As part of renting out a property, landlords must do several different rental property inspections. Even though these things happen at other times and for various reasons, the goal is to keep you, your tenant, and your property safe. Also, thorough inspections help landlords find maintenance problems before they become emergencies and ensure tenants follow all the lease rules. Read on to learn about the different kinds of inspections and why they are essential to your business.
Types of Inspections for Your Rental Property
There are four important types of checks that every landlord should do. Even though this may take some time, protecting your valuable investment is well worth it. In fact, regular inspections save owners money because they find problems before they become big ones. Let’s look at these different kinds of rental property inspections in more depth.
Pre-Leasing Inspections
A landlord’s first line of defense against problems is a pre-leasing inspection. Before putting a house on the market, these inspections are used to check the property’s overall condition. To get a rental license, most owners have to go through some kind of local inspection. If you hire a property management company, they can look at the unit before these license inspections to save time and money.
The important thing is to figure out if any safety or health risks could slow down getting the property ready for a new tenant. So, a pre-leasing inspection helps owners decide which tasks are most important and when the property will be ready to rent. So, maintenance can be done more quickly and for less money. Some of the most important things that these kinds of checks look for are –
- If the building was constructed before 1978, make sure it doesn’t have any chipping or peeling paint, as this could contain lead.
- Look for any signs of water damage, discoloration, or mold growth.
- Make sure there are no safety or building code violations.
- All of the building’s parts, like the floors, stairs, walls, and roof, are safe and in good shape.
- Any common areas, hallways, or stairs in a building with more than one unit must be safe and free of clutter.
- The electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems all work as they should.
- Heat and hot water systems work correctly.
- Doors, locks, and other security features that keep tenants and property safe are in good shape.
- Get rid of any rodents, termites, roaches, bedbugs, or other pests that have taken up residence.
These rental property inspections help property owners stay on track to ensure their property is legal and ready to sell.
Move-In Inspections
A detailed move-in inspection is crucial to rent a place, and its importance can’t be overstated. When a new tenant moves in, these kinds of inspections happen. Before a new tenant moves in, they walk the property with the landlord. And makes a list of any problems that were already there. A detailed room-by-room checklist should be used to record everything that is found. Also, it’s a great idea to use video or photos to show more about the problems already there.
Because the move-in inspection will be especially in comparison to the move-out inspection in the future, this comparison shows landlords if any problems go beyond normal wear and tear. The landlord might then decide to keep some of the security deposit.
As we said, a move-in inspection is all about the details, and landlords should have a complete report to keep with the lease. Also, the inspection checklist should have a separate section for each of the following:
- Property Exterior
- Interior Systems
- Living Area
- Dining Area
- Kitchen
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Half Bath
- Laundry Area
- Basement
- Bonus Rooms
Both renters and landlords should pay attention to the move-in inspection. Landlords need to make sure that tenants pay for any damage that happens during the length of the lease. But tenants want to ensure they don’t have to pay for something that someone else might have left behind. When the inspection is done, the landlord and the tenant should sign the report to show that they agree with what is in it. Want a complete list of things to check when looking for your next tenant?
Move Out Inspections
Move-in inspections and move-out inspections are both common types of inspections. The goal is to find out how the unit is in general and if the last tenant did anything to damage it. This walk-through is usually a good idea to do with the tenant. So, it’s less likely that there will be any misunderstandings or disagreements about the security deposit.
Just like when you moved in, you need to look at each part of the property in detail for the move-out report. Also, you must take photos or videos to prove that damage has happened. This is especially important if you want to keep some of the deposits back. Laws about security deposits are followed correctly when there is a lot of documentation. Most move-out checklists have the following items:
- Property Address and Unit Number
- Tenant Contact Information and New Forwarding Address
- Move Out Date and the Date of Inspection
- A Section for Each Room or Area of the Property
- Space to Record Notes or Special Room Features
- Larger Blank Area for Documenting Comments
- A Place for Each Tenant and the Landlord to Sign and Date
Communication and attention to detail are the keys to a smooth move-out. Moving is a stressful time for the tenant, so it’s essential to ensure they know what they need to do and when the inspection will be. Also, to make sure the change goes smoothly, don’t do these common things:
- Don’t make promises before conducting an inspection. For example, don’t talk about how much the tenant will get back from the security deposit before finishing the inspection.
- Get the facts straight. Make sure the inspection is easy to understand and use notes and photos to show that there are problems with the condition.
- Don’t skimp on paperwork. The inspection sheet shows the property’s damage and what needs to be fixed. So, it’s essential to keep accurate and detailed records.
Professional Management can help you protect your rental property.
Owners of rentals can’t be everywhere at the same time. So, if you own more than one property, keeping up with essential tasks like inspections can be challenging. Lucky for property owners, the local rental property managers at Pro Realty Property Management are ready and able to help them run their businesses.
Our team of property managers and in-house maintenance technicians knows how different critical kinds of inspections are to your success as a whole. They are essential for keeping the property in good shape, ensuring that tenants are happy, and keeping repair costs down through early detection and preventive maintenance. So, Pro Realty Property Management takes care of every step of the process, from the first inspection before a tenant moves to hold them responsible for the damage. So, give us a call now to learn more about how full-service rental management can help you.
