How often should you(or a PM company) inspect a rental?

Question

Hello BP!

I want to know how landlords or property managers structure routine inspections of their properties.  I want to be a good landlord for my tenants and I want to protect my investments but I feel like my current systems might be a little overbearing for the tenants I have.

-Currently doing an inspection every 3 months for the first year with new tenants and then every 6 months beyond that as long as I haven't had any issues regarding the tenants not taking care of the property.

Thoughts?

Shaun C. · Answer

I have a clause in mine that abides by my local laws stating that landlord reserves the right to inspect property with 24 hours notice when deemed necessary, but at a minimum of every 3 months for routine inspection and filter changing. This has led to 0 problems since I go over every clause with the tenant at lease signing and explain all of it.

Dean H. · Answer

@Jimmy Martz

Jimmy, I feel it depends on the tenant base but we try to do twice a year, we do one for furnace filter replacement and smoke detector batteries and the other is considered a annual inspection. Works well but is to often for good tenants and to late for the bad ones, that's life.

Jimmy Martz · Answer

Based on everybody's responses, I have decided that I am going to keep the 3 month inspection clause in my lease paperwork and inspect all properties at the 3 month mark.  At that point, I will make a decision whether or not it is a tenant that will need an inspection every 3 months or if 6 months will be fine.  I figure it's best to keep the clause in the paperwork and back off for my good tenants while keeping the expectation of 3 month inspections for tenants who might need that motivation to do the property upkeep.  With the tenants who only need inspections every 6 months, I will email them when the 2nd inspection at the 6 month mark arrives(because they are expecting inspections every 3 months) to make sure everything is okay with the house and use the email communication to build rapport by telling them that:  "I don't think an inspection is necessary for you every 3 months because of your (fill in the blank with the good stuff they do that I want to reinforce)"

Thanks for everybody's responses & helping me develop this system for my business!

Jimmy Martz · Answer

Thanks everybody for your responses!  @Katie Stone what I have been doing is emailing the tenants and giving them a window of time that I am available over the next week.  I try to give them the opportunity to clean up if they know that there are issues(like your oven) that they can fix before I come by.  If I let them pick a time 4 or 5 days out within my availability, it gives them the opportunity to fix these issues before I show up.  I would much rather see a clean house even if they did it for the inspection than have to have a sensitive conversation about my standards of cleanliness vs. their standards of cleanliness.  Even if they are just cleaning it for the inspection, who cares.  They did it.

As for how to handle issues when dealing with difficult issues during the inspection, use this line:  "(tenant name), when I have to make difficult decisions regarding (Fill in the issue), I want to be fair to you but still maintain my business so I am just going to fall back to what already agreed on in the lease paperwork."

I've used this to add rent for extra animals brought into the house, charge tenants for damage, talking tenants down when they want me to pay for a plumbing bill that they called in & didn't tell me about until they presented the bill to me, tenants asking for upgrades or unnecessary items, etc, etc.

Account Closed · Answer

I have one property manager that does it every 6 months.  On that property, I think 3 months would be more reasonable though usually we address issues when repairs occur (the last one being a broken off porch light and a broken screen door closer) which was a great opportunity to remind the tenant that he's responsible for any damage outside of normal wear and tear.

My other property manager doesn't do inspections.  She and her crew take the approach that when they go out for repairs, they take a look around and look for any issues.  This system seems to work best.

Sadly, I don't have a property where I'm not getting contacted for a "repair" every 3-6 months (or sooner).

Nicholas Cook · Answer

@Jimmy Martz, we do a walk-through during their first year around the 60 day mark, and then every 6 months moving forward. Inspections are helpful, but you also do not want to alienate the residents. If you are their too much it can make them feel like it isn't there home and impact resident retention.

Katie Stone · Answer

We have never done routine inspections and we just got BIT IN THE BUTT.  Our last tenants completely trashed the place, and I am pretty sure nothing had EVER been cleaned. Cabinet doors were missing, all the hardward gone, mold all over the showers, and INCH thick of crap all over the carpets.....  We are in a big mess, with big expenses replacing everything (had to even replace the oven because the grease build up ruined it).  So, lesson learned.  We are going to absolutely start inspections.  My question is, do you set up regular times, or just call and say, "I'll be there tomorrow at such and such time" and how do you handle less than ideal situations when you do inspect? What if they are messy? Also is it stated in your contract all about the inspections?

Shaun C. · Answer

I don't think 3 months is overbearing at all. You have a significant interest in the property and at the end of the day, you are the owner, not the tenants. Not to mention most tenants don't fully grasp home repairs and little problems that are actually big problems, or could easily turn into big and expensive problems.

Kim Meredith Hampton · Answer

@Jimmy Martz we do our twice a year with a professional inspector. They provide a comprehensive report and photos, let us know if there are any problems etc... it also seems less intrusive by a third party, but gets accomplished exactly what we need.

Zachary H. · Answer

I think most people would say 3-6 months is good.  Any more and you start to be annoying in my opinion, any less and you don't know what the heck is going on in the house.

Just be sure to communicate to your tenants that you are just doing routine maintenance and not trying to breathe down their necks. We try to change out the A/C filters when we go over there as an excuse, but also to make sure that they are being changed out for the life of our A/C unit. Another good excuse is to check on the fire alarms. I've heard of tenants just taking the batteries out when they go bad instead of replacing them and you definitely want those things in working order.

Good luck to you!

How often should you(or a PM company) inspect a rental?

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