If your new New York City rental isn’t in an immaculate new building, the chances are it’ll have some nicks and scratches. Hopefully, it will have some fresh paint on the walls but if you’re worried you might have trouble getting your security deposit back when you move out, it’s not a bad idea to document the condition of the unit before you move in.

But how does a tenant know this will be favorably received by the landlord? Teresa Stephenson, a broker at Platinum Properties, says it doesn’t have to be seen as a bad thing for the owner.

“You’re not going to email the landlord and say the place is a wreck. A lot of it is in the spirit of the communication,” she says.

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