Walk me through a maintenance check/rental inspection

[S. Perry]

I need some guidance involving what to do for a maintenance check. Tenants have been in the home for 1 year (2 yr lease). We have been in the home on a few occasions for various issues but have never done a specific check. I am fully aware we should have done this sooner however they are high maintenance tenants and we would have ended up with a list a mile long of things they found fault with. They complain about everything and to be honest we just didn't want to deal with their drama. We have taken care of everything they have asked for minus insulating the entire home (it already has sufficient attic and wall insulation per a home inspection). Every appliance and plumbing fixture was new when they moved in. New flooring in the entire home. New furnace and new AC and hot water tank. New WALLS! New electrical everything.....still they find fault with imaginary things. Last week they complained about the insulation AGAIN and that water was accumulating on the ceilings and dripping on their furniture. It was near zero degrees here at the time and they had their thermostat set too low. Too much humidity was the culprit (they don't run bathroom fans and had turned off the dehumidifier we provided which states in lease it must remain on). I digress.

We NEED to get in the house as we suspect they have moved in their grandson and wife with Pit-bull (no pet lease but they bring in daughters dog often--another post). They mentioned they might need to allow these people to move in and we sent them info about increasing rent, having to change the lease to reflect dog (didn't know breed at the time), adding them to lease and that we would require a non-refundable pet fee. Never heard another word regarding this. 

Earlier this week my hubby drives by and spots a moving truck in the driveway. Calls tenant to inquire and was told they were finally moving their stuff in. Been there a year and for real never moved in 90% of their furniture. We believed the tenant only to spot someone shoveling the patio today. Not the tenants.....looked like the wife of the grandson. Hubby thinks we have been "had". 

So I am letting them know we are coming for an inspection. Any good pointers? Please don't attack me for not having done the inspection prior. Beating ourselves up enough over it. Had a PM originally but had to fire them.