Your Guide for Rental Inspection Checklists
What is a rental inspection checklist?
A rental inspection checklist is used by property management companies to ensure that rental units are in good condition for tenants. The rental inspection checklist is typically performed by a member of the property management staff and includes all different areas of the home or property to inspection. Once the checklist form is completed, a report is generated that includes a signature from the inspector and a signature to be collected from the tenant. This creates an agreement between parties that the rental inspection was conducted and records any of the pertinent information, in case of a dispute later on.
What does a rental inspection look like?
A rental inspection can look very different depending on the property type. For example, a single family home will need to cover more areas than that of a studio apartment. The rental inspection checklist should have different templates for all of these different use cases. Here are some examples of the types of things included in a rental inspection checklist:
- Interior of the unit
- Exterior spaces
- Building structures
- Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing
- Fire protection
- And more
It’s important that your property management company performs thorough inspections on a routine basis and confirm that properties are maintained according to local regulations. Proactive inspections can identify issues before they become problems, leading to better maintained properties and lowered risk.
What are the most common types of rental inspections?
Two common types of rental inspections used by property management companies are residential property inspections and move-in/move-out inspections. Here is a brief overview on these types of rental inspections and templates you can use to get started.
Residential Property Inspection Checklists
A residential property inspection checklist is used to ensure that the property is livable and meets the required standards in your area. This checklist is used during a housing inspection to assess the overall condition of the property. It will have a thorough checklist for inspectors to review and detailed notes to make recommendations on what needs to be repaired. Similar to a home inspection that is performed for buyers, the rental inspection checklist is designed to give property owners a detailed assessment of the building to prepare it for tenant move-in.
You can access the residential inspection checklist here on the GoCanvas App Store.
Move-in and Move-out Inspection Checklists
Building owners and property managers will perform move-in and move-out inspections for tenants to create a document of how the property is maintained upon move in and any damages that exist upon move out. By performing a thorough inspection upon move-in, it creates a clear record of the condition of the property and an agreement from the tenant. If damages occur, the move-out inspection will document these issues and any applicable fines can be assessed upon move-out.
You can access the move-in and move-out inspection checklist here on the GoCanvas App Store.
What is GoCanvas and Should You Digitize Inspections?
Still using paper forms to manage inspections? Consider going digital with inspection software built for property management companies, building contractors, real estate transactions, and much more. The GoCanvas platform is trusted by thousands of companies to streamline the inspection process and automate how work gets done.
Tools for management. Inspection software provides tools to better manage inspections. Easily dispatch work orders to the right teams in the field and get real-time reports once work has been completed. Cloud-based tools ensure information is accessible and never lost. Inspection software makes it easier to collect and report on information from the field, saving your business time and money by cutting out manual processes.
Simplicity in the field. Inspection software and forms provide a simple solution for your workforce on site when performing property inspections on a mobile device or tablet. Inspection checklists can be built for your business needs and ensure that data is consistent every time by requiring fields. Information syncs automatically back to the office, cutting down on the reporting process and saving technicians from data entry.
Seamless digital experience. Software for mobile forms helps to digitize inspections, work orders, and other types of paperwork. If you need to share inspection forms with other stakeholders or clients, all of this can be done electronically and provide a better process for documentation. Provide better reports with photos, allow for digital signatures on documents, and manage everything using cloud-based tools instead of paper forms that are easily lost.
Looking for more examples? See how other companies are benefiting from inspection software and forms in this related article.
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About GoCanvas
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
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