The Importance Of Routine Property Inspections
Property inspections can be hugely important to the success of your investment property. It is critical for you to get inside and see how it’s being treated, and also to check for maintenance concerns that may have been overlooked by the tenant. Below are a few inspections that are common for Utah property managers:
- Move-In Inspection – This is typically performed after a tenant signs a lease for a property. It is designed to document the properties current state, so that if any maintenance or repairs are needed after the tenant moves out, you can bill them from their security deposit.
- Move-Out Inspection – This is used in conjunction with the move-in inspection. This inspection is performed post move-out to document how the tenant returned the property to you. You can document any maintenance needs, additional cleaning needed, etc.
- Semi-Annual Inspections – It is recommended to perform at least 1-2 property inspections during the lease term. This way you can check the condition of the property, verify furnace filters are being changed, check water softeners to ensure they are being filled, and check the property and tenant for overall lease compliance. It is especially wise to perform this inspection prior to renewing a tenant so that if a tenant is not treating the property well, you can refuse a lease renewal and have them vacate.
As a landlord, you’ll need to decide how frequent you would like to perform property inspections for your property. It is critical that at least a move-in and move-out inspection is performed. If you fail to perform a move-in inspection, it will make it very difficult when it comes time to refund your tenants security deposit. Without proper documentation, your tenant can argue your deductions, and will likely get away without paying for any turn maintenance.
Beyond that, it can be tough to know how frequent inspections should be performed. Here are some general guidelines:
- Perform at least 1 additional inspection, mid-lease term.
- For new leases, try to perform an inspection shortly after move-in.
- Perform inspections when maintenance issues arise.
- Perform an inspection before offering a tenant renewal lease.
Beyond that, performing inspections too frequently can also be a problem and can cause the tenant to get upset. Typically 1-2 inspections per year is adequate and won’t bother most tenants.
It is recommended to provide residents a few days notice of the inspection as a courtesy. It is their home and they will appreciate the added notice. In Utah, it’s very customary for leases to include language that requires a minimum of 24 hours notice before entry.
