-by-room, with space for written descriptions and condition ratings across all areas including outdoor spaces. Confirm with any vendor that their ACT output reflects the current prescribed form rather than a generic or outdated template.

Electronic delivery with a timestamped delivery record. The ability to email the completed and signed report to the tenant at the moment of handover — generating a timestamped delivery confirmation — is particularly valuable in the ACT given the day-after deadline. Electronic delivery proof is cleaner than a handwritten receipt and more precise than a file note.

Tenant return tracking. A feature that flags when the 14-day review period is approaching expiry ensures that non-returns are documented rather than overlooked.

Per-item photo attachment. Photographs embedded alongside the specific room and item they document — rather than in a separate gallery — produce an evidence package that is navigable at ACAT. When a tribunal member can open the entry report and see the photograph alongside the written description for each item, the evidence is significantly easier to assess than a written report with a separate, unlabelled photo folder.

Entry-to-exit comparison. At the end of the tenancy, viewing entry and exit records side by side — for each room and each item — dramatically speeds up the assembly of an ACAT-ready evidence package and identifies items that have genuinely changed.

ConditionHQ generates AI-assisted condition descriptions, produces ACT-aligned Condition of Premises Report outputs with per-item photo attachment, and maintains a timestamped audit trail suitable for ACAT submissions. The free tier includes three full inspections per month — sufficient to complete a real ACT entry inspection and assess whether the output quality meets your agency's compliance standards before committing to a paid plan.