Two Moments That Decide Everything
Many tenant disputes arise not mid-contract but at its ends: at handover when nothing is documented, and at move-out when a deduction has no reference.
What a Handover Record Must Contain
- Date, time, and attendees
- Condition of each room with brief description and dated photos
- Meter readings at handover
- Contents list for furnished units
- Number and types of keys handed over
- Existing faults, explicitly documented
- Both parties signatures with a copy each
Item six is often overlooked yet important — recording pre-existing faults protects the tenant from being charged and the owner from later emergency claims.
Meter Readings: Small Detail, Large Impact
Not recording readings at handover means the previous period bill may land on the new tenant. A common dispute caused by one unrecorded number.
Key Management
Track: how many copies exist, who holds each, a signed handover log, and a clear policy for extra copies.
The critical rule: on tenant change, replace the cylinder — do not merely collect the key. The number of keys returned does not prove how many were made.
Move-Out: The Same Discipline
Repeat the steps: photos from identical angles, meter readings, contents inventory, and key count. Compare against the handover record item by item. Deductions based on this documented comparison are far easier to justify. In Saudi Arabia, if a security deposit is set in a lease documented on Ejar, the platform holds it and refunds it to the tenant or deducts from it according to the receipt and handover form both parties fill in; the form must be completed within 7 days, and letting that period lapse counts as implied approval of the unit’s condition. A disagreement over the deposit and damage assessment goes first to experts designated by the Real Estate General Authority (REGA) if both parties agree; otherwise either party may go to the competent court.