As a landlord, there are various types of inspections that you should complete on your property. The goal of these inspections is to protect yourself, your tenants, and your property. You don't actually have to complete all of these inspections yourself; you can have your property management company conduct the inspections and share the results with you.
Inspection Type #1: Pre-Leasing
A pre-leasing inspection is one that you do before you start to market the property as a rental. This is when you are going to want to have your property management firm come in and inspect the overall quality of the property. This is all about identifying any safety or health hazards that the property could have. You want to do a pre-lease inspection because you have to get a license to rent in most jurisdictions, and they will do a formal inspection. You can find issues that would derail you from renting under a formal inspection with a pre-leasing inspection.
You are going to want to make sure that there isn't any water damage or mold growth. You will want to ensure there are no obvious building code violations and that all structural elements are intact. You will want to ensure that all systems, from plumbing to electric to HVAC, are working properly. You are going to want to ensure all security features work correctly.
The point of this inspection is to ensure that your property is legally compliant and ready to market.
Inspection Type #2: Move-In Inspection
With a move-in inspection, the soon-to-be tenant walks through the property with the landlord or property manager. Both parties document all pre-existing conditions via photographs and video. Anything that is damaged is written down, and any repairs are agreed upon.
The move-in inspection is vital as that is the standard you will hold for the property to be in during the move-out inspection. It is a good idea to have a dedicated checklist for each room and area of the property that you review.
Inspection Type #3: Move-Out Inspection
Ideally, the tenant and landlord or property manager should be present during the move-out inspection. The evidence and information from the move-in inspection will be compared to the move-out inspection during this inspection.
This information will be used to identify any damage and determine if the security deposit will be withheld, if any additional damage fees need to be paid by the tenant, or if they are free and clear to leave without any additional fees. Having both parties present helps to ensure the honesty and integrity of the inspection process.
Inspection Type #4: Seasonal Maintenance Inspections
Seasonal maintenance inspections are done while the tenant is living on the property. The purpose of these is to identify any maintenance issues or safety concerns and address them. This type of inspection can also be used to ensure that there are no violations of the lease occurring on the property as well.
During this type of inspection, you may have the HVAC tuned up, the drains jet cleaned to prevent clogs, or the gutters cleaned. This is about taking care of the property and ensuring that it looks and functions as well as possible.
With this type of inspection, you will want to provide your tenants with at least 24-hour or more notice, respect their personal belongings, and be respectful.
If you own property that you want to rent out, you will want to conduct pre-leasing, move-in, move-out, and seasonal maintenance inspections. You can also have a property management company, such as Desert Canyon Properties, take care of these types of inspections for you.
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