What is property inspection

WHAT’S A PROPERTY INSPECTION?

The comments we hear about property inspections and the rationale behind not doing them, mostly from self-managing Landlords range from “I just don’t find the time to do them,” “It’s a bit of a waste of everyone’s time really” and, my personal favourite” “I have a good relationship with my tenants and trust that they will let me know if something is wrong.” In our experience property inspections are an absolute must – not carrying them out is a false economy and, worse, stores up potential, expensive problems for the future. They highlight issues, they help catch things early and, on a more psychological level, they demonstrate to your tenants that you take their safety and the care of the property, seriously and that you are a hands on landlord or letting agent. Here’s the thing about inspections – if done correctly and carried out regularly, not only do they allow you to ensure that any issues with your property (and there will be issues from time to time, this is part and parcel of property management) are found in a timely manner and can be sorted before they escalate, but in addition, in doing so, it helps to maintain good relations with your tenants and fosters an environment where issues do not get ignored when they arise or swept under the carpet – but dealt with, quickly and timely, as and when they arise and before they grow into big and expensive problems! The protection of your biggest asset should not be left to chance, abandoned because you “simply don’t have the time” or hinge on a relationship that you believe you have with your tenants. Inspections allow you the opportunity to catch issues before they become big problems and to get a feel for what is happening inside your property and how it is being looked after.

We often notice things before tenants do and we always encourage them to be present at inspections – they live in the property, so they will know if something is wrong and collaborating with them to put it right, is the cornerstone of good property and tenant management.

During inspections, some of the things we look for are:

Safety and compliance issues, for example – alarms, sockets, fire safety and any obvious HHSRS issues); • Fabric of the building issues -boiler, radiators & TRVs (thermostatic radiator valve), guttering, fences etc.; • A stitch in time issues – silicone, mould, drains etc; • Are tenants looking after the property; • Is the garden (if applicable) in a good condition and being looked after; • Who and how many are living there – different sized shoes, 2 toothbrushes, too many beds/mattresses etc; • Whether there are any illegal substances visible – remember sight and smell here; • Whether there are any candles being used or other infringements to the contract; • Whether there is evidence of any pest infestations; • An opportunity to take meter reads and to talk with your tenants. And, finally, my top tip – always have a look in the loft and any garage – this can be a wealth of information and a real eye opener!

A property inspection is exactly what it says it is; an inspection (careful examination) of the property. It is not a cursory look; it is detailed and it is systematic. If you can enlist the participation of tenants and make them a part of the process, then we would advise that you do – we have always found this to be positive. It is a time to spot any issues, to answer any questions or queries from tenants and it is an essential part of the lettings process. If you have any questions about inspections, or we can help in any way, then give us a call on 0117 440 6789.

LETTINGS WITHOUT COMPROMISE