Property Inspection Checklist

State landlord-tenant statutes require written notice before entering an occupied unit (typically 24 hours; CA requires 24, some jurisdictions require 48). Send via the lease's notice method — text-only is rarely sufficient. Document the date, time, and method.

Bring the signed move-in inspection with photos as the baseline. Without it, any damage you flag today will be contested as pre-existing at move-out. Also pull the last annual inspection and any open work orders from AppFolio / Buildium / Yardi.

Look for missing or curled shingles, cracked siding, separated flashing at valleys and chimneys, and any staining that suggests interior leak paths. Photograph the slope rather than just the ground-level view.

Clogged gutters and negative grading at the foundation are the two most common causes of basement and crawlspace water intrusion claims. Confirm downspouts discharge at least 4-6 feet from the foundation.

Test deadbolts, verify screens are intact, check weatherstripping at thresholds. Damaged exterior locks are a habitability issue under most state warranty-of-habitability statutes — flag for same-week repair.

Trip hazards (heaved concrete, broken pavers, loose deck boards, wobbly railings) are the highest-frequency slip-and-fall claim source. Document with measurements where the heave exceeds 1/2 inch.

Photograph any staining, cracking, or visible mold. Mold disclosure is mandated in CA, TX, NJ, and several other states once the manager has notice. Don't paint over a stain — find the source first.

Carpet condition, hardwood gouges, vinyl tears, loose stair treads, and missing or wobbly handrails. Handrail defects are a building-code violation in most jurisdictions and a tenant-injury exposure.

Every bedroom window must open as an egress route per IRC and most state codes. Painted-shut or broken-sash bedroom windows are a habitability defect, not a cosmetic one.

Run stovetop burners, oven, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, refrigerator (temperature check), washer, and dryer. Note model and serial for any unit nearing end-of-life — capex planning input for the owner statement.

Run hot and cold at every sink, tub, and shower; flush every toilet; look under cabinets with a flashlight for active drips and prior staining. Active leaks are an emergency work order — don't roll into the routine queue.

Note tank age (label or serial decode), check for sediment-rumble or rust at the base, and confirm the temperature/pressure relief valve discharge pipe terminates correctly. Tanks over 10 years are a leak-claim flag.

Use a plug-in tester at every accessible outlet. NEC requires GFCI protection at kitchen counters, bathrooms, garages, exterior, laundry, and within 6 feet of any sink. Press TEST and confirm trip on each GFCI.

Press TEST on every detector, replace batteries, and replace any unit older than 10 years (manufacture date on the back). Required at every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor. Log each location and outcome — this is the habitability defense if a fire or CO event occurs.

Confirm gauge in green, pin and tamper seal intact, annual service tag current. Walk both egress paths — bedroom window AND interior route to an exterior door — to verify nothing blocks them.

Use HappyCo, zInspector, or your PMS's built-in inspection module so the photos timestamp and geotag automatically. Generic phone-camera reports lose evidentiary weight in deposit disputes.

Create tickets in AppFolio / Buildium / Yardi with vendor assignment and the photo evidence attached. Confirm each assigned vendor has a current COI on file naming the property as additional insured before dispatch.

Active leaks, no heat, no hot water, broken exterior locks, missing smoke/CO detectors, and blocked egress are warranty-of-habitability triggers in every state. Notify the regional manager and dispatch the same day; document the response timeline.