Real estate is one of the hottest investments in the modern world. It continues to rise in value despite a changing market.
It's also easy to make mistakes while entering in. One of the worst is not checking for safety issues or going in too much and disrupting your tenants' privacy.
Read on to learn how often to conduct rental property inspections.
What Types of Inspections Are Necessary?
There are two reasons for any property inspection. They prevent serious safety issues and look for signs of damage.
There are two primary types of rental property inspections, known as the move-in and the move-out. The landlord compares the results from the two to see if there's any damage beyond normal wear and tear.
A safety inspection checks important safety features. These may include:
- Smoke alarms
- Fire alarms
- Fire extinguishers
Routine inspections check that everything else is safe. The dates may be specified in the lease with written notices in advance.
There are other valid reasons for the landlord to check up on their property. These include:
- Safety issues
- Pest control
- Emergencies
- Plumbing issues
- Natural disasters
- Extended tenant absence
The tenant can even request an inspection. A landlord may still abuse their privilege and come over when it's not necessary.
How Often is Too Often?
Tenants don't have the right to change the locks or bar entry to their landlords. They do have the right to quietly enjoy their home and not have their privacy interrupted.
The difficulty is in determining how many rental property inspections violate this right. How often is too often? When does it become a breach of their privacy?
The best way to answer this is to examine local rental property inspection laws. In North Carolina, it's a landlord's implied legal duty to inspect a property, but there are no limits on how often they can do so.
There are also non-legal factors that can help determine rental property inspection frequency. What sort of relationship does the landlord have with their tenants? Do they see each other as friends who can drop by unannounced, or is it strictly business?
How Should I Do an Inspection?
Protect your financial health by creating a budget for rental property inspection costs. It should include all types of inspections you can plan for with a bit extra for emergencies.
Set expectations for when and how often expectations will happen right away in the lease. Give them at least a day's prior notice before you begin.
Encourage them to be present. Show them a property inspection checklist so they know what you're looking for.
Bring a property manager along for the ride. They'll help you get effective results without staying in your tenant's home longer than you need to.
Where Can I Find Help for Rental Property Inspections?
Rental property inspections are a necessary evil. There's no definitive answer to how often to do them, and it's a balancing act between privacy and safety. Get the tenants and professionals involved to make sure it goes smoothly every time.
PMI Charlotte is a property management company that knows what to do to maximize your investment and how often to do it. Contact us to see how we can help you today.
