Flat handover record in Croatia: what to include (with a checklist)

A record of the flat's condition is drawn up twice: when the tenant moves in and when they move out. On move-in day it looks like a formality; on move-out day it is the only reliable proof of what the flat was like.

Is it mandatory

Yes. The landlord hands over the flat in a condition fit for living in, and at the handover the parties draw up a record of the flat's condition (primopredajni zapisnik, handover record) (Zakon o najmu stanova (Residential Lease Act, ZNS), Art. 12). The lease agreement must also contain provisions on the handover (Art. 5).

At move-out, the tenant returns the flat in the condition in which they received it, allowing for normal wear and tear (Art. 17), and is liable for damage caused by them or members of their household (Art. 15).

The law does not prescribe exactly what the record must contain. The list below is what has proven necessary in practice.

What to include

Basics

• date and time of the handover,
• the parties and the address of the flat,
• a reference to the lease agreement.

Meters

• electricity (and the tariffs, if there are several),
• water,
• gas or district heating,
• a photo of each meter with the reading visible.

Keys and access

• number of keys to the flat, the entrance, the storage room and the letterbox,
• remote controls for the garage or barrier, access cards.

Inventory

• furniture, room by room,
• household appliances (with the brand, if you like),
• the condition of each item: new, working, damaged.

Condition room by room

• walls and ceilings (stains, holes, damp),
• floors (scratches, damage),
• windows, doors and locks,
• bathroom: tiles, sanitary fittings, silicone,
• kitchen: units, hob, extractor hood.

At the end, both parties sign the record. Each keeps a copy.

Photos

Photos are the strongest part of the record. Take:

• every room from two angles,
• every existing defect close up,
• every meter.

Dated photos, attached to the record or saved in a shared place, settle most disputes about the deposit before they start.

At move-out

Go through the same list in the same order. Compare with the photos from move-in. Distinguish normal wear and tear (faded walls, minor signs of use) from damage (holes, broken tiles, damaged furniture). Only damage and unpaid costs justify keeping part of the deposit.

Rentabl has a handover record with photos for move-in and move-out, stored with the agreement, so both conditions are in one place when you need them.

Sources

• Zakon o najmu stanova (Residential Lease Act), Art. 5, 12, 15 and 17