House Inspection

averagemummy

Hi all,

I've got myself into a real state over our last house inspection and I wondered if any llords could please answer this for me?

We rent and have our house inspected every 6 months by the letting agent (been here 3 years now).

Now OH and I both work full time and have 2 young children. Although we do tidy and clean as much as we can along the way, when the house inspection comes along we have to do a "deep clean". I do try to have it absolutly spotless for the inspection, and so far we have never really had any negative comments.

However this time OH has been away working for the past 3 weeks so it was all down to me to get the house ready. I did my best and it was looking pretty good (even if I say so myself).

However the next day as I was walking around all I can see are the bits I missed! For example:

Forgot to clean the sink in the downstairs loo
Couple of marks on the wall up the stairs
Cob web in the dining room
Curtain pole had popped off it's bracket - just needed popping back in but I missed it
Forgot to clean oven door - wasn't really dirty but I can tell it hadn't been cleaned the day before

So if you were a llord and you received a report for the house inspection withe the details above - would you be concerned or would you just file it away? Am I worrying over nothing?

Thanks

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Inspections are a way of agents making money off the LL. If you've been there 3 years and there have been no problems then I would write to the LL requesting these inspections be limited to once every 12 or even 18 months.

They are supposed to check that there are no structural problems with the house, and that you're not farming cannibis or subletting to illegal migrants. They are NOT there to comment on your housekeeping skills, unless in extreme cases (eg bags of rubbish that might be an Environmental Health issue). So you should certainly not be working yourself into a state about the cleanliness of the oven door and suchlike.

googler

The agent should be reporting on physical issues with the fabric of the property or supplied fittings and fixtures.

Things which have built up ON the property or the fittings aren't an issue. Therefore, cobwebs are not an issue. Piles of magazines, etc are not an issue. Your belongings strewn across the carpet are not an issue.

dimbo61

When the nice lady/gent from the LA comes to visit ask them when you will get the extra loft insulation or cavity wall insulation done.
Ask about the Gas safety certificate, electrical safety cert! CO alarm near the boiler or gas fire, gas hob
Ask when were the smoke alarms were last checked or batteries replaced
Tell them the property is cold ( turn off the heating) and ask for new double glazed windows/doors, efficient gas heating ! with a new combi boiler.
Ask when will the burglar alarm be fitted!
Tell them you are paying too much in rent and LA fees :-)

propertyman

You forgot to wipe the downstairs sink :eek:

Thats it- have your things out by Friday:rotfl:


Dont worry they know how to tell the difference between normal living and abuse.

If anything I would wipe off the marks and re fix the rail and let them know.

Kynthia

dimbo61 wrote: »

When the nice lady/gent from the LA comes to visit ask them when you will get the extra loft insulation or cavity wall insulation done.
Ask about the Gas safety certificate

Yes you could ask about all of these as an inspection can be a two way thing. You can raise any concerns or issues you have and the agent can ensure the property is in good condition and that you haven't damaged it or not reported something important. The fact that the place hasn't been spring cleaned and you have stuff laying around couldn't be less of a concern.

dimbo61 wrote: »

electrical safety cert! CO alarm near the boiler or gas fire, gas hob
Ask when were the smoke alarms were last checked or batteries replaced
Tell them the property is cold ( turn off the heating) and ask for new double glazed windows/doors, efficient gas heating ! with a new combi boiler.
Ask when will the burglar alarm be fitted!
Tell them you are paying too much in rent and LA fees :-)

These are ridiculous. An electrical safety cert is not a requirement so unless you have reason to believe the electrics aren't safe I wouldn't ask for one. If you want a CO alarm then you should buy one. Unless the property has mains smoke detectors it is your responsibility to supply and maintain them. If you want a burglar alarm then ask for permission and then buy one yourself. The landlord isn't your parent or running a hotel! :rotfl:

Honestly don't worry about the inspection. Any tenant who is deep cleaning before one sounds like a great tenant to me. :T

Fire_Fox

Most of those should not be on a report as they do not damage/ devalue the property nor attract vermin nor create a public health hazard, your daily hygiene is none of the landlord's concern only how clean it is when you handover at the end. Honestly if they were that pedantic on an inspection I would start refusing citing the 'right to quiet enjoyment'. Remember legally this is YOUR home so they have no right to make any negative comment on your housekeeping.

tbs624

OP - don't work yourself up into a frenzy over pre-inspection blitzing of your home.

The purpose of LL/LA inspections is so that the LL can check out the condition of the property in order to be able to comply with the LLs "repairing obligations".

As Out Vile Jelly says, it is not about checking up on your personal housekeeping, which is irrelevant unless some thing you are doing/not doing is causing the property to deteriorate.

Ultimately, you have to return the property at the end of your tenancy in the same condition as when originally let to you. So long as your shameful (;)) cobweb is gone by then and the grimy sink is all sparkly ( assuming no cobweb and grimy sink recorded on the inventory as having been there from the tenancy start then LL should have no cause for comlpaint.

Some LAs do like to act like your mother and try to list untidy/non sparkly issues - their comments should be ignored.

Make the inspection a two way process - present them with a list of things they need to deal with or simply note down as a matter of record. Make 'em take their shoes off so as not to dirty your living space and show them round rather than leave them to their own devices. It's your home and they ought to be mindful of that.

Want2makeitstretchfurther

As a landlord I'd be thrilled if those were the only things I could pick up on, and I'd certainly not be worried about a basin being slightly grubby, they are for washing dirty hands in after all! so dont worry!

G_M

You are getting your knockers in a twist about nothing.

Instead of thinking of this inspection as some kind of assessment of you, and your house-keeping skills, think of it as an inspecion of the property.

Don't spend your time cleaning and dusting. Spend your time at your computer and write a list of all the defects or niggles - big or small - with the property.

* roof tile blew off and needs replacing
* boiler needs servicing next month - date needs arranging
* water mains stopcock is jammed and needs freeing off in case of emergancy
* post keeps arriving for landlord. Needs Royal Mail re-direction
* carpets are worn (through age/wear and tear NOT damage) and LL could consider replacing
* gutters are full of leaves and need clearing to avoid dripping and causing damp
* etc

This is the tenants chance to bring to LL's attention routine property maintenance!

Final point. IT IS NONE OF THE LANDLORD'S BUSINESS HOW A TENANT CHOOSES TO LIVE IN THEIR HOME provided they are not breaking the law or causing danger, health hazards etc

What matters is that the tenant cleans the property at the end of the tenancy, to the same standard as it was at the start.

What happens in between is the tenant's business.

edit:

your knockers

oops! knickers?

bigmomma051204

I have lived in the same rented property for nearly 5 years. We have been nothing but ideal tenants (if i do say so lol!) - always paid rent on time, never asked Landlord to DO anything/fix anything etc.. yet we have had to be subjected to 3 monthly checks. YEP - every 12 weeks for the last 5 years. I HATED it. We are about to move into our first owned home .. and now landlord is making it a NIGHTMARE for us. Despite us bending over backwards and like you, having a deep clean EVERY 12 weeks. So my advice, dont stress about it too much - its hard i know but they dont thank you for it in the end, thats for sure :mad: