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RUVilla Handover Inspection on Check-In: What to Record and How to Report Issues
Short answer: on check-in you walk the villa with the owner's representative, note the meter readings, check the condition of furniture and equipment, photograph and film every pre-existing defect, and send a written snag list the same day, by messenger or email. That record is what protects your deposit. Without it, any scratch on the table a month later can be attributed to you.
Why the handover matters
The point is not to argue but to give both sides the same picture of the villa on day one. The deposit is returned after the check-out inspection, and that inspection is a comparison against the condition at move-in. If there is no recorded "before", the comparison turns into two different memories.
There is a practical side too. Anything broken on arrival is far easier to fix in the first week, before the cause becomes a matter of opinion.
What to record first
Meter readings. Electricity and water. Photograph each meter so the digits are legible and send the photos to your manager the same day. This is the baseline for the utilities settlement at check-out, and without it a dispute over the amount is almost guaranteed.
Inventory. Walk the list in the rental agreement: furniture, appliances, kitchenware, towels and linen, pool equipment, an air conditioner in every bedroom. If something on the list is missing, that is a snag, not a detail.
Working condition. Air conditioners, fans, fridge, stove, microwave, water heater, pool pump, internet. Switch each one on during the handover, not the next day. Test the internet by speed, not by whether your phone connects to the Wi-Fi.
Pre-existing damage. Chipped tiles, stains on upholstery, scratches on the countertop, cracks in glass, damp marks on the ceiling, a worn mattress. Shoot a wide frame of the room and a close-up of the defect, so the photo shows the place as well as the damage.
Safety. Locks and latches, gate or intercom, path lighting, pool condition and fencing, pool safety net if you travel with children.
Keys and access. How many keys, whether there is a safe code, the Wi-Fi details, contacts for staff and the manager. Get all of it in writing rather than by word of mouth.
How to report the issues
- Do the walkthrough in daylight, not at night straight off a flight. Tiredness and darkness are the main reasons defects get missed.
- Film a continuous walkthrough, room by room. One video often settles the question of what was already there.
- Write a short list: item, room, description, photo. Facts only, no commentary.
- Send it in writing on the day of arrival and ask for confirmation of receipt. A dated message with a reply is stronger than a conversation by the pool.
- If something important cannot be fixed immediately, agree the repair date in writing. That gives you a basis to follow up instead of reconstructing who promised what.
The window for reporting pre-existing defects differs between villas. A reasonable market reference for the current season is the first day after arrival, sometimes up to 48 hours. Check your own rental agreement, because that document rather than general practice sets the rule for your villa.
If the issues are not acknowledged
Go back to the agreement calmly. It covers the condition of the property and the deposit. A dated written list with photos is usually accepted even without a dedicated form. If the manager stops responding, send the list to Balila's general channel and repeat it on Telegram. Problems are solved faster while you are still on site than through a month of correspondence.
What not to do
Do not sign a blank handover form on the promise that it will be filled in later. Do not rely on verbal agreements with no written trace. Do not postpone the list until the end of the week: the further you are from the arrival date, the weaker the claim that the damage predates you.
How we help
Before you move in, the Balila manager sends the rental agreement and the inventory, and on site helps you walk the villa point by point. If you need help with photo documentation or translating comments into English or Indonesian, that is done on the day of arrival at no extra charge.
Balila answers frequent client questions. For the handover routine of a specific villa, ask us on Telegram or check the property page in our catalogue.
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