The 30-Day Rental Unit Inspection
Checking in on New Tenants Pays Off
Successful rental housing owners we know are judicious about inspections. They always perform a move-in and move-out inspection; most also do periodic inspections, like fall and spring, to make sure all systems are in good working order before severe weather hits.
But once the move-in inspection has been performed, and the tenant’s possessions are in place, the next scheduled inspection could be six months away—and a lot of bad things can happen in that much time.
That’s why we think the 30-day inspection is a very good idea. It’s like the one your automotive dealer does for you when you buy a new car. It makes sense to let things settle and run for a little while, and then check in to see if anything is going wrong—before it’s too late to stop it.
One Pennsylvania landlord reports that she lets new tenants know up front, and in the lease, that she will conduct an inspection 30 days from the day the lease is signed. “I learned the hard way,” she says. “Far too many times I discovered running toilets, leaking pipes, or pet damages at the six-month inspection. It finally dawned on me to check in on new tenants much sooner.”
Another advantage of the 30-day inspection timeframe is to set up realistic expectations with your new tenants. Letting them know you will be in their rental unit that soon sets you up as the boss. Good tenants like knowing that the property is well cared for—and those who have nothing to hide won’t mind you checking things out a bit!