Landlord Products / Services
While conducting routine mid-tenancy inspections isn’t the most convenient of tasks for any landlord, it’s definitely one of the most important, and neglecting them is a reasonably reliable method of pissing money down the drain.
Something I’ve learned over the years is that even the best, well intentioned tenants don’t report everything.
Not only do routine inspections help landlords identify maintenance issues (that are better nipped in the bud sooner rather than later), but just as crucially, they can help identity misbehaving tenants!
Page contents
- What is a landlord property inspection?
- How to give tenants notice for a property inspection
- Why inspections are necessary
- What you should be looking for during inspections
- Inspections & inventory reports
- Letting agents & Inspections
- Landlord ad hoc inspection service
- Inspection Clauses in Tenancy Agreements
- When the tenant refuses entry
- Be respectful when scheduling your property inspections
- Download free Property Inspection template notice
What is a landlord property inspection?
Let’s start with the basics.
The primary purpose of an inspection is to evaluate the overall condition of a rental property; specifically to check if everything is in good working order and reasonable state, both the interior and exterior. It’s also the perfect opportunity to ensure your tenants are behaving themselves, and not living like primates.
Inspections are typically conducted on a quarterly basis to start with, but often reduced to bi-yearly (or even annually) after frequent positive inspections are conducted for the same tenants.
While it’s important to make regularly inspections, it’s equally as important not to make too many inspections (e.g. once a month); not only will you be a complete weirdo and pain in the rectum, but you could also breach your tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment and trigger grounds for harassment. No, I’m serious! In most cases, there isn’t a practical reason to excessive inspections unless there are legitimate circumstances that warrant it (e.g. genuine repairs and maintenance issues that need attention).
If the tenant feels like you’re making unnecessary visits too frequently, they could file a complaint.
How to give tenants notice for a property inspection
Let’s cover some of the basic law so you know where you stand.
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 s11 gives the landlord the right to enter the premises to view the “condition and state of repair”.
This is the exact legislation:
In a lease in which the lessor’s repairing covenant is implied there is also implied a covenant by the lessee that the lessor, or any person authorised by him in writing, may at reasonable times of the day and on giving 24 hours’ notice in writing to the occupier, enter the premises comprised in the lease for the purpose of viewing their condition and state of repair.
In normal human talk, that essentially means the following:
- The inspection must be conducted at “reasonable times of the day”
- The landlord/agent must give 24 hours written notice (you can download an inspection notice template at the bottom of this blog post)
- If someone other than the landlord or agent is going to do the inspection, then that person should be authorised in writing
Why inspections are necessary and required
This is mostly common sense, but some of my points may make for some “oh yeaaah” moments. Or they may not. Either way, here’s a list of reasons why inspections are necessary and often required…
- Opportunity to spot any repairs & maintenance issues
Obviously this is the primary objective, to spot any obvious cries for attention.But more crucially, it’s the perfect opportunity to repair any minor problems before they spiral out of control and transform into major repairs and money pits. It’s always easier and cheaper to repair problems at their early stages. Something simple as a small leak can transform into a catastrophic disaster if it’s neglected for long enough.
It’s also worth noting that relying on tenants alone to report potential problems can be a recipe for disaster, because they often won’t. Granted, most tenants will report serious issues, but many won’t report the little ones until it’s too late… and expensive to repair. So annoying.
Moreover, through no fault of your tenants, it’s often easy to be completely unaware of potential problems. For example, your tenant might be accustom to the smell of dampness, however, you might notice it as soon as you walk through the front door. A set of fresh eyes, ears and nose is extremely useful for picking out minor problems at their early stages.
- Assess tenants’ living conditions
While the condition of the property might be generally sound, it doesn’t necessarily mean your tenants are keeping the property in good order. If that’s the case, you may not have legal grounds to evict, but you may want to consider whether or not you wish to renew the tenancy when the fixed term comes to an end. - Spot illegal activities
Unfortunately, it’s easy to slip into a mindset of alazyrelaxed landlord when money is coming in on time, every time. But complacency can be a dangerous trap.The reality is, some of the most destructive tenants are the best payers because they want to keep their landlord away from the property so they can conduct illegal activities (e.g. there have been an increasing amount of cases where tenants have transformed BTL properties into cannabis farms). So I urge landlords not to assume the best tenants come packaged as just timely payers.
- Helps build a relation with your tenants
Not enough landlords value the relationship with their tenant. They should though, because it can be the key to a profitable and stress-free relationship. There’s a lot to be said about a good tenant/landlord relationship- it makes everything easier, including the arrangement of inspections and repairs.Inspections are a perfect opportunity to simply “catch-up” with your tenant and discuss life in general.
Tenants are less likely to pick up and move if they’re happy with their landlord, which ultimately equals long-term, reliable tenants.
- New tenants & viewings
It’s common practise for landlords to conduct an inspection before they start taking viewings with new prospective tenants before the current tenants are due to vacate (for whatever reason). It makes sense, as the landlord will want to ensure the property is presentable.
What you should be looking for during inspections
This can be quite subjective, and it really depends on how thorough you want to be.
I’m not overly thorough – at least, I’m not as thorough as I am with the final end of tenancy inspection – so I don’t collapse on my knees with a magnifying glass, but over the years I generally know which areas to check in particular, beyond the general cleanliness and condition of the interior and exterior of the property…
- Dampness & mould
Mould and dampness in a BTL is one of the main areas I focus on during my inspections, because they’re often overlooked.From my experience, most tenants ‘just live it’, the mould that is, because they don’t realise how dangerous and serious mould infestations can be. I always look around the windows and sinks, and pay special attention in rooms prone to moisture, such the bathrooms and kitchen. I also check all the pipe work hidden away in kitchen units.
It’s also worth checking the extractor fans to ensure they’re all working and not clogged up with dirt, this will help prevent mould infestations occurring in the future.
- Leaks & blockages
I run all the taps and check for any leaks. Leaks can be one of the primary causes of mould infestations and rot. Absolute nightmare.It’s also worth checking the drainage outside for blockages and ensuring water is not overflowing. Drain blockages can often be detected by smell, because they can cause one hell of a stink.
I once had a pair of stupid tenants’ that used to dispose of their cooking oil down the sink. It eventually caused a blockage in the outside drain; water was visibly overflowing every time they run the kitchen tap, but of course they never reported the problem. Why would they?
Fortunately I spotted the problem during an inspection and called Dynorod the next day to clear up the mess, for a small fortune, mind you. Needless to say, the money was taken from their security deposit.
- General condition of fittings
I always give a patient once over all the fittings, including toilets, white goods and everything else that I provided with the property. - Condition of garden
Generally speaking, most tenancy agreements do come with clauses specifying that it’s the tenant’s responsibly to maintain the garden(s).So I just check that the garden is neat and isn’t overgrowing. I also check for pile-ups of rubbish, because they can attract nasty rodents and other unwanted wildlife.
- Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
Very important to check all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.It’s also worth noting that smoke alarms often get clogged with dust/dirt, so it’s worth opening them up and giving them a quick huff n’ puff.
- Lofts & attics
None of my properties actually have attics, but they do have lofts.I ALWAYS have a quick snoop around with a torch, looking for any leaks, holes and/or rodents. I’ve been lucky so far (*touches wood*), but I’ve heard of some nasty stories involving rats the size of donkeys.
- Signs of unauthorised sub-letting
Unauthorised subletting is quite a common issue landlords have to deal, and it’s also a ‘orrible one to manage.In worst case scenario, your tenant sub-lets an entire property, often cramming it with several different tenants, and effectively turning it into a HMO rental business. Horrendous situation.
In less serious cases, your tenant will rent out the spare room without permission (usually to help cover the costs of the rent). Some landlords don’t mind, others do.
In any case, look for signs of extra adults living in the premises e.g. extra mattresses, pillows, and bedding are indications of this.
A common dilemma with inspections is that there can be a very fine line between “fair” wear and tear and damage. I’m sure most of you already know, landlords can’t make tenants liable for fair wear and tear, only damage. So it’s important to recognise the difference during your inspections, otherwise you may end up making your tenants wrongfully responsible for certain repairs. For more information, he’s a more in-depth blog post on wear and tear in rental properties. Enjoy.
Inspections & inventory reports
If you have conducted an inventory during check-in (which is something all self-managing landlords and letting agents should do), you might be wondering why I haven’t mentioned it yet. The inventory should be a very detailed report, so it’s typically used during the final inspection, and not during routine mid-tenancy inspections.
The primary purpose of the inventory report is to help tenants and landlords restore the rental property to the original condition as when the tenancy began, while a routine inspection is to make sure the property is in good working order and the tenants are well-behaved.
Letting agents & inspections
For those of you that use property management services, quarterly/bi-annual inspections are typically included with the service agreement. Actually, I’d be very bewildered and disgruntled if it wasn’t part of the deal. Inspections are a major part of ‘managing’, so it would be mind-boggling if it wasn’t.
I have two thoughts when it comes to letting agents and inspections, neither all that positive, unfortunately.
Ensure the inspections are routinely being conducted
Firstly, it’s not uncommon for agents to say they have conducted an inspection even when they haven’t.
So my advice is to make sure your agent actually conducts the inspections (presuming it’s part of your management contract). Every competent agent will document inspections with a report and supplementary pictures. If not, they’re probably hacks and you’re pissing your money down the drain on a sub-par service.
Speaking of hacks, I recently read a Tweet by @landlord_secret:
Yes, you read correctly, the landlord’s management company had the audacity to outsource the inspection to the actual tenant.
Both hilarious and mortifying at the same time.
If that’s what your agent is doing and it’s not part of the agreement (or even if it is part of the agreement, to be honest), I would get rid ASAP. That’s fucking brutal service.
Tag along if you can
Secondly, if you can, and if have the inclination to ensure your property is being taken of properly, request to accompany your agent during the inspection. Yes, it beats the point of having an management service, but I find there are worthwhile advantages to the madness:
- You’re likely to pick up on issues they won’t
- If you’re not happy with something you’ve seen, you can pass on the feedback to the agent for them to manage directly with the occupants (therefore keeping your hands clean)
- You’ll get first-hand insight into the quality of your tenants (which is 100% more reliable than third-party information)
Oh, and don’t act creepy or weird if you do attend, like you’re a homicide forensic scientist.
Landlord ad hoc inspection service!
While I generally always encourage landlords to conduct their own inspections, because the reality is, no one else is going to care about your property and your investment as much as you will, so self-managed inspections are likely to be more productive, I do also appreciate it’s not always possible.
Sadly, many landlords don’t conduct routine inspections at all because it’s inconvenient, and that’s particularly the case for long-distance landlords that self-manage their rental properties. From my experience, that’s not only careless, but also a very common reason for why so many landlords get royally screwed over by rogue tenants. Why do you think so many tenants get away with running illegal cannabis farms in rental properties for so long?
So if you can’t attend a routine inspection, my advice would be not to avoid it altogether, but rather, get someone else to do it. That’s when services provided by my affiliate partner Viewber can help.
Viewber provides a popular ad hoc hosted viewings and inspection services for landlords.
I’ve already written an in-depth review of Viewber’s service (which includes why and when I would use them), but here is a quick overview of their inspection service:
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Landlord Legal Service | Rating Google Reviews | Service detailsRoutine or one-off property condition check service.
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Please note, I try my best to keep the information of each service up-to-date, but you should read the T&C's from their website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
Inspection clauses in Tenancy Agreements
Most tenancy agreements will have ‘inspection clauses’ specifying that the landlord has permission to access the premises to conduct an inspection. For example, here are the clauses which are found in the tenancy agreements available from this website (and the one I personally use):
12.2 The Landlord reserves the right to enter the Property at any reasonable time on giving not less than 24 hours’ prior notice to the Tenant:
12.2.1 to inspect the condition and state of repair of the Property;
12.2.2 to carry out the Landlord’s obligations under this agreement;
However, in my opinion, I don’t believe the clauses are actually required, because under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, it states that it is the landlord’s legal obligation to:
- keep the structure and exterior of the property in good repair, including drains, gutters and external pipes
- keep installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity and sanitation in good repair and proper working order
- keep installations for space heating and water heating in good repair and proper working order
In any case, the inspection clauses are usually in all tenancy agreements and I wouldn’t use one without them, just in case.
When the tenant refuses entry
This can be tricky and terrifying.
An inspection can feel quite intrusive and often tenants don’t feel comfortable with strangers walking around their home. So it’s easy to understand why they might be reluctant to allow entry. Of course, they could also be refusing entry to hide sinister activities, which is definitely a more worrying prospect.
But what does the law say about the issue? Under Common Law, all tenants are entitled to live in “quiet enjoyment“, which essentially means the landlord /agent (or anyone on behalf of either) must ask the tenant’s permission before entering the premises. But what if permission is asked and it is refused, even when the landlord/agent is willing to arrange for a suitable time for the tenant?
From my understanding, the landlord or agent cannot enter the premises without permission- asking for it alone is not enough, the tenant must agree. If the landlord or agent enter without permission it could be deemed as trespassing and harassment. I believe the only exception for ‘forceful entry’ is if there is an emergency. Section 11 says that if there is an emergency the landlord can enter without permission, which I’m assuming is something like a heavily leaking/burst water pipe or fire. Kind of ironic actually, because one could argue that the inspections are designed to prevent ’emergencies’.
It’s also worth noting that if the tenant refuses entry, and as a direct consequence the property is in worse repair at the end of the tenancy (because the landlord wasn’t given access to assess the condition and state of repair), the landlord may be able to claim against the deposit.
Finally, if the tenant does unequivocally refuse access you may want to consider whether or not you wish to renew the tenancy when the fixed term comes to an end. I would personally serve a Section 21 possession notice, so they have to vacate at the end of the tenancy,
For more information on this matter, please go to my blog post about tenants refusing entry.
Be respectful when scheduling your property inspections
I want to end this blog post by highlighting the importance of communication and respect. Ultimately, valuing your tenants. Good tenants will make or break your profit margins. Rightly or wrongly so, they hold the key to YOUR success.
It’s important for you to appreciate your tenant’s right to live in quiet enjoyment, along with understanding that your property is their home. They are paying for that privilege.
In most cases, tenants will be more than happy to accommodate inspections, but only if it’s done with courtesy. Don’t just assume you have a right to enter the property, you don’t, so respectfully ask for permission. Be generous and flexible with your time and make sure it’s convenient for all parties.
Disclaimer: I'm just a landlord blogger; I'm 100% not qualified to give legal or financial advice. I'm a doofus. Any information I share is my unqualified opinion, and should never be construed as professional legal or financial advice. You should definitely get advice from a qualified professional for any legal or financial matters. For more information, please read my full disclaimer.
I have a tenent who rents a room from me in my house there are not locks on the doors, I went into his room today as he gone out yet again and left his bed from window open as I suspect he was still smoking in his room after me reminding him this was not permitted verbally and in writing, then to my horror things got ten times worse, as shutting the window I noticed all the ash scattered every where looked to my right and there was drug paraphernalia all over the table a spoon, wraps, white powder and all figures of ammounts of money written on a pad under it I had my suspicions he was taking drug but now I knew he is dealing in drugs what should I do I have taken photos. But don't know what to do for the best next, I approached him about it he got all defensive, I told him if he could not comply to simple house rule and the law of the land then he would have to get out. Then with in two minutes of speaking with him he had gone out the house four times within the space of twenty minutes and had one guy back to the house who only stayed ten minutes obviously all drug deals!! He then went out again, so I decided to take a further look in his room I only needed to open on draw and the everdiance was tremendous, per-made wraps an ash tray full go butts and a wad of cash. I then approached one of my other tenents and she told me he had admitted to her he was now not only taking drugs but also selling them. Please help me I do not want my door smashed in by the police, or someone coming in to rob my home to get his stash not fair on me or my other two house mates.