Routine Property Inspection Checklist

Most states require 24-48 hours written notice before entering an occupied unit (CA: 24 hours, NY: reasonable notice, TX: lease-defined). Send via the method your lease specifies — email, posting, or certified mail — and save a copy in the tenant file. Skipping notice can void the inspection findings if the tenant later disputes deductions.

Print or load the signed move-in inspection, the last routine inspection report, and any open work orders from AppFolio, Buildium, or Yardi. The move-in document is your baseline for distinguishing pre-existing wear from new tenant-caused damage.

If an HVAC tech or pest vendor is meeting you for combined service, confirm their COI is current and names the property as additional insured. A lapsed COI on a vendor entering an occupied unit is a routine liability gap.

Note peeling paint, cracked siding, rotted trim, and any caulking failure at penetrations. For pre-1978 buildings, peeling paint is also a lead-based-paint hazard requiring disclosure and remediation under EPA RRP rules.

From ground level with binoculars or a drone — do not walk the roof without fall protection. Look for missing shingles, lifted flashing at the chimney and plumbing stacks, and any sag along the ridge line.

Downspout extensions should discharge at least 4-6 feet from the foundation. Clogged gutters and short downspouts are the single most common cause of basement seepage claims.

Look for trip hazards in walkways, settling at the driveway, dead tree limbs over the unit, and overgrown shrubs blocking egress windows. Trip-hazard slip-and-falls are a frequent small-claims source.

Compare against the move-in inspection. Note any new holes, stains, water marks on ceilings, or unauthorized paint colors. Ceiling stains often indicate an active roof or upstairs plumbing leak — flag for immediate follow-up.

Every bedroom egress window must open fully — this is a habitability and life-safety requirement. Test deadbolts, strike plates, and confirm the locks were rekeyed at the prior turnover.

Use HappyCo, zInspector, or your PMS inspection module so photos are timestamped and attached to the property record. Without dated photos you cannot defend deductions at move-out against a 'it was already like that' challenge.

Press and hold the test button on each detector — one per bedroom, one per floor, plus a CO detector on every level with fuel-burning appliances. A non-working detector at the time of a fire is a habitability defense the tenant can raise; document the test and result for every device.

Replace 9V backups even if the test passed — annual replacement is the standard and the marginal cost is trivial. Sign and date the inspection log inside the panel door or on the back of each detector.

A failed detector is a same-day repair, not a routine work order. Replace on the spot if you have a unit in the truck, or dispatch a maintenance tech before leaving the property. Document time of failure and time of replacement.

Where the property supplies an extinguisher, the gauge needle should sit in the green and the annual service tag should be current. Multifamily common-area extinguishers typically require a licensed inspection annually under NFPA 10.

Run each tap for 30 seconds while watching the trap and supply lines. Look for water staining on the cabinet floor and corrosion on shutoff valves. Slow leaks under kitchen sinks are the leading cause of subfloor rot in turnover budgets.

Set point should sit at 120°F to balance scald risk against legionella growth — most state codes require this for residential rentals. Briefly lift the temperature/pressure relief valve to confirm it discharges; a stuck TPR is a known explosion hazard.

Pour a bucket of water into the sump pit to confirm the float switch trips. Verify floor drains in the basement and laundry are clear and the trap primer is functional. A failed sump during the next storm is a five-figure water-damage event.

Press the test button on every GFCI within 6 feet of a sink and at all exterior receptacles. The reset should pop; pressing reset should restore power. A non-tripping GFCI is a code violation and a real shock hazard.

Pull the panel cover and look for double-tapped breakers, scorch marks on the bus, aluminum branch wiring, or any Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco panels — all known fire-risk patterns. If you find any, schedule a licensed electrician immediately and do not energize affected circuits.

Carry an outlet tester. Check for reverse polarity, open ground, and dead receptacles. Tenant-installed power strips chained together are a common finding to address in the inspection summary.

Note the filter size on the inspection report so the office can stock spares. A clogged filter is the most common driver of summer A/C tickets — handling it on the routine visit kills the avoidable callout.

Drop set point 5°F to call cooling, then raise it 5°F to call heat. Confirm the system fires within 2-3 minutes in each mode. If the unit has a smart thermostat tied to a tenant account, confirm the property keeps installer-level access.

Pour a cup of vinegar into the condensate trap to keep the line clear — a backed-up line is the second leading cause of ceiling-stain water claims after roof leaks. At the condenser, clear leaves from the coil and confirm the disconnect is intact.

Sort each finding into habitability (heat, hot water, plumbing, mold, vermin, lockable doors, working detectors), tenant-caused damage, deferred maintenance, and cosmetic. Habitability items have hard repair clocks under your state's warranty of habitability; the rest can flow into the normal capex queue.

Create the tickets in AppFolio, Buildium, or Yardi with the tenant-caused items flagged for charge-back so the office can deduct from the deposit at move-out. Attach the inspection photos to each ticket so the vendor sees the issue before dispatch.

Habitability findings start a state-defined repair clock and create rent-withholding rights for the tenant if not addressed. Loop in the firm's landlord-tenant counsel the same day, document the repair plan in writing, and send the tenant a status letter.

The owner version includes capex recommendations and chargeable items; the tenant version covers lease-violation notices and tenant-action items (clear egress, remove unauthorized pet, etc.). Save the signed summary in the tenant file alongside the photos.