How Often To Schedule Property Inspections

Inspecting your rented property is an important way to check on its condition throughout the tenants' lease. It offers you a chance to address small maintenance and repair issues before they become bigger, as well as a chance to make sure your tenants are satisfied.

Depending on the state, there are regulations on when and how, as the owner, you can access and inspect your rental property. This is important to preserve the tenant's privacy and ensure you're not exposed to unnecessary risk.

 

1. Show the Property to Potential Tenants or Buyers

When you decide to rent or sell your rental property, the law allows you to show the prospective buyers or tenants, but the entry condition is restricted. You are required to let the current tenant know your intent to rent or sell and give them a written notice in advance before the inspection.

 

2. Moving-in and Moving-Out Time

Moving-in inspection is to properly document the property's condition before you give it to the new tenant or owner. Moving-out inspection is done when the tenant moves out. The purpose is to determine changes to any condition or damage to the property during the tenancy. If any damage, determine how much it would cost to be offset by the security deposit as described in the lease agreement.

The move-in and move-out inspections are what you will use to compare property conditions.

 

3. Maintenance Purposes

Gain access to the property to perform maintenance, on the condition of providing notice, and enter at reasonable hours. When a tenant calls in for a service request, it's good for maintenance to take a look around and ask the tenants if there are other things you should be aware of. If you enter the rental property and the tenant is not at home, you have to leave evidence of entry.

 

How Often Should You Inspect Your Rental Property?

This will be spelled out in the lease agreement you have with your tenant. Most landlords conduct annual or semi-annual inspections. This ensures that maintenance teams can identify what's broken and needs fixing like the roof, drainage, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc.