Landlords conduct rental inspections for various reasons including:
Here are the steps to conduct a routine rental property inspection:
Landlords need a valid purpose for entering a rental. Creating a landlord property inspection checklist helps landlords stay focused and complete the necessary tasks during the inspection. It also creates documentation to avoid issues with tenants claiming they weren’t aware or responsible for certain damage.
During a routine rental inspection, landlords may look at:
Landlords should share a copy of the checklist with the tenant before the inspection. This can help prepare the tenants so they know what the landlord is planning to look at to resolve any anxiety and keep things as professional as possible.
All states require landlords to give tenants advance notice before entering the property. The method of notice can range from a phone call to certified mail as long as actual notice is given. It is important to let the tenant know when to expect the landlord and the purpose of the inspection.
In some states, like California, landlords can only enter the property during regular business hours 8 AM – 5 PM.
The amount of notice required to enter and inspect a property varies by state:
| State | Required Notice |
| Alabama | 2 days |
| Alaska | 24 hours |
| Arizona | 2 days |
| Arkansas | “Reasonable” notice |
| California | 24 hours (6 days for mailed notice) |
| Colorado | “Reasonable” notice (48 hours in specific cases) |
| Connecticut | “Reasonable” notice |
| Delaware | 48 hours |
| Florida | 24 hours for repairs, “reasonable” notice otherwise |
| Georgia | “Reasonable” notice |
| Hawaii | 2 days |
| Idaho | “Reasonable” notice |
| Illinois | “Reasonable” notice |
| Indiana | 24 hours |
| Iowa | 24 hours |
| Kansas | “Reasonable” notice |
| Kentucky | 2 days |
| Louisiana | “Reasonable” notice |
| Maine | 24 hours |
| Maryland | “Reasonable” notice |
| Massachusetts | “Reasonable” notice |
| Michigan | “Reasonable” notice |
| Minnesota | “Reasonable” notice |
| Mississippi | “Reasonable” notice |
| Missouri | “Reasonable” notice |
| Montana | 24 hours |
| Nebraska | 24 hours |
| Nevada | 24 hours |
| New Hampshire | “Reasonable” notice generally (48 hours in some specific cases) |
| New Jersey | 1 day |
| New Mexico | 24 hours |
| New York | “Reasonable” notice |
| North Carolina | “Reasonable” notice |
| North Dakota | “Reasonable” notice |
| Ohio | “Reasonable” notice |
| Oklahoma | 1 day |
| Oregon | 24 hours |
| Pennsylvania | “Reasonable” notice |
| Rhode Island | 2 days |
| South Carolina | 24 hours |
| South Dakota | 24 hours (by custom, not a strict legal requirement) |
| Tennessee | “Reasonable” notice generally, 24 hours for property showings |
| Texas | “Reasonable” notice |
| Utah | 24 hours (but tenants can’t sue if a landlord fails to provide adequate notice) |
| Vermont | 48 hours |
| Virginia | 72 hours |
| Washington | 2 days (1 day for property showings) |
| West Virginia | “Reasonable” notice |
| Wisconsin | 12 hours |
| Wyoming | “Reasonable” notice |
Laws about advance notice usually apply regardless of the lease. In most cases, rental agreements can only extend rather than reduce minimum notice.
Once the tenant has received the notice and the appropriate time has passed, the landlord can conduct the inspection. Landlords should:
After the inspection, landlords should provide a copy of the inspection report to the tenant. It is important to let them know of any issues and explain any areas that need improvement.
All tenants have an implied warranty of habitability that requires landlords to follow basic health and safety requirements in the rental unit. If a landlord discovers an issue during the inspection, they must handle it based on local laws.
In New York , all multi-family rental properties built after 1947 must be “rat-proof.” Landlords must resolve any vermin issues according to local guidelines.
Property inspections can sometimes unveil certain lease violations. The violation could be small—such as painting without permission—or it could be more serious such, as an unauthorized occupant , or smoking in the unit.
Landlords may need to write a notice to inform the tenant of the observed violation. Each state has a guideline for when the tenant has to cure the violation or the landlord can begin the eviction process .
Regardless of the lease violation, landlords must still follow all applicable laws. Landlords cannot threaten the tenant or complete a self-help eviction such as changing the locks or removing the tenant’s belongings.
Landlords can look at all areas of the unit (except the tenant’s personal belongings) to ensure the property is in good condition, no excessive damage has occurred, and the tenant is following the rules of the lease.
The landlord is responsible for ensuring each area is safe, habitable, and maintained appropriately to help protect their investment.
When looking at the interior of the rental unit, landlords can inspect:
When looking at the exterior of the rental unit, landlords should take note of:
Throughout the inspection, landlords should be watching for any lease violations, including:
Landlords need to remain professional, respect the tenant’s privacy, and stick to the purpose of the inspection. They should not:
Landlords must be cautious to not say or do anything during the inspection that can be misconstrued as discrimination or violating the tenant’s rights. For example, let’s say a landlord tells the tenant they like a religious portrait in their home and mentions they go to church down the street. If the landlord opts not to resign the lease, the tenant could claim it is due to religious discrimination.
Most landlords schedule rental inspections at least once per year, but some may schedule inspections quarterly or semi-annually. At a minimum, landlords should complete a mid-lease inspection to determine if the renter is a candidate to extend the lease. Without an inspection, it is hard to tell if the tenant is maintaining the property.
No state regulates the frequency of landlord inspections. As a rule, landlords should always act professionally about inspections by:
A landlord property inspection typically takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. However, this can depend on the size of the home, condition, type of inspection, and other factors.
If a landlord notices a water spot on the ceiling during the inspection, it may require them to get into the attic to see how significant the damage is.
Landlords generally don’t need permission other than to give advance notice to a tenant. A tenant can work with a landlord to schedule a better time, but generally a landlord has permission to enter when proper notice is given.
Each state has varying rules on whether landlords are allowed to enter without the tenant present. However, typically, if the landlord has permission to enter and has given the proper notice, they can enter the unit.
If the tenant is not there, it is still important to touch base with them about any findings. Landlords should sent a written report afterwards, and discuss any serious issues with the tenant verbally to ensure they understand.
Some landlords hire rental property inspectors because they:
However, their knowledge and experience come at a cost. Hiring a rental property inspector may be worth it if you own multiple properties or have limited time.
