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

South Australia uses different terminology from most other Australian states. What Queensland calls a condition report (Form 1a), Victoria calls a condition report (Form 4), and NSW calls a condition report is known in South Australia as an inspection sheet. This is not a minor stylistic difference — it matters when you are searching for guidance, sourcing a compliant template, or presenting documents at SACAT in a bond dispute.

The entry inspection sheet is the record completed at the beginning of a tenancy that documents the condition of the premises, fixtures, furniture, and other contents. It is the foundation document for any bond claim at the end of the tenancy and, along with the exit inspection sheet, forms the comparison that SACAT members rely on in disputed bond proceedings.

The requirement to complete and provide an entry inspection sheet comes from Regulation 4 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 (SA), which took effect on 1 September 2025, replacing the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2010. The obligation sits on the landlord — or their authorised agent — who must complete and provide a signed copy to the tenant at the time the tenancy commences.

Unlike Queensland (RTA Form 1a) and Victoria (Form 4 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021), South Australia does not mandate a single prescribed form in quite the same rigid way. Instead, the Regulations require the inspection sheet to be in a form determined by the Minister, or in a form that satisfies the requirements of that form. In practice, Consumer and Business Services (CBS) publishes the recommended inspection sheet template at cbs.sa.gov.au, and this is the format SACAT members expect to see. Most dedicated inspection management software generates an SA-compliant inspection sheet that aligns with the CBS template.

For the full legislative framework — including bond lodgement obligations, SACAT jurisdiction, and how SA differs from other states — see the SA condition report requirements guide. For the exit inspection process, see the exit condition report SA guide.

The CBS inspection sheet template is a room-by-room document that prompts for itemised descriptions of the condition of the premises and its contents. The template has been updated under the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 (effective 1 September 2025); agencies using an older template should download the current version from cbs.sa.gov.au.

The CBS template covers the entire premises systematically: the entry and hallways, each living area, each bedroom, the kitchen, each bathroom and separate toilet (where applicable), the laundry, outdoor areas including garden, lawns, fencing, paths, carport or garage, and any outbuildings. For each area, the template provides space to record the general condition of the room and specific condition notes for individual fixtures, fittings, and contents.

Unlike the NSW Y/N tick-box format, SA's inspection sheet is description-based — which is consistent with SACAT's expectation of specific, item-by-item condition records. A single-word entry ("good") carries far less weight at SACAT than a specific description that would allow a tribunal member to identify what changed during the tenancy.

The template also prompts for conditions using a code system. CBS publishes condition codes on the form itself — typically using descriptors like "Clean," "Damaged," "Dirty," "Marked," "Scratched," "Stained," and "Worn" as reference terms. These codes are useful shorthand but should always be accompanied by written elaboration for anything that is not in flawless condition at entry. A code of "S" for scratched means little if there is no written description of the scratch's location and extent.

Every inclusion listed in the tenancy agreement — appliances, window treatments, furniture in furnished properties, garden equipment, remote controls, and additional keys — must appear in the inspection sheet with its condition noted at entry. An inclusion absent from the entry inspection sheet cannot be claimed against the bond at exit, regardless of what the tenancy agreement says about it.

Property managers who use inspection management software should confirm that the SA output generates a document that aligns with the CBS template structure and terminology. A generic multi-state form that does not reflect SA's room-by-room format, condition codes, and terminology may be treated less favourably by SACAT than the standard CBS template.

A thorough entry inspection sheet starts before you arrive at the property. These preparation steps directly affect the quality and completeness of the entry record — and therefore the strength of any bond claim at exit.

Schedule the inspection after all cleaning and maintenance, before tenant possession. The inspection sheet must reflect the property's condition at the start of the tenancy — not while belongings are being moved in. Complete the entry inspection after the final clean and any maintenance work, while the property is still fully vacant. An inspection conducted while the tenant is moving furniture cannot accurately document floors, built-in storage interiors, or wall surfaces behind where items will stand.

Configure your inspection template before leaving the office. If you use inspection management software, set it up for the specific property: the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and any specific inclusions listed in the tenancy agreement — particular appliances, furniture for a furnished tenancy, pool or spa equipment, and any outbuildings. Ten minutes of template preparation in the office removes that task from the on-site inspection workload.

Cross-reference the tenancy agreement's inclusion list. Every item described in the agreement as an inclusion must appear in the inspection sheet. Bring the tenancy agreement to the inspection and confirm that every listed item is accounted for. Items recorded in the agreement but absent from the entry inspection sheet have no documented baseline for exit comparison.

Prepare your photography setup. A thorough entry inspection for a three-bedroom house produces between 60 and 120 photographs. Arrive with a fully charged device, sufficient storage, and — if using inspection software — a confirmed connection to cloud backup. An incomplete inspection due to device failure is not recoverable once the tenant takes possession.

Allow adequate time. Rushing an entry inspection is one of the most common sources of inadequate condition records. A properly documented three-bedroom property typically takes 45 to 60 minutes. Allow the time needed to complete the report thoroughly rather than compressing the inspection to fit a busy day.

Work through the property systematically using the CBS template's room-by-room structure. Starting at the entrance and progressing through each room in order ensures nothing is overlooked and makes the report straightforward to follow — for the tenant during their review, and for SACAT if a dispute arises months or years later.

Entrance and hallways. Check the front door lock — note the number and type of keys issued in the inspection sheet (an inclusion that becomes a bond item if lost at exit). Document the entry floor surface, walls, ceiling, light fittings, and any built-in storage. Hallway walls at shoulder height and skirting boards at floor level are high-contact areas that accumulate marks; document their condition at entry with specificity.

Living areas. Cover all four walls including below windows, around power points, and around light switches. Note the ceiling condition for any water marks, staining, or previous repair patches that might be confused with new damage at exit. Document the floor surface material and condition, windows and flyscreens (each window's operation and seal condition), window coverings (blind type and condition, curtains), light fittings, and any fixed inclusions such as split-system air conditioners or wall-mounted television brackets.

Bedrooms. For each bedroom: all four walls, the ceiling, the floor covering, windows and flyscreens, the interior of built-in wardrobes — note shelves, hanging rails, the wardrobe floor, and any sliding door operation or damage — door condition and hardware, and any ceiling fans or wall-mounted appliances listed as inclusions.

Kitchen. The kitchen warrants the most detailed documentation because ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, and benchtops generate the majority of SA bond disputes. For each item, write a specific description: the oven interior (base, rear wall of the cavity, racks, and door glass — are they clean? Is there any existing residue?), the cooktop elements or burners, the rangehood and filter, the benchtop material and any pre-existing marks or scratches, the splashback, all cupboard interiors including the base surfaces, the dishwasher if present (interior, racks, and filter), sink and tapware, and the pantry if applicable. Vague descriptions of the kitchen carry almost no evidential weight at SACAT — this room requires the most specific written record of any area in the property.

Bathrooms and toilet(s). For each bathroom: tiles and grout condition (note any existing mould, discolouration, or damaged grout specifically, as these are commonly disputed at exit), shower screen and seals (existing soap residue or seal deterioration), bath if present, toilet bowl and cistern, vanity surface and mirror, tapware, and exhaust fan condition. If there is a separate toilet, document it as its own section.

Laundry. The laundry tub and tapware, walls (note any splash marks around the tub area), floor, and — if the washing machine is a tenancy inclusion — the washing machine exterior, drum, and accessible filter.

Outdoor areas. The outdoor record is particularly important in SA because garden maintenance obligations generate significant SACAT disputes. Document: lawn condition and length, garden beds (weeded, mulched, plant condition), paths and paving, clothesline, letterbox, fencing and gates, the carport or garage (floor condition, roller door operation), and any shed or outbuilding. The standard of garden maintenance the tenant is expected to maintain at exit is the standard documented in the entry inspection sheet — vague outdoor records leave the exit comparison without a baseline.

For every item: specific descriptions over condition codes alone. The CBS template's condition codes are useful shorthand. Always supplement them with written descriptions for anything less than perfect: "Carpet — beige, short pile, small circular stain approximately 20mm in diameter near the south wall, code: S" is a complete entry record. "Carpet — code: S" is not. 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 Regulations 2025 (SA) do not specifically mandate photographs as part of the inspection sheet. In practice, SACAT consistently assigns significant evidential weight to timestamped photographs in bond disputes, and claims supported only by written inspection sheet entries — without corresponding photographs — are materially weaker than those with a comprehensive photographic record.

Consider photographs an essential component of every SA entry inspection, not an optional supplement.

Photograph every room from two positions. A wide-angle shot from the doorway showing the room's overall condition — walls, floor surface, and ceiling visible in the same frame — and a second shot from the opposite corner. These room-overview photographs establish the general condition before the close-up detail work.

Photograph every item for which you have written a specific condition note. Any item with a written description noting an existing mark, stain, or pre-existing issue must have at least one close-up photograph. Pre-existing damage recorded in writing but without a photograph is more vulnerable to a tenant challenging whether it was actually present at entry — a photograph removes that ambiguity.

Prioritise high-friction items. The oven interior, shower screen and tiles, and carpet are the items most frequently disputed at SA bond proceedings. For the oven: one photograph from the front showing the interior, one of the base, one of the rear wall of the oven cavity, one with racks pulled forward or removed, and one of the door glass. For the shower: tiles and grout at close range (grout staining is easily disputed without a photograph), and the shower screen with seals visible. For carpet: a wide shot of the full floor from the doorway, plus close-ups of any pre-existing staining or wear.

Photograph pre-existing damage specifically. If the inspection sheet records "benchtop — small chip on front edge near the sink, code: D," there must be a close-up photograph of that chip. Pre-existing damage noted only in words is more vulnerable to a challenge than damage documented with a matched photograph.

Ensure device timestamps are accurate. The date and time embedded in each photograph's metadata is the primary evidence of when the entry inspection occurred. Confirm your device's clock is correctly set before beginning the inspection. Inspection software that overlays the capture timestamp on the image, or stores it in the image file metadata, provides additional confirmation if the device clock setting is ever questioned.

Organise photographs by room and item. Photographs assembled as an unorganised folder of 80 or 120 images are difficult to present at SACAT. Photographs organised room by room, in the same sequence as the inspection sheet, can be presented clearly and navigated efficiently in proceedings. Most dedicated inspection management software does this automatically by attaching photographs to specific items in the digital inspection sheet.

Regulation 4 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 (SA) requires the landlord or their agent to complete and provide the signed inspection sheet to the tenant at the time the tenancy commences. The practical standard is that the inspection sheet must be in the tenant's hands at or before the point of key handover — not several days after the tenant has already moved in.

Complete and sign the entry section at the pre-tenancy inspection. Do not rely on completing the inspection sheet on handover day while the tenant is waiting to move in. Complete it at the pre-tenancy walkthrough — after the final clean, while the property is vacant — and sign it before handing over keys.

For electronic delivery: Email the completed and signed inspection sheet to the tenant at or before key handover. Email delivery creates a timestamped record showing exactly when the document was received. This is the most defensible delivery method: if a tenant later claims they did not receive the inspection sheet, email delivery provides clear, datestamped evidence. Digital inspection management software generates a timestamped delivery confirmation automatically.

For paper delivery: Provide a signed, completed copy of the inspection sheet to the tenant at the time of key handover or lease signing. Retain your own signed copy for the agency file.

Sign before you provide. The landlord or authorised agent must sign the entry section of the inspection sheet before providing it to the tenant. An unsigned inspection sheet does not satisfy the Regulation 4 obligation and may compromise your evidentiary position in a bond dispute.

Note the date of delivery. Record when the inspection sheet was provided in the tenancy file. For paper delivery, a file note with the date is adequate. For electronic delivery, the email timestamp serves as the record. Documenting delivery is important if a dispute later arises about whether the tenant received the inspection sheet at entry.

Unlike Queensland (7 days) and Victoria (5 business days), South Australia does not specify an exact statutory timeframe for the tenant to review the entry inspection sheet and return a signed copy. The Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 establish the obligation to provide the sheet to the tenant, but leave the return period to reasonable expectation. The widely accepted industry practice is 5 business days.

In practice, the absence of a rigid statutory deadline does not reduce the importance of managing the return process. A tenant who notes disagreements in the inspection sheet may identify genuine entry condition issues that should be incorporated in the tenancy record. A tenant who does not return the sheet at all leaves the landlord's entry record as the only documented baseline for the tenancy.

Allow 5 business days from the tenant's move-in date. This aligns with industry practice and the Consumer and Business Services guidance. If the tenant provides no response within this period, the entry inspection sheet completed and signed by the agent stands as the documented record of the property's condition at the start of the tenancy.

Send a reminder at day 3. A brief email — "Just a reminder that your copy of the entry inspection sheet is due back by [date]" — reduces the likelihood of a non-return and creates a documented communication trail demonstrating that the tenant was given a clear opportunity to review and respond.

If the tenant returns the sheet with no amendments: The signed inspection sheet from both parties is the agreed baseline for the tenancy. File it securely, alongside the entry photographs, in a location that remains accessible for the duration of the tenancy and at least 12 months after it ends.

If the tenant returns the sheet with comments: Review each point of disagreement. If the tenant identifies a genuine entry condition issue you missed — existing mould in a bathroom, a pre-existing chip on the benchtop — acknowledge it, add a note to the tenancy record, and photograph the item if possible. If the tenant disputes something you believe is accurately recorded and photographed, note the disagreement on file. Both the agent's assessment and the tenant's written comment form part of the record and may be considered if the item becomes the subject of a bond dispute at SACAT.

If the tenant does not return the sheet: Document the non-return with a file note recording when the inspection sheet was provided and that no response was received within the review period. This note protects your position if a tenant later attempts to raise an entry condition issue at SACAT without having noted any disagreement at the time.

The entry inspection sheet's primary function — beyond the start-of-tenancy record — is to establish the baseline that underpins every bond claim at the end of the tenancy. In South Australia, this means two potential proceedings: the CBS conciliation process, and — if conciliation fails — a SACAT formal hearing.

At CBS conciliation, the CBS Tenancies Branch mediates bond disputes by telephone or in writing. The entry inspection sheet, exit inspection sheet, timestamped photographs, and itemised quotes or invoices are the documents the Branch works from. An entry inspection sheet with specific, room-by-room written descriptions and organised photographs gives the conciliator a clear basis to assess whether claimed changes are real and whether they exceed fair wear and tear.

At SACAT, the evidentiary standards are more demanding. SACAT members in bond proceedings are experienced with residential tenancy documentation and expect the entry inspection sheet to provide a specific, itemised baseline for every claimed bond deduction. The most consistent SACAT finding in disputed bond hearings is that landlords or agents without specific entry inspection sheet descriptions — or without photographs — cannot substantiate that an alleged defect was caused by the tenant rather than being pre-existing at entry.

The practical implication for how to approach the entry inspection is straightforward: document actual conditions accurately, including pre-existing marks, staining, or worn items. An entry inspection sheet that describes every room as flawless when the property has some pre-existing wear does not strengthen your position — it weakens it, because any defect discovered at exit will appear to have arisen during the tenancy. Accurately recording pre-existing conditions at entry protects the tenant from being held responsible for what was already there, and protects the landlord's ability to claim only for genuinely new damage.

The entry inspection sheet also determines what can legitimately be claimed at exit. SACAT applies depreciation to claims for cleaning and repair based on the age and condition of items at entry. If the entry inspection sheet records a carpet as showing early wear, a full replacement claim at exit will be reduced accordingly. Recording the actual condition of major items — carpet, paint, appliances — at entry gives both parties an accurate foundation for depreciation arguments if items need replacing at exit.

For the full bond claim process and what evidence CBS and SACAT expect, see the SA bond evidence requirements guide and the SACAT bond dispute guide for South Australia.

The Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA) preserves the standard principle that a tenant is not liable for fair wear and tear — the ordinary deterioration that arises from normal residential use of the property over time. The line between fair wear and tear (not claimable) and damage (claimable) is the most consistent point of dispute in SA bond proceedings.

Fair wear and tear in the SA context includes: minor scuff marks on walls in high-traffic areas such as hallways, behind door handles, near light switches, and around doorframes from ordinary movement; gradual dulling or fading of painted surfaces over several years of normal occupation; slight carpet pile compression from furniture sitting in the same position throughout the tenancy; minor marks around frequently used surfaces such as tapware and bench edges that result from routine daily use; and the gradual dulling of floor finishes over a long tenancy period. These are ordinary consequences of residential use and are not claimable.

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

SACAT considers the length of the tenancy when assessing what level of deterioration is reasonable fair wear and tear. A significant mark appearing after a four-month tenancy is treated differently from the same deterioration appearing after a four-year occupancy. The entry inspection sheet's record of the item's condition at the start of the tenancy is the reference point for assessing what deterioration occurred during the occupancy period and whether that deterioration exceeds what is expected from ordinary use over the same duration.

For practical examples and a detailed SA-specific analysis, see the fair wear and tear vs damage guide.

These are the entry inspection errors that most frequently undermine South Australian property managers in SACAT bond proceedings.

Providing the inspection sheet after the tenant has moved in. Regulation 4 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 requires the inspection sheet to be provided at the time the tenancy commences. If the tenant has already started bringing belongings into the property, the accuracy of floor conditions, wall surfaces behind furniture, and storage interiors is compromised. Complete and sign the entry section at the pre-tenancy inspection so it is ready before key handover.

Using a template that does not align with the CBS format. Agencies that use outdated templates, generic multi-state inspection forms, or property management software outputs that do not match SA's inspection sheet structure may find those documents treated less favourably at SACAT than the standard CBS template. Download the current template from cbs.sa.gov.au or confirm with your software vendor that the SA output aligns with the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 format.

Relying on condition codes without written elaboration. The CBS template's condition codes are useful shorthand, but they do not constitute a specific description of the item's condition. "Carpet — code: S" cannot tell a SACAT member whether the scratch was microscopic or significant, located in the centre of the room or concealed under a wardrobe. Write a description that a person who has never seen the property could use to identify the specific feature being noted.

Not photographing the entry condition. A well-completed inspection sheet without photographs is substantially weaker than one supported by a comprehensive, organised photographic record. SACAT assigns significant weight to photographs in bond proceedings. A match pair — an entry photograph and an exit photograph of the same item or room angle — is the most persuasive evidence format.

Not inviting the tenant to conduct the entry inspection together. The Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA) contemplates that the entry inspection is ideally conducted jointly by the landlord (or agent) and the tenant. Joint inspections reduce the likelihood of later disputes because both parties have had the opportunity to observe and agree on the condition at entry. Where a joint inspection is not possible, document that it was offered and declined.

Missing inclusions from the inspection sheet. Any item listed in the tenancy agreement as an inclusion must appear in the entry inspection sheet. Missing inclusions leave no baseline for exit comparison and make claims for missing or damaged inclusions difficult to substantiate at SACAT.

Not following up the tenant's return of the inspection sheet. Without a process for tracking whether the tenant has reviewed and returned the inspection sheet, an agency may be unaware that a genuine entry condition issue was noted — or that the review period has passed without any response. Document the return outcome either way.

Dedicated inspection management software significantly improves both the quality and efficiency of SA entry inspection sheets. For South Australian property managers, the capabilities that matter most are those that address the weaknesses most commonly exposed in SACAT bond proceedings.

CBS-aligned SA template. The software must generate an inspection sheet that aligns with Consumer and Business Services' current template format — room-by-room, with space for condition descriptions and condition codes, and coverage of all required areas including outdoor spaces. Confirm with any vendor that their SA output reflects the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 format (current as of 1 September 2025) rather than an older or generic template.

Per-item photo attachment. Photographs embedded alongside the specific room and item they document — rather than stored in a separate gallery — produce evidence packages that are easier to review and navigate in bond proceedings. At SACAT, the ability to show an entry photograph and an exit photograph of the same item in the same document is significantly more persuasive than a comparison across two unlinked photo folders.

Electronic delivery with a delivery record. The software should email the completed and signed inspection sheet to the tenant at or before key handover and generate a timestamped delivery confirmation. This is the most defensible delivery format and removes any question about when the tenant received the document.

Tenant return tracking. A feature that flags when the tenant's review period is approaching or has expired reduces the risk of missing the return without documentation.

Entry-to-exit comparison. At the end of the tenancy, viewing entry and exit inspection sheet records side by side — for each room and each item — dramatically speeds up the assembly of a SACAT-ready evidence package. When the entry description and the exit description for each item are in the same view, identifying claimed items and assembling supporting documentation becomes a structured process rather than a manual search across two separate documents.

ConditionHQ generates AI-assisted condition descriptions, produces CBS-aligned SA inspection sheet outputs, and maintains a timestamped audit trail suitable for SACAT submissions. The free tier includes three full inspections per month — enough to complete a real SA entry inspection and assess whether the output quality meets your agency's compliance standards before committing to a paid plan.