1st Reporting
We’ve got just the tool you need: A Rental Inspection Checklist you can use on your mobile or download and print. A downloadable rental inspection checklist is a perfect tool for property owners such as yourself to maintain organized documentation of your property portfolio.
Asset management can quickly become challenging if you don’t have adequate systems to keep your properties organized. With our documentation system, we’ve got your solution here.
A rental inspection checklist is vital for property owners to maintain effective asset management. Landlords use it for documenting periodic inspections of rental assets to maintain control over property standards.
It isn’t enough to merely make a few notes from a walkthrough of your property. It is, after all, human nature to get distracted by things, and something as simple as a phone call could distract you from noticing something about your rental property. A checklist keeps you on track, even when you are absentminded or having an off day.
Included in the Rental Inspection Checklist
For best results using the downloadable rental asset checklist, we recommend you review the rest of our descriptions of the checklist components. We will also provide some actionable tips to increase your inspection process efficiency and lower the costs of inspections and inspection management. Who doesn’t want to make their job easier, right? Stick with us, and we’ll show you an easy way.
The Rental Inspection Checklist has ten convenient sections to break your inspection into easy-to-follow stages based on room and room type. Here are the sections and a brief description of each that you can use to train your property inspectors to complete a professional inspection on your behalf.
Administrative Section
The rental inspection checklist’s administrative section comprises two inner sections. The first section contains information regarding the property address, type, inspector’s name, and inspection date. Remember that good note-keeping practices make your landlord inspection checklist easier to find when you need to review it later.
Entrance/Foyer/Hallway(s) Section
In most buildings and even single-family dwellings, the first area you see inside a home (often called the entrance area or foyer). Starting with the entrance area for your property inspection is natural and makes sense. The areas surrounding your rental units, such as the foyer and hallways, will tell you a lot about the overall condition of a rental property, so it’s essential to pay close attention to detail here.
Kitchen
No rental property is complete without a kitchen where tenants can store and cook their consumables. The kitchen section of the rental inspection checklist covers the essential note items in most standard kitchen environments. These items include testing significant appliances such as the stove, refrigerator, and microwave (where applicable).
Restroom(s)/Bathroom(s)
Restrooms are a necessary component of any rental home or apartment. We all need to use the restroom occasionally, so all room elements must function as expected.
The restroom section of the Property Inspection Checklist ensures that the sink, toilet, and bath/shower are all functioning correctly. The section also includes a point regarding mold, given that the restroom is the most common place in homes to find molds.
Living Room(s)/Den(s)/Dining Room(s)
The living room/den/dining room section of the Rental Inspection Checklist is common-sense-oriented. It includes the usual key indicators inspected by landlords during their property inspections.
Bedroom(s)
Similar to the living room section above, the bedroom inspection section of the template follows the same standardized format.
Laundry Room And Storage
Laundry rooms and storage rooms are often points neglected on rental inspection checklists but not on ours. This section of the Rental Inspection Checklist assures those big-ticket items like the washer and dryer and fuse/breaker panels are not neglected during the inspection.
Parking
Another point often overlooked on property inspection checklists is the inspection of the parking area. Are the proper, permitted vehicles on-site? Are the parking spots clear of debris or clutter? These and other questions are asked in this parking section of the property inspection template.
Notes and Sign-Off
No inspection is complete without an area where the inspector can scribble some notes and sign off on the report’s authenticity. This section is instrumental if you have a property management team performing inspections at different locations. It’s easy to elicit integrity from your team, knowing they are signing off on the report.
How To Use The Rental Inspection Checklist
You don’t need a much of checklists (like a property rental checklist for summer, a property rental checklist for winter, et cetera). You only need one comprehensive rental inspection checklist like ours that works for all your properties (and at all times of the year).
Implementing our checklist into your property inspection process is simple. You need to download the template, print appropriate copies, and advise your team on its use. As mentioned earlier, feel free to have your team reference this article to train them on properly using the checklist.
If you need to ratify the checklist, consider a more robust and customizable solution, like the 1st Reporting app. We’ll explain more about that in the tips below.
Tips For Landlords Doing Annual, Semi-Annual, And Short-Notice Property Inspections
Whether you are scheduling long-term annual and semi-annual inspections or inspecting a unit on short notice (when a tenant gives the notice to move out or raises a concern about property standards), it’s good to practice uniform procedures.
Here are a collection of tips and best practices to help you with your property inspections to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
Have a Plan
Ensure you know what you’re looking for before starting your inspection. Review your key indicators and other inspection points before commencing the inspection process.
Use Tools Like Checklists
Ensuring you don’t miss any key points is difficult if you’re the type of person bombarded by phone calls all day. Why risk a distraction causing an overlooked inspection item when you can use a tool like a checklist to ensure nothing is missed?
Take Your Time
Rushing through an inspection can lead to mistakes being made and items missing. Its often found that taking a bit more time initially to perform a comprehensive investigation will save time in the long term. Similarly, missing vital inspection items could lead to costly equipment or facility breakdowns when you might have caught an issue during the inspection.
Document Everything
Make notes and take pictures during the inspection to help with your follow-up. If you’re using a paper-based template for your inspection checklist, you may want to scan it to add it to a folder where you can also add your images, video, or other media files. Too much work? Check out the following tip for the best solution.
Use a Digital Reporting Solution Like 1st Reporting.
We’re pleased you came to see our Rental Inspection Checklist today. But we won’t be offended if you instead use a more robust and customizable solution like our digital mobile form automation platform – 1st Reporting.
Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, the 1st Reporting app is a robust solution for all your property inspections, incident reporting, or other reporting requirements.
Further Features of 1st Reporting That You’ll Love
Aside from the multi-platform and operating system compatibility of our app and reporting software, the 1st Reporting platform has various advanced features to benefit your organization.
Team Access Management – Stay in control of user access levels with our easy-to-use interface and dashboard.
Dynamic Workflow Automation – Create custom dynamic workflows to guide your team through processes based on user input.
Customizability – Need a custom checklist or template? No problem! If you don’t see a specific document you require in our integrated template library, you can easily make a custom template to suit your needs using your admin account. Then you can unleash the template for your whole team to take advantage of.
Automated Notifications – Imagine that when a team member completes an inspection at one of your properties, you receive instant notification of their completion. Or perhaps an unfortunate event has occurred at the property, and you can be notified when your team completes a report. It lets you automate the communications process so you’ll never miss a completed report again.
Summary
This article provides tips for efficiently and effectively conducting property inspections. It recommends having a plan, using checklists, taking time to perform a comprehensive assessment, and documenting everything. Additionally, it suggests using a digital reporting solution like 1st Reporting.
We recommend downloading our Rental Inspection Checklist or using the 1st Reporting app for inspection and incident reporting requirements.
Rental Property Inspection FAQ
What are the key items to include in a Rental Inspection Checklist?
A comprehensive Rental Inspection Checklist should include sections for each area of the property. These might include the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, outdoor areas, and other spaces. In each section, include items specific to that area. For example, in the kitchen, you might check the condition of the appliances, plumbing, countertops, and cabinets. In general, the checklist should cover:
– Walls, ceilings, and floors: Check for cracks, damage, or signs of water leakage.
– Doors and windows: Ensure they are in good condition and function properly.
– Appliances: Check their working condition and cleanliness.
– Plumbing: Check faucets, showers, toilets, and other fixtures for leaks or other problems.
– Electrical: Test light switches, outlets, and appliances to ensure they work correctly.
– HVAC: Ensure heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems work effectively.
– Safety features: Confirm that smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are present and functional.
– Cleanliness: Note any areas that are not clean or well-maintained.
How often should I conduct inspections using the Rental Inspection Checklist?
The frequency of inspections can vary depending on the lease agreement terms and local laws. However, a common practice is to inspect at the beginning and end of each lease term (move-in and move-out inspections).
These inspections help document the property’s condition at these times and can help resolve disputes about damages or security deposits. Some landlords also conduct routine inspections during the lease term, often annually, to ensure the property is well-maintained and to catch any potential issues early. Always provide tenants with proper notice before inspecting in accordance with local regulations.
What is the proper procedure for sharing the results of inspections with tenants?
After an inspection, sharing the results with the tenant is essential. This can be done in a follow-up meeting or in writing. The key is to be clear and specific about any issues identified and the next steps.
If some damages or problems are the tenant’s responsibility, provide clear instructions on what must be done and when. If repairs or maintenance are needed that are the landlord’s responsibility let the tenant know when and how these will be addressed.
Always keep a record of these communications in case of future disputes. It’s also essential to be respectful and considerate in these interactions, to maintain a positive landlord-tenant relationship.
