Property Inspection Tips Before and After Tenants

Doing a property inspection before and after tenants move in and move out is the only way to be sure of what a tenant may be responsible for as far as damage to the property while renting there.

Being a property owner or property manager means that you will be responsible for the condition of the property at all times. With that in mind, there will be a point at which the tenants will live in your properties and will, by your mutual agreement and signed contractual agreement, assume responsibility for what occurs at your property while they are renting from you.

Below are a few property inspection tips to follow before move in and after tenants move out.

In order to keep a good record of what damages the tenant may be responsible for, an inspection should be conducted before they move in complete with pictures. In order that you both know the exact condition of the property there must be inspections conducted before the tenant moves in and when the tenant has moved out. Any damage done while that tenant lived in the property should be deducted from the deposit that was required when they moved in.

By doing a property inspection before your new tenants move in, you will both agree to any flaws that may be present and those would not be the tenant’s responsibility to correct. Therefore, the inspection will be thorough and detailed. Allow the tenant to participate and point out anything they see that could be construed as damage when they move out. For example, a bedroom window is cracked when the tenant moves in, so it will be placed on the list of damage present at the move-in inspection.

When the tenants move out, there will be another walkthrough inspection, usually best done after the tenant has everything removed from the house and their final move out cleaning has been completed. That’s the only way you can really see clearly. Look for stains or damage to the floor and walls. Check the doorknobs and windowsills. Look over the appliances if they belong to you and make sure they’re still working and in good shape.

The property inspection should take into account an allowance for reasonable wear and tear. In other words, if your tenant has lived in your house for 3 years and the carpet looks somewhat worn, that could be considered normal wear and tear. Don’t expect the tenant to buy new carpet for your house with their deposit if he has not damaged the floor beyond normal usage. If there are pet stains, food spills, and cigarette burns, however, that’s different and you will want to retain part of the deposit to account for the damage.

Revelation Community Management Services has been proudly serving communities in the North & South Carolina area since 2010. Our staff bring a vast amount of experience and dedication to helping our clients. We make it our business to exceed your expectations every step of the way.