Conducting a Property Inspection

CharlieRabbit01

firebird082 wrote: »

From a tenants point of view, definitely ask them if there is anything they have noticed. They live there all the time, and may well have been keeping a list of minor things that it would be good to sort which you a) might not notice and b) which might up up causing more trouble if left to fester. These little things are rarely worth phoning up the landlord specifically to mention, but will be mentioned if you are there anyway.

agreed, this is something we do especially with 3 monthly inspections.

I only ever call if its something urgent.

ChumpusRex

Things that I would do in an inspection:

External:
Check condition of patios, driveways, steps, etc. to ensure no trip hazards.

Check roof for missing slates, sagging, other damage, etc.

Check walls for evidence of any maintenance issues (frost damage, vandalism, etc.)

Check gutters. Look for evidence of overflowing gutters (e.g. algae/moss on nearby fascia). Risk of damp if ignored.

Check boiler flue for damage or obstructions (bird nests, kids toys, overgrown ivy, covered by scrap, etc.)

Check condition of windows/sills/external doors. Check any external fittings (lighting, taps, electrical sockets, etc.)

Internal
Note condition of walls (flaking paint, damp, cracks which may indicate subsidence, cracked or loose tiles or missing grout) and floor coverings (loose carpets, torn vinyl, etc. which may be a trip hazard)

Check plumbing works correctly (check for dripping taps, leaking toilet cisterns, difficult or slow flushing toilets, check temperature of anti-scald valves if fitted to sinks or showers). Turn mains water stop-!!!! off and back on to prevent it seizing. Check that silicone sealant around sinks/baths/toilets is all intact and free from mould.

Perform external inspection of boiler and water tank (if installed). Check for obvious damage or signs of tampering and make sure that it all appears in good condition. Look for signs of leaks around the boiler, water tank and radiators.

Check light fittings are not loose or obviously damaged. Check that (where visible) electrical sockets aren't cracked, melted or otherwise damaged.

Check that safety equipment provided by you (fire extinguishers, fire blankets, smoke alarms, CO alarms) work correctly and have not been tampered with. Check best before dates on smoke alarms, CO alarms and fire extinguishers.

Check that utility meters are working and have not been tampered with or removed. (Dealing with energy providers over a faulty meter is a major pain, and if combined with a change of tenancy may be too much for some providers, leading to massive aggro for you and the old and the new tenants. If the tenant gets caught meter tampering and the utilities are disconnected, it could end up costing you many £k to get them reinstalled after the tenant leaves)

Check loft for evidence of animal infestation. Check roof felt and eves for damage/damp.


Check condition of doors (make sure they close, handles work, check hinges are in good condition, etc.) If door closers are fitted (e.g. in a flat) check that they work correctly.

Check condition of white goods.

Check for any other damage

Ask tenants if they have noticed wrong or if they think something could be better.

--

Remember, the main purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the building is safe for the tenant, that maintenance problems are found early and to permit their correction before the fabric of the building is damaged and to protect yourself against illegal behaviour by the tenant (cannabis farming, meter tampering, etc.)

Use the condition of the property on the inspection to schedule maintenance as needed.

Where the tenants have caused damage, point it out to them and remind them that they may want to arrange for repair before the end of the tenancy.

If the tenants have tampered with safety equipment (e.g. removed smoke alarms, or removed batteries or cut the mains power to them), reinstate the equipment and remind the tenants not to tamper with them.

If in any doubt about the boiler/gas equipment, arrange an ad hoc inspection by a suitable person.

If any electrical fittings (e.g. plug sockets) are damaged. Arrange for an electrician to repair as soon as practical.

--


When finished, write to the tenants with the results of the inspection, stating what work needs to be done, and when you plan to do it. If the tenants have done any damage, mention it in the letter, and advise them that they may want to arrange for repair at their own expense to avoid a problem at checkout.

If the tenants have removed or tampered with smoke alarms, etc. remind them not to do so, and state in the letter that you have restored them. (Remember that if the house burns down and the tenants burn to death, the police are going to come round feeling your collar, asking why the smoke alarms weren't working - you want as much evidence to hand to defend yourself as possible)

booksurr

ChumpusRex wrote: »

Things that I would do in an inspection:

External:
Check condition of patios, driveways, steps, etc. to ensure no trip hazards.

Check roof for missing slates, sagging, other damage, etc.

Check walls for evidence of any maintenance issues (frost damage, vandalism, etc.)

Check gutters. Look for evidence of overflowing gutters (e.g. algae/moss on nearby fascia). Risk of damp if ignored.

Check boiler flue for damage or obstructions (bird nests, kids toys, overgrown ivy, covered by scrap, etc.)

Check condition of windows/sills/external doors. Check any external fittings (lighting, taps, electrical sockets, etc.)

Internal
Note condition of walls (flaking paint, damp, cracks which may indicate subsidence, cracked or loose tiles or missing grout) and floor coverings (loose carpets, torn vinyl, etc. which may be a trip hazard)

Check plumbing works correctly (check for dripping taps, leaking toilet cisterns, difficult or slow flushing toilets, check temperature of anti-scald valves if fitted to sinks or showers). Turn mains water stop-!!!! off and back on to prevent it seizing. Check that silicone sealant around sinks/baths/toilets is all intact and free from mould.

Perform external inspection of boiler and water tank (if installed). Check for obvious damage or signs of tampering and make sure that it all appears in good condition. Look for signs of leaks around the boiler, water tank and radiators.

Check light fittings are not loose or obviously damaged. Check that (where visible) electrical sockets aren't cracked, melted or otherwise damaged.

Check that safety equipment provided by you (fire extinguishers, fire blankets, smoke alarms, CO alarms) work correctly and have not been tampered with. Check best before dates on smoke alarms, CO alarms and fire extinguishers.

Check that utility meters are working and have not been tampered with or removed. (Dealing with energy providers over a faulty meter is a major pain, and if combined with a change of tenancy may be too much for some providers, leading to massive aggro for you and the old and the new tenants. If the tenant gets caught meter tampering and the utilities are disconnected, it could end up costing you many £k to get them reinstalled after the tenant leaves)

Check loft for evidence of animal infestation. Check roof felt and eves for damage/damp.


Check condition of doors (make sure they close, handles work, check hinges are in good condition, etc.) If door closers are fitted (e.g. in a flat) check that they work correctly.

Check condition of white goods.

Check for any other damage

Ask tenants if they have noticed wrong or if they think something could be better.

--

Remember, the main purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the building is safe for the tenant, that maintenance problems are found early and to permit their correction before the fabric of the building is damaged and to protect yourself against illegal behaviour by the tenant (cannabis farming, meter tampering, etc.)

Use the condition of the property on the inspection to schedule maintenance as needed.

Where the tenants have caused damage, point it out to them and remind them that they may want to arrange for repair before the end of the tenancy.

If the tenants have tampered with safety equipment (e.g. removed smoke alarms, or removed batteries or cut the mains power to them), reinstate the equipment and remind the tenants not to tamper with them.

If in any doubt about the boiler/gas equipment, arrange an ad hoc inspection by a suitable person.

If any electrical fittings (e.g. plug sockets) are damaged. Arrange for an electrician to repair as soon as practical.

--


When finished, write to the tenants with the results of the inspection, stating what work needs to be done, and when you plan to do it. If the tenants have done any damage, mention it in the letter, and advise them that they may want to arrange for repair at their own expense to avoid a problem at checkout.

If the tenants have removed or tampered with smoke alarms, etc. remind them not to do so, and state in the letter that you have restored them. (Remember that if the house burns down and the tenants burn to death, the police are going to come round feeling your collar, asking why the smoke alarms weren't working - you want as much evidence to hand to defend yourself as possible)

so everything I had already listed above :cool:

mgarl10024

Apologies for the delay in responding, and thank you very much for everyone who took the time to respond - especially those with such comprehensive lists. I've now sat down and written out a checklist specific for the property in question - so I'm feeling much more prepared for the first inspection early next week.

Thanks again.

G_M wrote: »

those bits of info should be in your tenant information pack......

Indeed they were (mainly because I see you recommending it frequently). At 112 pages, and containing scans of all the appliance manuals, certificates, the EPC, contact details, and captioned photos of where to find things around the house - it was a real page-turner.

booksurr wrote: »

so everything I had already listed above :cool:

Now now. I think ChumpusRex even had a few things missing from your list.

room512 wrote: »

Once I was told by the estate agent (who was doing the inspection) that my bookcase was untidy!

Fantastic.

G_M

mgarl10024 wrote: »

Indeed they were (mainly because I see you recommending it frequently). At 112 pages, and containing scans of all the appliance manuals, certificates, the EPC, contact details, and captioned photos of where to find things around the house - it was a real page-turner.

WoW! I hesitate to say it but..... over the top? Would a tenant ever read it....?

But better too much than too little.

Yorkie1

ChumpusRex wrote: »

Check that safety equipment provided by you (fire extinguishers, fire blankets, smoke alarms, CO alarms) work correctly and have not been tampered with. Check best before dates on smoke alarms, CO alarms and fire extinguishers.

...

If the tenants have tampered with safety equipment (e.g. removed smoke alarms, or removed batteries or cut the mains power to them), reinstate the equipment and remind the tenants not to tamper with them.

...

If the tenants have removed or tampered with smoke alarms, etc. remind them not to do so, and state in the letter that you have restored them. (Remember that if the house burns down and the tenants burn to death, the police are going to come round feeling your collar, asking why the smoke alarms weren't working - you want as much evidence to hand to defend yourself as possible)

Just on the smoke alarm point, unless it's a HMO there is no requirement for there to be a smoke alarm and it's none of the police's business.

Obviously you don't want the place to burn down, but the general tenor of this part of your excellent post is that the LL has a legal duty to ensure the smoke alarms are working when in fact this is not the case. If the tenants decide to remove the batteries, the LL can't make them reinstate them.

mgarl10024

G_M wrote: »

WoW! I hesitate to say it but..... over the top? Would a tenant ever read it....?

But better too much than too little.

There's just no pleasing some people.

In fairness, it's not that bad.

As you may remember from my earlier posts, I'm a new landlord, so I'm learning as I go. My thinking was that if it was all written down, a good tenant would look there first before calling - so reducing the number of calls. I also thought that if a not-so-good tenant keeps phoning and I keep referring them to the guide perhaps they might spot the pattern.

Pages 1-50 are mainly pictures of important things and where to find them - i.e. stop c_ck, and how to shut off the gas. I remembered moving into the property as a new buyer and spending the first few days trying to find everything and working out what random switches on the wall did. I remember thinking that such a guide would be so useful.
Anyone should be able to easily read this part in 15mins.

From page 50 on, it is really just scans of the oven, hob, extractor hood, heading system, etc. manuals. I didn't want to hand over the originals in case they got lost or damaged. I'm not really expecting a tenant to read these cover-to-cover (I haven't!) but to use as more of a reference.

I guess when on the scale of a large portfolio that writing such a guide would be impractical. But given that I have the knowledge gained from personally living in the property, and given that I hope to own the property for a long time as a let (and so the manual would be useful to successive tenants), I thought it was worth spending the time - though I appreciate that it wont scale!