The 4 Types of Rental Inspections                                            Every Landlord and Tenants Should Complete.

As part of the rental property process, landlords must complete several different types of inspections. Although these take place at different times and for different reasons, the ultimate goal is to protect you, the tenant, and the property. In addition, detailed inspections help landlords discover maintenance issues before they become emergency repairs and ensure that tenants are following all lease terms. Continue reading below as we walk landlords through the types of inspections recommended by many property managers and why they are vital to your success.  Here is the list:

1. Pre-Leasing Inspections                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                These types of inspections are used to evaluate the property’s overall condition before marketing.  It is done to identify any safety or potential health hazards that could delay getting the property ready for a new tenant. Therefore, a pre-leasing inspection helps owners prioritize tasks and come up with a realistic availability date. In turn, this allows for more efficient and cost-effective maintenance. Some of the main items these types of inspections look for are –
   • If the property was built before 1978, ensure the property is free of chipping or peeling paint which could contain harmful lead.
   • Look for any signs of water damage, discoloration, or evidence of mold growth.
   • Verify there are no known safety or building code violations
   • All structural elements are secure and intact, including floors, stairs, walls, and the roof.
   • For multi-family properties, any common areas, hallways, or stairways must be safe and free of clutter.
   • Electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning components function correctly as designed.
   • Heat and hot water systems function appropriately
   • Doors, locks, and any security features that protect the tenants and property are in proper working order
   • Fully exterminate any pest infestations of rodents, termites, roaches, bedbugs, or other vermin

   These types of inspections help keep owners on track to get their property legally compliant and ready for market.  Here is a great Pre-leasing  Inspection Form

2. Move-In Inspection A detailed move-in inspection is vital to the rental process, and its importance cannot be overstated. These types of inspections occur when there is a change in tenants. Before a new tenant moves in, they walk the property with the landlord and note any pre-existing conditions. Anything discovered should be thoroughly documented on a detailed room-by-room checklist. Also, it is a great idea to use video or photographs to document existing issues further.The reason is that the move-in inspection will later be compared with the move-out inspection. This comparison shows landlords any damage that may be beyond typical wear and tear. From there, landlords may decide to withhold a portion of the security deposit.the inspection checklist should have a dedicated section for each area, such as the ones below –
   • Property Exterior
   • Interior Systems
   • Living Area
   • Dining Area
   • Kitchen
   • Bedrooms
   • Bathrooms
   • Half Bath
   • Laundry Area
   • Basement
   • Bonus Rooms

   The move-in inspection is important for both tenants and landlords. Landlords need to ensure they hold tenants accountable for any damage incurred throughout the lease. However, tenants want to ensure they do not get charged for something someone else may have left behind. Once the inspection is complete, both the landlord and tenant should sign it to acknowledge its agreed-upon contents. Here is a great Move-In Inspection Form

   3. What Is a Pre-Move-Out Inspection?  We are assuming that you, the inspector, with or without the tenant go through the house and note everything they can find that would cost the tenant a part of their security deposit. They compare that list to the list of problems that existed when the tenant moved in — you did perform a move-in inspection, right? — and cross all of those pre-existing conditions off of their new list.  This inspection allows the tenant to fix whatever needs to be fixed before moving out.  This saves the owner time and money on fixing easy problems and makes the tenant happy to get more cash in their pocket.  The main benefit is that the inspection will tell you the condition of the property, which reduces turnaround time when the tenant moves out. The tenant does not have to agree to it, but it will save money a long way because he/she can fix problems ahead of time.

   4.  Move Out Inspections.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    When it comes to common types of inspections, move-in and move-out inspections are very similar. The goal is to determine the overall condition and evaluate if the vacating tenant damaged the unit in any way. Generally, it is a good idea to do this walk-through with the tenant. Thus, helping to avoid any misunderstandings or disputes over the withheld security deposit.  Here is the California Law AB-12 Tenancy about Security Deposits.  Here is a great Move-In Inspection Form. The key to an efficient move-out process is communication and attention to detail.

   5. Routine and Seasonal Inspections.                                                                                                                                                                                                       Inspecting the property as tenants move in and move out is a standard procedure that most landlords understand the value of. However, these are not the only types of inspections that are beneficial to landlords. For example, depending on the age of the home, it is a good idea to perform routine inspections once every 6 months.

   Remember the ultimate goal is to protect Landlords, Tenants, and the Property.