Besides being required by Ontario law, rental inspections are also the best way to protect yourself and your tenants, especially from disputes when it’s time for tenants to move out.
Although rental inspections can be tedious, we at Antslabor break down the critical elements of a rental inspection, which will allow you to save time.
Step 1: Inspect The Property With The Tenant
The first step to a thorough rental property inspection is to conduct it in the presence of the future tenant. This ensures that both you and the tenant are aware of any damage prior to moving in day. During this time, you should also make an effort for the tenant to feel comfortable bringing up any concerns about the property so that it doesn't become a he-said-she-said when it's time for the tenant to move out.
Step 2: Record The Inspection
To ensure that there is additional proof of what is observed during the rental inspection, be sure you record it. If at any point you need to go to the LTB, you have this recording to fall back on.
Step 3: Note Previous Damage Room by Room
A recording or an agreement does not mean anything if you aren’t meticulous.
Therefore, you mustn’t gloss over damage, regardless of how insignificant you think it is. For your benefit, be sure you highlight any damage from exposed wiring to damage to the wall, windows, and flooring. Even if it’s a fridge light not working, record that. This ensures that when you decide to do repairs you have a list of what is and isn't working. It also means you can identify damage created by the new tenant.
Step 4: Sign The Inspection Report
While recordings can be helpful, they aren’t as legally binding as a signed agreement. Therefore, once you’ve conducted the inspection and agreed to any existing damage, create a document, documenting any issues and have the tenant sign it.
You can use a tool like Antslabor to streamline this process.
Step 5: Maintain A Rental Inspection Report
You can also use Antslabor to record and track the damages revealed during your rental inspections and then update these reports to reflect new damage or set reminders for outstanding repairs.
As a landlord or property manager, this is the most important part of the rental inspection checklist as it ensures you can maintain the property and prepare an accurate maintenance or repair budget.
Step 6: Consider Doing A Rental Inspection During Tenancy
To maintain your property’s value and to negate any surprises when the tenant is moving out, you should consider conducting an inspection while the tenant is residing in the property. According to Ontario law, you should give a tenant 24 hours notice when you require this.
Beyond it being the law to conduct a rental inspection, it also makes business sense. Inspecting your property means you’re protecting your assets. With the help of Antslabor’s software, rental inspections and property repairs as a result also become 10 times easier to manage.
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