A Quick Guide to Help Tenants Prepare for Property Inspections
Property inspections can be an inconvenience when you’re a tenant, especially I the owner has decided to have it performed without prior notification, just to see how his tenants are doing or whether or not the various appliances, services or fixtures are all working properly.
Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to ensure that you won’t have to deal with any issues as a result of one of these rental inspections.
Why Are Property Inspections Performed?
There are a number of reasons why the landlord may want to conduct property inspections:
- They may have had trouble with past tenants damaging the property or neglecting their responsibilities for complying with housing and safety codes.
- In case there are fixtures or appliances that have been acting up in the past, the owner might want to make sure they haven’t been damaged by wear and tear even if you don’t use them too often.
- They may want to see how well you’re doing when you’ve just settled in and whether or not you require any repair or maintenance assistance.
Also, don’t think that if the landlord is out of town, you’re “safe”. Property management companies are often hired to keep a close eye on tenants and properties, and, in many cases, they are empowered by the owner to have a look inside the property instead of just doing a drive-by inspection.
Prepare from the Very Start
Before you even sign the lease, it may be a good practice to keep account of the overall appearance and cleanliness of the property, make sure all the appliances work and ask the landlord for specific information on aspects that should concern you about keeping your side of the property properly maintained.
By properly organizing yourself and making a list of all the tasks you will be expected to perform – such as cleaning and sanitizing or keeping certain alterations to the minimum – you can keep everything in perfect order with just a small dose of daily effort, being prepared for any inspection.
Keep the Property in Good Order
The main thing you need to do in order to keep the place you live in safe and clean is to try to avoid any damage and observe health and safety codes. Dispose of the trash, regularly clean the floors, windows and premises, and call the sanitizers when you have a roach or rat problem.
If anything gets damaged – especially when you are the one who damaged it – you should always notify your landlord and offer to pay for the repairs instead of waiting for an inspection and hoping no one will notice.
Also, if you have any pets, it may be a good idea to talk to your landlord about any habits your animal companion(s) may have that would disrupt the house.
Ultimately, as long as there is good communication between you and your landlord, there usually won’t be a problem. The only cases when landlords will keep a close eye on you is if they suspect they can’t trust you. So, to put it simply, do not give them any reason for that, and you should be all set.
