Stop Inspecting Occupied Rentals

Property Manager · Gilbert, AZ · Member since 2011 · 65 posts · 78 votes

Landlords and Property Managers should stop inspecting occupied rentals.
For residents, an inspection feels like a prison shakedown without the cavity search.
For owners, negative goodwill with the residents and some photos. No thanks!

There is a better way.
Preventative Maintenance

Once a year complete some or all of these tasks:
🛠 Repair drips instead of floods
🛠Change the air filter
🛠Flush the water heater
🛠Recaulk where necessary
🛠Rinse HVAC coils
🛠Test smoke detectors
🛠Add missing doorstops
🛠Adjust sticky doors/locks
❄ Winterization
📷 Snap a few photos

Flip the script on inspections and deliver value instead.

Why?
Residents feel valued rather than distrusted
Owners/landlords increase renewal rates and reduce maintenance/turn costs
Managers save time with 1 work order and invoice instead of many

What other value could we create in this 1 visit?

[email protected]602-898-3924

Home Ladder4.9507 Reviews

Website View Page

6 Reply

36 views

Most Popular Reply

Bob S.

Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes

Quote from @Travis Bohling:

Not sure of your level of experience however this is 100% NOT the way to run your business. Of course, you do inspections, we do them twice a year, (for the most part) Do you know how many times we find a leak; we ask why you didn't tell anyone, " it's not my house and I do not pay the water" . or other issues. Actually, tenants are happy we go, we tell them we are looking for any issues and make sure we take care of them for you. EVERY tenant thanks us for coming. We video the walk through and provide the owners with the video and photos, owners LOVE IT!! Its ALL about how you word it. To post, do not do inspections on a property you spent 100k +++++++ on well I am sorry, but this is terrible advice.

20 Reply

See this reply in the discussion

27 Replies

Jump to latestLatest

Sort by

Bob S.
Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Travis Bohling:

Landlords and Property Managers should stop inspecting occupied rentals.
For residents, an inspection feels like a prison shakedown without the cavity search.
For owners, negative goodwill with the residents and some photos. No thanks!

There is a better way.
Preventative Maintenance

Once a year complete some or all of these tasks:
🛠 Repair drips instead of floods
🛠Change the air filter
🛠Flush the water heater
🛠Recaulk where necessary
🛠Rinse HVAC coils
🛠Test smoke detectors
🛠Add missing doorstops
🛠Adjust sticky doors/locks
❄ Winterization
📷 Snap a few photos

Flip the script on inspections and deliver value instead.

Why?
Residents feel valued rather than distrusted
Owners/landlords increase renewal rates and reduce maintenance/turn costs
Managers save time with 1 work order and invoice instead of many

What other value could we create in this 1 visit?

Not sure of your level of experience however this is 100% NOT the way to run your business. Of course, you do inspections, we do them twice a year, (for the most part) Do you know how many times we find a leak; we ask why you didn't tell anyone, " it's not my house and I do not pay the water" . or other issues. Actually, tenants are happy we go, we tell them we are looking for any issues and make sure we take care of them for you. EVERY tenant thanks us for coming. We video the walk through and provide the owners with the video and photos, owners LOVE IT!! Its ALL about how you word it. To post, do not do inspections on a property you spent 100k +++++++ on well I am sorry, but this is terrible advice.
20 Reply
Theresa HarrisPro Member
Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
3y
First insurance companies require regular inspections (usually every 6-12 months). Second for owners, rental properties represent a large investment and need to be taken care of and checked on periodically. Not all tenants will report problems.
To do what you have on your list requires an annual inspection.
5 Reply
Laura Stayton
Property Manager · DE · Member since 2023 · 248 posts · 133 votes
3y
Yikes, sorry...not good advice. Definitely need a comprehensive inspection done AT LEAST once a year (pictures of every room, notes etc) A good inspection takes about an hour and a half depending on size of unit. The people who take care of the home don't mind, it's the ones that avoid scheduling that are generally the problem. Almost always there are some minor maintenance items needed to prevent them from becoming bigger problems.
Also drive by the outside of the homes on a regular basis and if there is cause for concern there (unkept yard, junk outside, undisclosed pet) we immediately schedule an inspection
6 Reply
Tim Bratz
Developer · Charleston, SC · Member since 2015 · 100 posts · 91 votes
3y
If you're investing in these properties, it's your responsibility to inspect them. This is an investment, not a game where you want to make sure you're not stepping on anyone's toes. All tenants deserve to be treated with respect, but that doesn't mean forgoing inspections in order to keep them happy.
3 Reply
Bob S.
Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Tim Bratz:

If you're investing in these properties, it's your responsibility to inspect them. This is an investment, not a game where you want to make sure you're not stepping on anyone's toes. All tenants deserve to be treated with respect, but that doesn't mean forgoing inspections in order to keep them happy.

This poster was trying to provide value, but it backfired. Nobody should or will take this advice. You moved to Charlston? We have a good mutual friend, Dan Z,
All the best
1 Reply
Dawn P.
Rental Property Investor · Sumter, SC · Member since 2015 · 334 posts · 531 votes
3y
Property inspections are like cavity searches? lol
Nah. I'll continue to do my biannual inspections and monthly drive-bys, I've invested too much to let my properties ride for a whole year without my eyes on them.
2 Reply
Nathan Brown
Property Manager · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2023 · 101 posts · 77 votes
3y
I love how everyone reacted to the click-bait headline and not the substance of the post. What I took away from it is simply stop calling it an "inspection" and start saying "I'm coming over to perform some preventative maintenance". Damn right I'll be inspecting while I'm there, but in the tenant's mind I'm there to fix the house and provide value, not look for things to get them in trouble over. As @Bob S. said above, it's all about how you word it.

12 Reply
Bob S.
Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Nathan Brown:

I love how everyone reacted to the click-bait headline and not the substance of the post. What I took away from it is simply stop calling it an "inspection" and start saying "I'm coming over to perform some preventative maintenance". Damn right I'll be inspecting while I'm there, but in the tenant's mind I'm there to fix the house and provide value, not look for things to get them in trouble over. As @Bob S. said above, it's all about how you word it.

Wording is EVERYTHING, HOWEVER to post not to inspect, well,,,,,,,,,,
All the best sir,
0 Reply
Andrew SyriosPro Member
Moderator
Residential Real Estate Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 5k+ votes
3y
At first, I was going to disagree with you, but after reading it all, yes I agree. Inspections should be done, but they should be done with basic, preventative repairs to make sure the significant damage doesn't come from minor things left unaddressed and also to keep the resident happy. So, things like changing furnace filters, checking for leaks, replacing fire alarm batters, etc. are all great to do once or twice a year if you can.
Podcast Guest on Show #121
0 Reply
Andrew SyriosPro Member
Moderator
Residential Real Estate Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 5k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Andrew Syrios:

At first, I was going to disagree with you, but after reading it all, yes I agree. Inspections should be done, but they should be done with basic, preventative repairs to make sure the significant damage doesn't come from minor things left unaddressed and also to keep the resident happy. So, things like changing furnace filters, checking for leaks, replacing fire alarm batters, etc. are all great to do once or twice a year if you can.

That being said, you should also inspect the unit and look for significant damage, unapproved occupants/pets, lease violations, etc. while doing these "value add" visits.
Podcast Guest on Show #121
1 Reply
Steve K.
Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes
3y
I believe OP is saying to inspect but just call it "Preventative Maintenance" instead of an inspection.
I'm with ya OP, and I like it.
4 Reply
Todd Jones
Member since 2023 · 243 posts · 199 votes
3y
@Travis Bohling,

I get the intent. Do “preventive maintenance visits”, not “inspections”. While doing “maintenance”, you can “inspect “ as well.

However, this is worse.

Even the nicest tenant will say “Why you need to come for “maintenance” again? I don’t need door stops, you replaced the filter months ago, the windows were caulked…so why are you coming over for so called maintenance that doesn’t exist?!”

A maintenance visit implies you are there only for maintenance and you’re not going to look around. But tenants will know you’re looking around and they will feel like you’re being deceptive, disrespectful, and down right creepy. This will lead to a host of problems.

I’ll stick to “inspection” because that’s why I’m there. I adapt a culture of not sugarcoating and getting to the point so they know why I’m there.

Now, I may agree on calling it “inspection and regular maintenance “ as I do replace the box filter and other stuff.

Overall, I believe everyone can agree the title is wrong. One PM told me they don’t ever inspect or even drive by the home, which is ridiculous. You have to thoroughly examine your expensive investment, else you may greatly pay for it later.

Still have doubt? Browse the forums here and search for “inspections” and read the horror stories. One guy said the tenant put mosaic tile on the bathtub. He didn’t know until they moved.
1 Reply
Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
3y
1. This is someone attempting to advertise their business. The picture shows a business conducting the inspection, not a private Landlord, and his signature clearly shows his company provides this service. He's sneaky enough that I'll let it slide.

2. I've looked at the law for almost every state. They all say the same thing: Landlord can enter for maintenance, emergencies, or showing to potential renters or buyers. They are required to give notice, but they are not required to get tenant permission. If your Tenant is giving you grief, it's becuase you haven't trained them properly. Your lease should be clear about your right to enter. If your tenant prevents you from entering, you terminate their lease.
I agree with entering 1-2 times a year for preventative maintenance, but you should never have to trick your tenant into letting you into the home for an inspection or any other legal reason.
The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
Website View Page
5 Reply
Ron Brady
Rental Property Investor · Burlington County, NJ · Member since 2019 · 540 posts · 771 votes
3y
We use this language in our leases: The landlord may conduct an announced quarterly "wellness check" in the internal premises to confirm that all systems are functioning and maintained optimally and to confirm lease compliance.

We typically conduct them annually
1 Reply
David Dachtera
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
3y
Yes, this is obviously a business promoting itself.
One of the first rules of marketing is to grab the reader's attention with your headline. He did that.
... and yes, there will be naysayers on both sides: tenants and landlords / managers. Being negative is almost in our nature.
I would agree that scheduled periodic inspections and maintenance would be good. Home owners do it, so why not managers / owners / landlords? While you do want to respect the tenant's privacy and follow the law / local ordinance, try to maintain a professional, non-invasive, non-punitive demeanor.
My $0.02 ...
1 Reply
Salim Koroma
Investor · Miami, FL · Member since 2020 · 20 posts · 8 votes
3y
the language in our leases allow us to conduct maintenance checks for damages and repairs with a weeks notice. up to one inspection per month if we choose to.
0 Reply
Timothy Howdeshell
Investor · Fresno, CA · Member since 2016 · 222 posts · 237 votes
3y
Not much else to be said on this one!
If a tenant doesn't want to agree to the inspections, they won't be renting from me! This is clearly spelled out in the lease and with the tenant when they move in.
If a tenant doesn't want their property to be inspected they should not rent, as any good asset manager will want to check on the health and safety of their assets. When I was a renter, I never minded this either. 2 hours twice a year is not a big intrusion.
0 Reply
Andrew SyriosPro Member
Moderator
Residential Real Estate Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 5k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Nathan Gesner:

1. This is someone attempting to advertise their business. The picture shows a business conducting the inspection, not a private Landlord, and his signature clearly shows his company provides this service. He's sneaky enough that I'll let it slide.

2. I've looked at the law for almost every state. They all say the same thing: Landlord can enter for maintenance, emergencies, or showing to potential renters or buyers. They are required to give notice, but they are not required to get tenant permission. If your Tenant is giving you grief, it's becuase you haven't trained them properly. Your lease should be clear about your right to enter. If your tenant prevents you from entering, you terminate their lease.
I agree with entering 1-2 times a year for preventative maintenance, but you should never have to trick your tenant into letting you into the home for an inspection or any other legal reason.

I can't even read the logo on the shirts so if it's an advertisement, it's not a very good one. You're right about being able to enter a tenant's unit with notice regardless of permission. But I do think he's right (despite the click baity post title) that calling it preventative maintenance (and doing preventative maintenance along with an inspection) will go over better with your residents and make them more likely to renew their lease than just calling it an inspection.
Podcast Guest on Show #121
0 Reply
James Hamling
Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Travis Bohling:

Landlords and Property Managers should stop inspecting occupied rentals.
For residents, an inspection feels like a prison shakedown without the cavity search.
For owners, negative goodwill with the residents and some photos. No thanks!

There is a better way.
Preventative Maintenance

Once a year complete some or all of these tasks:
🛠 Repair drips instead of floods
🛠Change the air filter
🛠Flush the water heater
🛠Recaulk where necessary
🛠Rinse HVAC coils
🛠Test smoke detectors
🛠Add missing doorstops
🛠Adjust sticky doors/locks
❄ Winterization
📷 Snap a few photos

Flip the script on inspections and deliver value instead.

Why?
Residents feel valued rather than distrusted
Owners/landlords increase renewal rates and reduce maintenance/turn costs
Managers save time with 1 work order and invoice instead of many

What other value could we create in this 1 visit?

Are you kidding me!
First of all, this is a pathetic skew of the forum rules to advertise, showing your shadiness factor.
Second of all, your obviously clueless on rentals, other than how to best make as much as possible off landlords. Yeah, I bet you'd love it if we ignored everything letting issues get as expensive as possible to address.
I want the tenant to feel my presence, I want them to feel the gauze of the all seeing eye. If tenants want total 100% eternal privacy of anything/everything they do, they can go buy a home, there own home, and do what they want with it.
No, it does NOT foster ill-will, it fosters the REALITY that they are using someone elses home, that there is rules, expectation to live within those, and if they break them they will be caught and have consequences.
This advertisement turned post is the single DUMBEST thing I've ever heard, worse than the ejector seat for helicopter, worse than the solar powered flash-light.
1 Reply
Nathan Brown
Property Manager · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2023 · 101 posts · 77 votes
3y

U mad bro? What service specifically is being advertised? So you saw OP's signature line showing he's a PM. Are you not a PM trying to build your business as well, James Hamling "The REI Realtor" who works at Renters Warehouse? Take two chill pills and come back when you've had a good nap and a glass of water.

0 Reply
James Hamling
Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Nathan Brown:

U mad bro? What service specifically is being advertised? So you saw OP's signature line showing he's a PM. Are you not a PM trying to build your business as well, James Hamling "The REI Realtor" who works at Renters Warehouse? Take two chill pills and come back when you've had a good nap and a glass of water.

In life there is good advice, bad advice, "meah" advice, and advice so neglectful, so harming that it's an assault.
This is the WORST thing to tell unknowing, newer upstart persons "oh, hey, stop doing any inspections, be clueless, foster bad events to come".
It's beyond idiotic. There is simply no other term for it.
There is a reason why literally millions of PM's, over decades upon decades of experience, universally with near 100% concurrence state, annual inspections are of great importance. There is literally millions of years of Pm experience backing that inspections are important.
I let a lot of stupidity slide, but this endangers people. It urges bad practices, those proven to reap financial losses, many times significant ones.
Sorry if you don't like the dose of reality, and justify it via "hey man, trying to get biz". No, I don't "need" to get biz, not like that, because I do this weird thing called being damn good at what I do, so people refer me, and hence, I don't need to encourage people do harm to themselves so I can profit from it.
Encouraging people to be negligent is just, slimy.
0 Reply
Colleen F.Pro Member
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
3y
@Travis Bohling I get what you are trying to say but often you have to force entry into certain rooms to determine what the issues are if you just go in for preventive maintenance. That locked bedroom with the great dane for example. Saying I have to inspect the house for maintenance issues is still an inspection to the tenants.
1 Reply
Todd Jones
Member since 2023 · 243 posts · 199 votes
3y

For the record,

1) An ejector seat in a helicopter does work if it goes sideways or straight down. You’ll “Wile E. Coyote” splat but no blade-choppy-woppy.

2) What’s bad about Solar powered flashlights? They’ve been around since the 80s. Charge in day and use at night. Amazon got several even thought the company names are in all caps with random consonants. I get you were implying a solar powered flashlight with no batteries but….

Guys, regardless if this was intentional or unintentional click-bait, this has gotten weird, unproductive, and unnecessarily aggressive.

Thread lock?
0 Reply
James Hamling
Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Todd Jones:

For the record,

1) An ejector seat in a helicopter does work if it goes sideways or straight down. You’ll “Wile E. Coyote” splat but no blade-choppy-woppy.

2) What’s bad about Solar powered flashlights? They’ve been around since the 80s. Charge in day and use at night. Amazon got several even thought the company names are in all caps with random consonants. I get you were implying a solar powered flashlight with no batteries but….

Guys, regardless if this was intentional or unintentional click-bait, this has gotten weird, unproductive, and unnecessarily aggressive.

Thread lock?

Lol.
Interestingly, the military choppers, several, do have ejection seats, and yes they go up. Rotor blades have charges that blow-em off, or at least supposed to.
Regardless, it was just making a point, not to get lost in weeds of technicals.
Annual inspections are very important. It lends pro-active measures for various items that wear out, to effect maintenance early vs late. It lends insight into tenant habits, so one can make an informed decision on renewal or termination. And tenant mindset, knowing someone is checking changes habits.
The only tenants I have ever had who took issue with such inspections, were those with something to hide, not in theory, real world experience. Pet's had damaged something, kids had damaged something, there was reasons, reasons we only found about because of that annual inspection.
PM, in simplest form is: screening, monitoring, responding and accountability. Remove any 1 leg of the table, it get's real hard to keep things level and smooth.
0 Reply
Jane S.
Flipper/Rehabber · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2016 · 499 posts · 167 votes
3y
I include it (visits) in the lease so they agree to it up front before even moving in. Then we immediately do a condition list where they write in anything they didnt do that needs fix or etc. I have a feeling they dont like it but it's for their protection esp. if they are clean living and no animals in rental.
0 Reply

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.