June 15, 2016 - Noel Jones

If you’re renting a property there will come a time when your landlord (or their agent) will conduct an inspection. In some cases, this inspection will take place on a yearly basis, other times it may be on short notice.
As a tenant, you must receive a minimum of 24 hours written notice that an inspection is to take place, along with the reason for entry. The landlord/agent can enter the property between 8am and 6pm on any day except a public holiday whether you are home or not, however, it’s in your best interest to be at home when the inspection takes place.
The secret to a stress-free rental inspection is not leaving everything to the last minute. If you maintain the property throughout your tenancy then a simple clean-up is all that should be required in the lead up to an inspection.

Ongoing maintenance
If you want to remain living where you are or value your reputation as a renter it’s good practice to treat the property as if it were your own. Throughout your tenancy you should:

spot clean the carpet as soon as accidents happen
repair any damage to walls/paint
clean exhaust fans every 6 months
replace blown lightbulbs
pull weeds and trim overgrown bushes/trees
clear paths and driveways of fallen leaves and debris
clean the windows
check gutters
notify the landlord/agent of any repairs are required

Pre-inspection

Read the pre-inspection checklist
Check the fire alarms and smoke detectors are working
Do a thorough vacuum; get into those hard to reach crevices and along skirting boards, above curtains, on top of shower screens and doors etc
Clean the bathroom and toilet
Clean kitchen countertops, the stove and oven
If the carpet is excessively dirty or stained have it cleaned
Do a general tidy up ie. sweep paths, under pergolas, put away papers and magazines or other items left lying around
Arrange for your pets to be secured on inspection day or looked after by a friend/neighbour

On the day
If you’ve stuck to the points above and have been maintaining the property on a regular basis then inspection day should be a breeze. If there are ongoing issues with the home make sure you write them down so you can discuss them when the landlord/agent is present.

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