A lot goes into managing rental properties, but if you do things right, you can make a good income from them.
One thing you need to do regularly is rental property inspections. When doing this, you can assess the state of a property and determine if any work is needed.
With that in mind, tenants may not want you inspecting where they live too often. You need to find a suitable balance so that you can keep an eye on your properties without upsetting residents.
Let's look a bit closer so you can get an idea of how often you should inspect a rental property in Raleigh, NC.
The Importance of Rental Property Inspections
You're legally responsible for making sure any rental properties you own are safe and fit for occupation. Issues may have occurred since your tenants moved in, so you can use this opportunity to address them.
Tenants have certain maintenance responsibilities, but the landlord should handle any major work. It's also ideal to communicate with your tenants from time to time to help maintain stronger relationships.
Types of Inspections
You should perform moving-in inspections before a new tenant moves in to check the current condition of the property. Use a rental property inspection checklist and note down everything.
When they leave, you can do a moving-out inspection. This will allow you to determine if they've caused any damage while living there. You may then need to use funds from their security deposit to cover repairs.
Finally, there are routine rental property inspections. You'll do these while tenants are living there, and these are the ones you need to think about when asking how often you should inspect a property.
How Often Should You Carry Out Inspections?
Rental property inspection laws vary by state. The first thing to know is that a landlord must give a residence a rental property inspection notice of at least 48 hours before inspecting a property. This is a minimum, but ideally, you want to give them as much notice as possible.
There isn't a law that states how often you can inspect a property, but you certainly don't want to overdo things. Tenants have a legal right to quiet enjoyment of a property, so you should avoid violating tenant privacy.
Most landlords carry out inspections annually, seasonally, or quarterly, so you should decide on what works for you. It's best to decide on this before the tenant moves in and include the details in the lease. This will ensure both you and the tenant know when you plan to carry out inspections.
Bear in mind that tenants could still easily forget when inspections will be. You should, therefore, provide reminders when they're close so that they know to expect you.
Professional Rental Property Inspections
Rental property inspections are an essential part of being a landlord. Make sure you always give your tenants at least 48 hours notice before any inspection. Ideally, establish how often these inspections will be before they move in.
Having a professional carry out inspections is the best way to ensure they're done properly. PMI Capital City RTP can provide reliable rental property inspections in Raleigh, NC, and has over 20 years of experience. Take a look at our property management page today to see more about the services we offer.
