Balconies and patios are easy to skip during move-out because they sit outside the main room path, but railings, drains, thresholds, and supplied outdoor items can carry their own condition details. This checklist covers the exterior view, floor marks, door track, railing base, drainage, furniture, and final cleaning photos before keys are returned.
Start with the whole exterior space
- Stand inside the doorway and shoot the full balcony or patio before moving chairs, planters, mats, grills, or storage bins.
- Step outside and repeat the wide photo facing back toward the sliding door, exterior wall, threshold, and any supplied outdoor furniture.
- Include the unit-facing edge, railing line, privacy divider, and floor surface in one frame before sweeping or rinsing changes dust patterns.
Document the door track and threshold
- Close up on the sliding door track where grit, rust, bent metal, or chipped paint collects along the bottom rail.
- Angle the camera low across the threshold so scrapes, lifted weather stripping, and worn corners show their depth.
- Photograph the door lock, screen frame, handle, and latch area separately if the balcony door sticks, rattles, or leaves visible rub marks.
Capture floor marks, stains, and drainage
- Frame planter rings, grill marks, rust circles, paint flecks, and dark water patches with enough surrounding floor to show location.
- Place a tape marker or measuring tape beside a concrete chip, cracked tile, loose board, or stained floor edge for scale.
- Shoot the drain channel, scupper, or low corner where leaves, standing water, or dirt lines collect after rain.
Check railings, walls, and supplied items
- Photograph railing posts, base plates, caps, and paint scratches from both a straight-on view and a close side angle.
- Open cushions, foldable chairs, tables, planters, or storage benches supplied with the rental and capture their surfaces before stacking them.
- Note missing screws, cracked plastic feet, torn mesh, bent chair legs, or wall scuffs next to the exact item or railing section.
Finish with final-cleaning comparison shots
- Retake the same wide balcony photo after sweeping so remaining stains, chips, or planter rings are separate from loose dirt.
- Capture the door track again after vacuuming grit from the channel, especially if paint loss or rust remains visible.
- Pair the final exterior view with close-ups of the threshold, railing base, floor stain, and any outdoor item returned to its original spot.
Use this guide as documentation support, not legal advice. Local rules, lease terms, platform policies, and professional guidance may affect how a record should be used.