Rental property inspections are an essential part of being a successful landlord. Inspections allow you to ensure that your properties are being cared for and treated with respect by your tenants. But how often should you be conducting these inspections?
Although most landlords opt for bi-annual inspections every six months, there are a few special circumstances that require more frequent check-ups.
How Often Should You Conduct Rental Property Inspections?
There are many types of rental inspections, so the rental property inspection timeline varies for every landlord. As mentioned before, a good rule of thumb is to inspect the property every six months to check the overall condition of the rental. You may also want to perform an inspection every time a tenant moves into or out of your property.
However, there are special circumstances where you may want to conduct an inspection in between your usual checks. If you believe a tenant may have a pet in their rental property when they shouldn't, are mistreating your property, or have long-term guests in the rental that aren't on the lease, then you may need to do an inspection.
The Importance of Rental Inspections
Routinely checking your properties is a good way to ensure that your rentals are being respected by the tenants. If your tenants are mistreating your properties, then you have the right to take action and evict them.
Rental inspections are also important to keep landlords in check with the law. In Texas, a landlord must make an effort to repair an issue if it "materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant." Regular inspections can help you to identify any issues that you need to take care of.
Rental Property Inspection Checklist
These are a few things to look for when conducting rental property inspections.
- Pest infestations
- Broken windows
- Landscaping issues
- Broken appliances
- Exterior condition of rental
- Holes in walls
- Damaged floors
Some of these issues are up to you to fix, while others may be the tenant's responsibility.
How to Handle Inspections
It's essential that you know the rental property inspection laws before you conduct an inspection. A landlord may not enter a home unless the tenant allows entry or the lease gives them a specific reason to enter. Oftentimes, the lease states that you may enter the home if there is a cause for concern, but it's still common courtesy to warn the tenant of your arrival.
Give your tenants at least a 24-hour notice that you will be entering their property as well as the reason for your arrival. Some tenants don't mind if you enter when they're not home, while others prefer to be present during the inspection. If the tenant has treated your property with respect in the past, then do your best to work with their schedule.
Get in Touch With a Property Management Company Today
If you want to make rental property inspections simple and stress-free, then consider hiring a property management company. 1st Choice Property Management offers full-service property management to Fort Worth and surrounding cities in Tarrant County, and we take the time to care for your properties just like we do our own. Contact our team today to learn more about our services.
