WA Exit Condition Report: Property Manager's Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

In Western Australia, the document that records a property's condition at the end of a tenancy is part of the Property Condition Report — the same form prepared at the start of the tenancy and completed again at exit for comparison. Most in the industry know it as the PCR or, informally, Form 1, after the Consumer Protection WA standard template.

The exit PCR serves one central function: establishing what changed between the day the tenant moved in and the day they moved out. Where the exit record shows the property in the same condition as the entry record (allowing for fair wear and tear), the bond should be returned. Where the exit record shows deterioration beyond fair wear and tear, the landlord or agent has the documented basis for a bond claim.

The Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA), administered by Consumer Protection WA under the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS), governs the condition report process from beginning to end. Section 27C sets out the specific obligations — including the entry and exit report requirements, the tenant's review period, and the deemed acceptance provision — in a single, integrated framework. Understanding how the exit obligations fit into this framework is essential for WA property managers who need condition reports that will hold up in a dispute.

This guide focuses specifically on the exit condition report: what the Act requires, how to conduct the exit inspection, what evidence standard the Commissioner for Consumer Protection expects in bond disputes, and the most common mistakes that undermine legitimate claims.

The exit condition report obligation in Western Australia is set out in section 27C(4) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA). The lessor, or the property manager acting as their authorised agent, must complete a property condition report as soon as practicable after the tenancy terminates and, in any event, within 14 days of the termination of the tenancy agreement.

This 14-day window is one of the most clearly defined exit inspection deadlines in Australian residential tenancy law. New South Wales uses "as soon as reasonably practicable" without a specific number of days. South Australia similarly specifies no fixed deadline. Western Australia's 14-day rule is explicit — a property manager who completes the exit PCR three weeks after the tenancy has ended is outside the statutory timeframe, which weakens the evidential chain and, in a disputed bond claim, gives the tenant grounds to question the document's timing.

The Act also provides that the exit inspection should be conducted in the presence of the tenant where possible. The specific obligation is that the tenant must be given a reasonable opportunity to be present. If the tenant has been given reasonable notice but declines to attend or fails to respond, the exit inspection can proceed in their absence — but the written record of that invitation matters. If the bond is later disputed, demonstrating that the tenant was offered a genuine opportunity to attend the exit inspection shows procedural fairness and removes a potential objection.

Consumer Protection WA publishes the standard PCR form on its website. While WA's form is not as rigidly prescribed as Queensland's RTA Form 1a — where deviations from the mandated format can affect admissibility — the Consumer Protection WA template is the accepted industry standard and the format the Commissioner for Consumer Protection expects to see in bond proceedings. Using a non-standard or generic template introduces unnecessary risk.

To understand the WA exit condition report properly, it helps to understand the entry PCR framework it sits within.

At the start of a tenancy, section 27C requires the lessor or agent to prepare a property condition report recording the condition of the premises before the tenant takes possession, provide two signed copies to the tenant within seven days of the tenant entering into occupation — not from lease signing, but from when the tenant actually takes possession — and retain one copy and give the tenant the other two so the tenant has a copy and can return one with any noted disagreements.

The tenant then has seven calendar days from receiving the copies to return one copy, noting any items they disagree with. If the tenant does not return a copy within this window, they are deemed to have accepted the report as an accurate record of the entry condition — this is the deemed acceptance rule under section 27C.

At the end of the tenancy, the exit PCR is completed on the same form or against the same structure. The comparison is the point: entry condition alongside exit condition, item by item, room by room. Any difference between the two records — beyond what fair wear and tear accounts for — is the basis for assessing whether a bond claim is warranted.

This integrated framework means the quality of the exit PCR depends heavily on the quality of the entry PCR. An exit inspection comparing a vague entry record ("kitchen — ok") to an equally vague exit record ("kitchen — needs cleaning") gives the Commissioner or the Magistrates Court very little to work with. The investment in specific, detailed descriptions at entry is what makes the exit record useful when it actually matters.

The outcome of a WA exit inspection is largely determined by what is organised before the property manager enters the property. Three things should be ready before the walkthrough begins.

The entry PCR. Bring the completed entry condition report — in printed form or on a tablet — so each area can be compared against the recorded entry condition in real time. The exit inspection is a comparison exercise. Doing it without the entry record present means relying on memory, which is less reliable and more difficult to defend if a specific item is later disputed.

Entry photographs. Load the entry photographs on the same device so they are accessible at each point in the inspection. The most persuasive bond evidence in WA disputes — whether at the Commissioner for Consumer Protection or the Magistrates Court on appeal — is a matched pair: entry photograph next to exit photograph of the same room or item, taken from the same position. Assembling matched evidence pairs is significantly harder if the entry photographs are not organised and accessible during the exit inspection itself.

Inclusions list from the tenancy agreement. Every item included in the tenancy — appliances, furniture (for furnished properties), keys, remote controls, garden tools — must be accounted for at exit. Missing inclusions are a legitimate bond claim category, but only where the entry condition report confirms the item was present and in what condition. Review the inclusions list before entering the property.

Tenant notification. Notify the tenant of the exit inspection date in writing and invite them to attend. Email is preferable because it creates a timestamped delivery record. Conduct the exit inspection on the day keys are returned or as soon as the property is fully vacated. If the tenant will be present, agree on the start time in advance.

Conduct the exit inspection only once the property is fully vacated and all the tenant's belongings have been removed. An inspection while furniture or boxes are still present cannot accurately assess the floor surfaces, built-in storage, and wall surfaces behind or beneath the tenant's items.

Work through the property systematically, following the same room-by-room structure as the entry PCR. For each area, record the current condition, note where it differs from the entry record, and photograph every item where a difference exists. Do not proceed to cleaning or repairs until the exit inspection and photography are complete — photographs taken after a professional clean destroy the evidence of the condition as vacated.

Walls and ceilings. Check all painted surfaces for marks, holes, and staining beyond fair wear and tear. High-friction areas — near light switches, around doorframes, along skirting boards in hallways — show the most wear from ordinary use. Assess whether deterioration is proportional to the tenancy length and occupancy pattern. Note any unapproved alterations: paint colour changes, wall anchors, or surface damage from improperly removed fixtures.

Floor coverings. For carpet, assess each area for staining, pet damage, burns, and soiling beyond the compression from furniture and foot traffic. For hard floors, inspect for scratches, chips, water damage, and condition of grout lines in tiled areas. Reference the entry description for the same area to determine whether deterioration exceeds fair wear and tear.

Kitchen. The oven interior (base, side walls, back panel, door glass, and oven racks individually), the oven exterior and door seal, the cooktop or gas burners, the rangehood and rangehood filter, all bench surfaces, the splashback, the sink and tapware, and every cupboard interior and base. The kitchen — and the oven and rangehood filter in particular — is the most frequently claimed area in WA bond disputes. Describe each element specifically in the PCR rather than a single kitchen entry.

Bathrooms and laundry. Tiles and grout, shower screen and door seals, bath surfaces and bath seals, toilet bowl and cistern, basin, tapware, vanity surface, mirror, exhaust fan, and any towel rails or accessories. In the laundry, assess the tub, tapware, and appliance cavity. Where a washing machine or dryer is included in the tenancy, assess and document its condition.

Bedrooms. Walls, floor coverings, built-in wardrobe interiors (shelves, hanging rails, and interior base surfaces), window condition and operation, ceiling fans, and any wall-mounted air conditioning units.

Outdoor areas. Lawns, garden beds, paths, patios, clothesline, letterbox, fencing within the property boundary, carport or garage floor, and any gates, sheds, or external structures. Outdoor areas are among the most common subjects of WA bond disputes and are often inadequately documented at entry. Detailed exit photographs of outdoor areas, matched against entry photographs, are particularly important.

For furnished properties, verify that every piece of furniture recorded at entry is present and assess its condition against the entry record. Furnished properties attract a higher bond cap in WA — six weeks' rent versus four weeks for unfurnished — and the corresponding documentation obligations are higher.

Consumer Protection WA explicitly recommends photographs and video recordings as part of condition reporting. In practice, photographs have become essential to any contested bond claim in WA — the Commissioner for Consumer Protection and the Magistrates Court both expect photographic evidence, and claims without it carry a significant evidential disadvantage.

Photograph before any cleaning or repairs. Exit photographs must show the condition the tenant left the property in. All photography must be completed before any contractors — cleaners, tradespeople, or gardening services — attend the property. Once professional cleaning is done, the evidence of the tenant's conduct is gone.

Match entry photograph angles. Where the entry PCR included photographs of specific rooms and items, the exit photographs should replicate those angles as closely as possible. A side-by-side comparison of entry and exit photographs taken from the same position is the most persuasive format for bond dispute proceedings. It makes any change in condition immediately visible without requiring inference.

Photograph room overviews and close-ups. For each room, take at least one overview image showing the overall condition — walls, floor, and ceiling visible in a single frame — and close-up photographs of every item noted as different from the entry condition. For high-friction areas such as the oven, shower, and outdoor areas, photograph from multiple angles to show the full extent of the condition.

Ensure timestamps are accurate. The date and time embedded in photograph metadata confirm when the exit inspection occurred. Ensure your device's date and time are correctly set before beginning. Inspection software that overlays or appends visible timestamps provides additional confirmation and removes any dispute about when the photographs were taken.

Organise photographs by room and item. Photographs stored in an undifferentiated gallery are harder to navigate in dispute proceedings. Photographs organised by room and linked to specific PCR items can be presented to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection or the Magistrates Court in a clear, navigable format that makes the basis of each claim immediately traceable.

The Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA) preserves the standard principle that a tenant is not responsible for fair wear and tear — the ordinary deterioration that results from reasonable use of the property over the tenancy period. Distinguishing fair wear and tear from claimable damage is the most consistent source of bond disputes in WA.

Fair wear and tear in the WA context includes: minor scuff marks on walls in high-traffic areas such as hallways, near doorways, and around light switches from ordinary movement; slight carpet pile compression where furniture stood in the same position throughout the tenancy; gradual fading or dulling of painted surfaces over several years; small marks around frequently used surfaces such as around tapware or along bench edges from routine use; and slight dulling of floor finishes over a long tenancy. These are not claimable.

Damage — claimable against the bond — includes: holes in walls from unsanctioned fixings beyond standard small nail holes for picture-hanging; carpet staining from spills, pet accidents, or burns; broken tiles, cracked fixtures, or smashed window glass; heavy grease and carbonisation in the oven or rangehood filter from absence of routine cleaning during the tenancy; mould in bathrooms or kitchens where inadequate ventilation or cleaning habits — rather than a structural building defect — is the cause; pet damage to flyscreens, floor coverings, gardens, or fencing; and missing or damaged inclusions.

The length of the tenancy is a relevant factor. The Commissioner for Consumer Protection and the Magistrates Court both consider what level of deterioration is proportionate to the occupancy type and duration. A long-term tenancy will show more fair wear and tear on the same surfaces than a short-term one, and the assessment reflects this. The age and condition of items at entry is also relevant: a carpet already near the end of its serviceable life at entry cannot support a full replacement claim at exit.

For each item where a bond deduction is contemplated, the entry condition report description and the exit condition record together should make it clear why the exit condition falls outside fair wear and tear. For practical examples across common rental property items, see the fair wear and tear vs damage guide.

Once the exit inspection is complete and the PCRs compared, the property manager is in a position to determine whether a bond claim is warranted. In Western Australia, the bond administration process runs through the Bond Administrator — part of Consumer Protection WA — and bond disputes are handled through the Commissioner for Consumer Protection, with the Magistrates Court as the appeal forum under the reforms introduced in March 2026.

Provide a copy to the tenant. After completing the exit PCR, provide the tenant with a copy promptly. Email is the preferred method — it creates a contemporaneous delivery record. The tenant should have the exit document before any formal bond process begins.

Bond release or claim via BondsOnline. Bond administration in WA is handled through the BondsOnline portal. When the tenancy ends, either party can apply for the bond to be released. If both parties agree on the distribution — whether a full return to the tenant or a partial return with agreed deductions for cleaning or damage — Consumer Protection WA processes the agreed distribution promptly. Mutual agreement is the cleanest outcome and avoids formal proceedings.

If the claim is contested. Where agreement cannot be reached, either the lessor or the tenant can apply to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection for a determination. The Commissioner's Determinations Branch reviews the evidence submitted by both parties — the entry and exit PCRs, photographs, and any supporting quotes or invoices — and issues a binding determination on the bond distribution. This administrative determination process was the key change introduced by the March 2026 reforms to WA's bond dispute framework.

If a party disputes the Commissioner's determination. Either party may appeal the Commissioner's determination to the Magistrates Court. The Magistrates Court hears the matter afresh and makes a binding judicial determination. The evidentiary standards at the Magistrates Court are more formal than at the Commissioner determination stage, and the costs of proceedings are higher.

For the full WA bond dispute process from the end of a tenancy through to the Magistrates Court, see the WA bond and condition report rules guide.

The quality of the evidence the property manager submits to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection determines whether a legitimate bond claim succeeds. The Commissioner's Determinations Branch reviews documentary evidence from both parties and makes a determination based on what the records show.

The core evidence package for a WA bond claim consists of the entry property condition report, signed and dated, with specific written descriptions of the property's condition at the start of the tenancy. Timestamped entry photographs, organised by room and linked where possible to specific items in the entry PCR. The exit property condition report, completed within the statutory 14-day window, recording the exit condition of each item. Timestamped exit photographs, taken before any cleaning or repairs, matched to the same rooms and items as the entry photographs. Quotes or invoices for any cleaning, repair, or replacement costs claimed — actual invoices for completed work carry more weight than estimates alone. Correspondence documenting that the tenant was notified of the exit inspection and given a reasonable opportunity to attend.

The most common weakness in WA bond claims at the Commissioner stage is entry PCR language that is too vague to establish a meaningful baseline. Descriptions like "bedroom — good" or "bathroom — clean" have no evidential value when the exit condition is disputed: there is no specific baseline to compare against. Commissioner determinations and Magistrates Court decisions consistently rely on the specificity of entry PCR descriptions to assess whether exit-stage deterioration represents claimable damage. A thorough, specific entry PCR is the single most important preparation for a defensible exit claim.

Property managers working across multiple states should understand the key ways WA's exit condition report framework differs from what they may be familiar with in other jurisdictions.

Prescribed form (standard template, less rigid than QLD and NSW). Queensland mandates RTA Form 14a for all exit condition reports — you cannot use any other format. NSW mandates the Schedule 2 form under the Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019. Western Australia's Consumer Protection WA standard PCR form is the accepted industry template, but the level of prescription is less strict than QLD's. South Australia has no prescribed exit form at all. Using the Consumer Protection WA standard template, or a digital equivalent that mirrors its room-by-room structure, is the correct approach.

14-day exit deadline (explicit in the Act, unlike NSW and SA). WA's 14-day statutory deadline for completing the exit PCR is one of the clearest in Australia. NSW uses "as soon as reasonably practicable" without specifying a day count. South Australia has no prescribed deadline. WA's 14-day rule is firm and should be treated as a hard deadline, not a target.

Tenant attendance right (reasonable opportunity, as in NSW and QLD). WA, NSW, and Queensland all require the tenant to be given a reasonable opportunity to attend the exit inspection. The practical implication for WA property managers: notify the tenant in writing, invite them to attend, document that the invitation was made, and proceed if they decline.

Bond dispute forum (Commissioner determination, not a tribunal). The most significant structural difference between WA and every other state covered in this series is the dispute forum. Queensland, Victoria, NSW, South Australia, and Tasmania all use a civil and administrative tribunal (QCAT, VCAT, NCAT, SACAT, TASCAT) as the primary bond dispute forum. Western Australia, under the March 2026 reforms, uses an administrative determination by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection as the first step, with the Magistrates Court as the appeal forum. This is a materially different process — less formal than a tribunal hearing, but requiring a complete written evidence package submitted directly to the Determinations Branch.

Deemed acceptance provision (explicit in the Act, applies at entry). WA's deemed acceptance rule — where a tenant who does not return the entry PCR within 7 calendar days is taken to have accepted it as an accurate record — is explicit in section 27C. This provision does not apply to the exit inspection in the same way, but its effect at entry is significant: a tenant who accepted the entry PCR without dispute has limited grounds to later contest the recorded entry condition in a bond claim.

No pre-claim evidence notice obligation (unlike Victoria from October 2026). From 13 October 2026, Victorian rental providers must send renters a documentary evidence package before lodging any bond claim with the RTBA. Western Australia has no equivalent pre-claim notice requirement. Bond evidence is submitted through the Commissioner for Consumer Protection process in response to a dispute, not as a pre-lodgement obligation.

These are the most frequent exit inspection errors seen in WA bond disputes — all of which are avoidable at the inspection stage.

Inspecting while the tenant's belongings are still present. The exit PCR must record the bare condition of the property. Conducting the exit inspection while furniture, boxes, or personal items remain makes accurate assessment of floors, built-in storage, and wall surfaces impossible. The inspection must occur after the property is fully vacated.

Photographing after cleaning or repairs. Exit photographs must capture the condition the tenant left the property in. All photography must be complete before any cleaners, tradespeople, or gardening services attend. Once professional cleaning has been done, the evidence of the condition as vacated is gone and cannot be recovered.

Exceeding the 14-day exit deadline. Section 27C(4) sets a firm 14-day window for completing the exit PCR. A property manager who completes the exit report three weeks after the tenancy has ended is in breach of this obligation. Inspect on the day keys are returned or as soon as practicable thereafter, and well within the 14-day window.

Failing to document the tenant's invitation to attend. The Act requires the tenant to be given a reasonable opportunity to attend the exit inspection. Proceeding without notifying the tenant — or without keeping a record of the notification — creates a procedural weakness in a later bond dispute. Send a written invitation, keep the email record, and note whether the tenant attended or declined.

Vague or insufficient written descriptions. Single-word assessments — "good", "clean", "average" — carry no evidential weight in Commissioner or Magistrates Court proceedings. Specific descriptions that identify the location, nature, and extent of any condition are what bond dispute processes require. The entry PCR in particular must be specific enough that the exit condition can be meaningfully compared against it.

Not documenting furnished items. For furnished properties — where WA allows a six-week bond cap — every piece of furniture must be recorded in the entry PCR with its condition. An item not listed in the entry PCR cannot be claimed at exit because there is no baseline to compare against. Complete the furniture section of the PCR thoroughly for every furnished tenancy.

Missing the bond lodgement deadline. Separate from the condition report, the bond must be lodged with the Bond Administrator within 14 days of receipt under the Act. A property manager who delays bond lodgement is in breach before the condition report's protective function is even relevant.

ConditionHQ generates property condition reports aligned with Western Australia's requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987. The platform covers all rooms and areas expected by the Consumer Protection WA format, including furniture and inclusions for furnished tenancies, and produces reports consistent with the standard PCR structure.

For WA property managers, two features are particularly valuable for exit inspections. First, AI-generated condition descriptions at item level — descriptions with the specificity that the Commissioner for Consumer Protection and the Magistrates Court expect, rather than the single-word ratings that undermine bond claims. Every report includes written descriptions linked to timestamped photographs at item level. Second, the exit comparison feature: ConditionHQ pairs the entry and exit condition records automatically and generates a side-by-side view showing both records for every room and item.

This paired comparison is directly useful for WA bond disputes. Commissioner determinations and Magistrates Court proceedings both involve a direct comparison of entry and exit records. Producing that comparison manually from two separate PDFs is time-consuming and prone to gaps. ConditionHQ generates it in a format that makes the basis of any claim visually clear and easy for the reviewing body to navigate.

The 14-day exit deadline under section 27C(4) is straightforward to meet when the exit inspection is completed digitally at the property, photographs are embedded at each item in real time, and the completed report is emailed to the tenant immediately — creating an automatic record of both completion and delivery.

For furnished tenancies, ConditionHQ's room-by-room structure accommodates additional items beyond standard fixtures and fittings, ensuring every piece of furniture is documented at the same level of detail as the built-in property elements.

ConditionHQ is available on a free tier with three reports per month. The Pro plan at $59 per month and Agency plan at $149 per month provide unlimited reports. For WA agencies operating within the post-March 2026 Commissioner determination framework, the combination of AI-assisted condition descriptions, timestamped photography, and automatic exit comparison is designed to produce the level of documentation that WA's bond dispute process now requires.