Why two acts
The Civil Code requires rented property to be returned "in the condition in which it was received, taking normal wear into account, or in the condition stipulated by the contract" (Article 622 of the Russian Civil Code). To compare "received" and "returned" you need two documents: an inspection act on handover and one on return. An act on return alone proves nothing — there is nothing to compare it with.
What to record
- Identifying the machine: model, serial number, plate or inventory number, hours in engine hours. Hours are a must: they show how much the machine worked.
- Units in order: engine, hydraulics, running gear, working equipment, cab and glass, electrics. Against each — the condition, including the sound ones: an empty line reads as "not checked".
- Completeness: buckets and attachments, tools, documents, keys.
- Levels and leaks: oil, coolant, fuel, traces of dripping.
Photographs
A description without photos weighs little in a dispute. Shoot the machine from four sides, each remark separately and close up, the nameplate with the serial number and the dashboard with the hours. Put the photo numbers into the act lines, so a photo cannot be separated from the record.
Wear or damage
Normal wear is what happens to a machine in ordinary work: worn bucket teeth, running gear wear within the manufacturer's limits, minor paint scuffs. Damage is what does not occur in ordinary work: cracks, deformation, broken glass, impact marks. It helps to agree the boundary in the contract in advance — for example, to describe which wear counts as normal.
If the renter does not sign
Record in the act that the representative refused to sign, note the date and time, attach the photographs and send the act to the renter by letter. A silent "we will sign later" becomes a week later a dispute where you have only words.
How to simplify it
The inspection act blank can be downloaded free. In DefAct the act is filled on the phone right at the machine — even offline, photos go into the document, the renter signs on the screen, and the PDF reaches them the same day.