help for new landlords

[Deanna Skelcy]

My husband and I purchased 2 SFH in the last year. One was rented out 3 weeks after we took possession and one we just finished rehabbing with a renter due to move in next week. Our renters bought a home 6 months into their lease and we graciously let them out of their lease. The new teanants just moved in last week and are the brother and sister in law of former tenants. They each helped the other move out, then move in. 2 days after getting the keys the new tenants informed us they did not have hot water. The switch on the pilot has been broken, the plumber said it looked like something was dropped on it. HERE IS WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN. Who bears responsibility for this? I feel like this should not be our responsibility to pay for. I still have the security deposit from the former tenants. The house was very clean when old tenants moved out. There were 2 paint chips and the leaves had been raked into big piles in the back yard and not picked up.

Being new landlords we were not prepared for this, how do we do a final inspection so that nothing gets missed?  Should we include an early lease termination fee for future?  Any advice is appreciated!