1. What is the inventory really for?
The inventory is the reference document that describes the condition of the dwelling at a precise moment: at the handover of keys (move-in) and at their return (move-out). Its function is simple but decisive: by comparing the two, you establish what changed during the tenancy — and therefore what is attributable to the tenant.
Without a move-in inventory, the tenant's departure becomes a discussion of conflicting assertions: the landlord claims that such a crack or such a damaged fixture did not exist; the tenant claims the opposite. No one can prove anything, and that is precisely where the security deposit turns into a tug of war. The residential lease in Morocco falls under Law 67-12 on residential rentals, which provides for the return of the deposit less the amounts due — provided you can document those amounts.
2. The contradictory report, room by room
The key word is contradictory: the report is made in the presence of both parties (or their representatives), who validate it together. It is this joint presence and the signature of both parties that give the document its force. An inventory drawn up by a single party, without the other, has almost no value.
Concretely, you walk through the dwelling room by room, in the same order at move-in and move-out, and describe precisely:
- The surfaces: floors (tiling, parquet, joints), walls (paint, cracks, damp marks), ceilings.
- The joinery: doors, windows, condition of seals, latches, glazing.
- The fixtures: sanitary ware, taps, fitted kitchen, water heater, sockets and switches, shutters.
- The meters: water and electricity readings noted at move-in as at move-out.
- The keys: number of sets handed over and returned.
Avoid vague mentions such as "good condition". Prefer the precise description: "living-room paint in good condition, slight mark above the north skirting board". The more detailed the move-in report, the easier the move-out report is to objectify.
3. Dated photos: the proof that changes everything
A descriptive text is worth something, but a dated photo is worth far more. At move-in as at move-out, photograph each room and each sensitive point (corners, joints, fixtures, areas already marked). Time-stamped images, ideally annexed to the document signed by both parties, remove most ambiguities at the time of departure.
It is the same principle as a dated report of apparent defects before purchase: what is observed, photographed and dated at a given moment is no longer arguable later. The move-in inventory plays exactly this role for the rental — it freezes the initial condition of the property.
4. Damage versus wear and tear: the decisive split
At the tenant's departure, everything turns on one distinction: what counts as wear and tear (the landlord's responsibility) and what counts as damage(potentially the tenant's responsibility).
- Wear and tear: normal wear linked to time and ordinary use — paint that dulls, joints that age, a surface worn after several years of occupation. It cannot be deducted from the deposit.
- Damage: abnormal harm or a manifest lack of maintenance — cracked tile, holed wall, deteriorated fixture, deep stains, a hole in a door. It can be deducted, provided it is costed and justified.
The boundary is not always obvious: is a carpet worn after several years wear and tear or damage? Does a damp mark come from the tenant's use or from a building defect that is the landlord's responsibility? It is precisely on these grey areas that disputes arise — and that is where an objective technical eye makes the difference.
5. Evidentiary value in a dispute
A contradictory inventory, signed by both parties and completed with dated photos, constitutes a solid piece of evidence in the end-of-lease negotiation. It shifts the discussion from a terrain of opinions to a terrain of documented facts: you compare move-in and move-out, point by point.
Conversely, a document not signed by the other party, or without a move-in inventory to refer to, loses most of its scope. The reflex to remember: no joint signature, no evidence really usable against the other party. And if the dispute is not settled amicably, it is the court that will decide, relying on the documents produced by each party — hence the importance of a clean file from the very first day of the tenancy.
6. Who can draw up the inventory?
Several forms coexist, from the simplest to the most formal:
- Between the parties: landlord and tenant write and sign the document themselves. Sufficient when trust is there and the report is rigorous (precise description + dated photos).
- By adoular or notarial deed: a reinforced form, useful for high-value properties or relationships you wish to frame formally, in the same logic as serving a notice under Law 67-12.
- By bailiff report: recommended when relations are tense, when a party refuses to show up, or when the financial stake is significant. The bailiff report is particularly hard to contest.
When the disagreement no longer concerns the existence of damage but its cost and the share of wear and tear to deduct, the intervention of an expert takes on its full meaning: the expert objectively costs the repairs and splits between what is attributable to the tenant and normal wear.
7. Inventory and return of the security deposit
This is the culmination of the whole framework. The security deposit (often one to two months' rent) must be returned to the tenant on departure, less the amounts actually due: unpaid rent, charges, and rental repairs attributable to the tenant.
The logic is relentless: to withhold an amount from the deposit for repairs, the landlord must be able to demonstrate that the damage did not exist at move-in (move-in inventory), that it exists at move-out (move-out inventory), that it indeed counts as damage and not wear and tear, and to cost it. If one of these bricks is missing, the withholding is fragile.
An independent expert costing of the damage attributable to the tenant — as opposed to normal wear and tear — serves both camps here: it allows the landlord to justify a legitimate withholding, and the tenant to contest an abusive one. Indicative cost: from 3,500 MAD excl. tax, report within 5 to 8 days (48-72h express).
8. FAQ
Is a condition report mandatory for a rental in Morocco?
The residential lease falls under Law 67-12. Beyond formalism, the move-in inventory is in practice indispensable: it is the document that, at departure, allows damage attributable to the tenant and normal wear and tear to be distinguished. Without it, the return of the security deposit rests on conflicting assertions impossible to arbitrate.
What if the landlord refuses to do the move-in inventory?
Insist on establishing it before or at the time of the key handover: it is your best protection. Failing agreement, document the condition of the dwelling yourself with dated photos from move-in and send them to the landlord (kept message), to keep a trace of the initial condition. A bailiff report remains the safest option in case of blockage.
How long after my departure must the deposit be returned?
The security deposit must be returned on the tenant's departure, less the amounts actually due and justified. The precise terms and deadlines depend on your contract and the regulations in force: check the clauses of your lease and, in case of doubt, consult a legal professional.
Can simple wear be charged to me at move-out?
No. Wear and tear — normal wear linked to time and ordinary use — remains the landlord's responsibility and cannot be deducted from the deposit. Only abnormal damage attributable to the tenant can be, and it must be costed and justified by comparison with the move-in inventory.
Can a damage appraisal be used to support my position?
A private appraisal is a negotiation and decision-support tool: it objectifies the cost of repairs and the share of wear and tear to favour an amicable landlord/tenant agreement and to support your position with third parties. In court proceedings, it is the judge who assesses the documents and, where appropriate, appoints an expert. The private report nonetheless remains a solid, documented argument to defend your position.
A dispute over the deposit or the damage? Get it objectively costed.
RICS-certified experts — costing of damage attributable to the tenant vs normal wear and tear, rental value and deposit return. Reports compliant with RICS (Red Book) standards, within 5 to 8 days (48-72h express), throughout Morocco.
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To objectively cost damage or a rental value, get it valued by our independent RICS appraisal service and browse more analyses on the ReaConsult blog. The precise terms of the inventory, deposit return and remedies depend on your contract and the regulations in force — confirm your situation with your notary or a legal professional.