As a Landlord you need to carry out Interim inspections
As a landlord, one of the things that you need to do on a regular basis is to carry out routine mid-tenancy checks. While doing this can be something of a pain, it is nonetheless essential for a number of reasons. Not only does it help you identify any issues surrounding maintenance before they get out of hand, it also helps you to keep an eye on how your tenants are getting and it can also promote goodwill between the two of you. A good relationship between landlord and tenant makes life easier for everyone. Furthermore, a contented tenant is likely to be a longer-term tenant.
While it is important to make regular inspections, the frequency is important to get right. An initial inspection at 3 months is about the shortest duration possible followed by, perhaps six monthly and then annual as the tenancy progresses.
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 s11 gives the landlord the right to enter the premises to view the “condition and state of repair”. You must give the tenant 24 hours’ notice in writing and the inspection must be carried out at “reasonable” times of day. If someone other than the landlord is going to undertake the inspection, he or she must be authorised in writing.
Obviously, one of the most important reasons for an interim inspection is to be able to spot any minor issues before they become major issues. A tenant will normally report any serious issue, but very often may not report a minor one, or may not even spot it. That can mean that it can accelerate out of control and cost a small fortune to fix.
An interim inspection also gives you an opportunity to check on that the conditions of the tenancy are being followed – no pets, no smoking etc.
As the landlord, you are responsible for the fabric of the building. External drainage, roof leaks, drains all need to be checked regularly to ensure they are up to standard and any problems can be nipped in the bud. Often missed are internal leaks under the sink and in bathrooms. Also, check mechanical items such as extractor fans. Tenants have to keep the filters clean.
Check that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are working, and also ensure that any fire extinguishers are serviced when they should be. They should be serviced every 12 months according to BS 5036-6.
You need to check over the condition of any fittings such as toilets and also white goods if supplied with the property, such as fridges and freezers. It is worthwhile to check lofts for any holes, leaks, and even possibly signs of rodents.
You also want to check that the garden is tidy, if there is one. You don’t expect your tenants to be the next Alan Titch marsh, but the garden should at least by presentable neat and maintained.
When it comes to the end of the tenancy, you will need to complete a check-out report, and you might wish to use the app we provide at Reports2Go in order to produce a free checkout report.
You can download this from The App Store or Google Play to your mobile or tablet. It makes producing a free checkout report very simple because you can type up the notes as you go.
Gary, 19 March 2021
Post Titles
- Property Inventory App? What can I expect for my money?
- How inventory clerk software can help your business
- The advantages of using Voice Technology for Property Reports
- What goes into a Condition Report?
- Things to consider when compiling a Property Inventory
- Do I Need a Property Inventory?
- The Importance of Check-In and Check-Out Reports
- Our Dictation Software makes creating Inventory Reports so much faster
- Why you need to carry out Interim Inspections of your BTL
- Creating an Inventory is a critical task for a Managing Agent
- An Inventory Guide for Tenants
- Our App makes creating a Schedule of Condition so much faster and more Accurate
- Some tips for Landlords carrying out Property Inspections
- Creating an Inventory is one of the most Important Tasks for a Managing Agent
- What should you check for when Inspecting your Rental Property?
- How to Hire an Inventory Clerk
- Is an Inventory Report needed for Unfurnished Properties?
- The Reasons why you should carry out a Mid-Tenancy Inspection
- The Perfect Inventory App for Landlords
- Check-In and Check-Out reports: What you need to know as a Tenant
- Carrying out Mid-Tenancy checks: What you Need to Know
- You’re not still living in the 20th Century, are you?
- What to check for when doing an Inventory Report
- Use Speech Recognition tools to reduce time doing Reports
- Our Dictation App saves you a Huge Amount of Time
- Mid-Tenancy Reports are Critical when Letting a Property
- There may be Errors in the Inventory Report
- Reports2Go: the 21st Century way of creating Property Reports
- How to do a Condition Report for your BTL
- The work of an Inventory Clerk can be exceedingly varied
- What should you check for when inspecting your Lettings Property?
- Some things you need to know about Mid-term inspections as a Landlord
- The Reports2Go App makes Property Reports simple
- Why you should carry out Interim Inspections as a Landlord
- Why Check-In and Check-Out Reports are important for Tenants
- Some things to consider if you are thinking of buying a BTL
- The clever way for Letting Agents to create Property Reports
- Our FREE app makes Inventory Reports so much easier
- What to do if your Tenant has Damaged your Property?
- Inventory Reports and Check-Ins – are both really necessary?
- Who should pay for Property Cleaning - Tenants or Landlords?
- Is a Check-in Report Really Necessary?
- New plans and improved resolution for images
- Overheads of being a Landlord
- It is Critical that Inventory Reports are Accurate
- Mid-term Inspections of your BTL are Essential
- Minimising risks with proper tenant checks
- Making a Claim on a Tenant’s Deposit: What you need to consider
- The Importance of an Inventory for Tenants
- Things to note when conducting Check-In/Check-Out reports
- Our App saves a huge amount of time carrying out Inventories
- 5 Handy Screening Topics for New Tenants
- Busting Property Management Myths
- Six Money-Saving Tips for Landlords
- Rules for Tenants and Pets in 2021 - What are the Changes?
- As a Landlord you need to carry out Interim inspections
- Giving your Feedback on an Inventory as a Tenant
- Inventories made easy with Reports2Go
- New to Letting? What you should know about Property Reports
- Three Pillars of Good Property Management
- How can PropTech reduce your Property Inventory burden?
- Choosing the right Rental Management Strategy
- Some Tips for Promoting your Letting Agency Business
- The Importance of an Inventory to you as a Tenant
- Some Ideas to Consider in Order to Reduce your Overheads
- Legislation Concerning Landlords and Tenants is Constantly Changing
- What’s your Property Management approach?
- How to maintain a Positive Relationship with your Tenant
- How important is a Condition Report?
- Tools for New Landlords and Property Managers
- The Check-in Process in the Reports Cycle
- Doing an Inventory: Part 5 - Enhancing the Report
- Doing an Inventory: Part 4 - Finishing Up
- Doing an Inventory: Part 3 - Describing Items
- Doing an Inventory: Part 2 - At the Property
- How to do an Inventory: Part 1 - Preparation
- All you need to know about Property Reports as a Tenant
- Use the FREE Reports2Go App to Speed-up Inventories
- Using on-board Dictation Software for Reports
- A guide to Inventory, Check-In, and Check-Out reports
- Reasons for Landlords to carry out Mid-term Inspections
- How to Carry out an Inventory Quickly, Accurately, and Easily
- What does an Inventory Clerk do, and should I hire one?
- Inventory – A Guide for Tenants
- Things to keep in mind when conducting a Check-in Report
- Free Schedule of Condition - Why You Need it
- End-of-Tenancy clean? All you need to know
- Reports During Covid - 19 Restrictions
- Mid-term inspections as a Landlord
- How to avoid Deposit Angst with the Reports2Go app
- The Importance of the Reports2Go App for Inventories
- All about the Reports2Go App
- The Importance of an Inventory for a Tenant
- Dictation makes for a much faster and more Accurate Inventory
- How the Reports2Go app works
- Free Property App
- Completely Free App
- Tenant Fees Act and Inventories
- When you have a lot of Inventories, Reports2Go will save you time
- Periodic Inspections and why they are good idea
- Inventory meets the 21st century with Reports2Go
- Our App saves you a lot of time on Mid-Term inspections
- What is an inventory and why have one?
- Text Mode
- Audio Mode
- Our Inventory App
- Inventory Associations
- The life cycle of a Report