Landlord Property Inspection Guide for South East London

Property inspections are an important part of being a landlord. While not every landlord’s favourite chore, they are vital to picking up the signs of issues with the property or the tenants before things get out of hand.

If you’re new to renting out property in East Ham, Startford, Leyton, Ilford and beyond, read on for our quick guide to the landlord property inspection.

What is involved in a landlord property inspection?

Landlord property inspections are about checking on the rental home from time to time. We’ll go through what you need to cover in detail below, but they are basically about making sure there are no issues with the property, including with damp or the plumbing, drains, central heating or appliances.

They are also about ensuring your tenants are meeting any obligations in their tenancy agreement and that there are no signs of illegal activity. In addition, they are a good way of building the relationship with your tenants, improving communication and showing you are approachable if an issue comes up.

How often can a landlord inspect a property?

There are no set rules on how often to carry out a landlord property inspection. The law says that your tenants are entitled to ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property, so bear this in mind. Visiting too often could be seen as an infringement on that.

With a new tenant, you should consider more frequent landlord inspections – quarterly is about right. Once the tenants are established, and you’re happy with the way they are looking after the property, the frequency can be reduced.

Want to know more? Inspections are just one part of managing a compliant tenancy — read our overview of private landlords’ responsibilities and find out what the rules are around refusing a tenant’s request to keep a pet, which inspections can help you monitor.

Does a landlord need permission first?

The main thing to remember is that you can’t just turn up unannounced. You must give your tenants at least 24 hours’ written notice of a visit and you must get their permission first.

While 24 hours is the minimum, it is good practice to give longer in case they need to book time off work. If they are happy for you to visit when they are out, you can do so but they must give permission first.

Equally, your tenants are allowed to say ‘no’. If this becomes a pattern, however, then there may be cause for concern, especially if you have given them plenty of notice for the visit.

Landlord property inspection guide – what should you check?

To make the most of your landlord property inspection it is worth drawing up a checklist of the important things to look at during your visit.

1 Health and safety compliance

Check with your tenants that all appliances are working properly and conduct a visual inspection to make sure there are no signs of wear and tear, loose wires or other potential hazards.

As part of your landlord obligations you will have already organised your annual gas safety check but you still need to make sure your gas appliances are working properly – that the radiators heat up, there’s plenty of hot water and the boiler pressure is correct.

The same goes for the electrics. To comply with the law, you will have an up-to-date electrical installation condition report (EICR), but look out for any changes, including faulty light switches, sockets or other electrical issues.

Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and check for hazards such as blocked fire exits.

2 Tenancy agreement breaches

The landlord property inspection is also a great opportunity to make sure the tenants are acting responsibly and that there are no signs of breaches to their tenancy agreement. Look out for evidence of smoking – the smell being a big giveaway – and signs of pets on the premises if you haven’t agreed to this.

Are there signs of subletting such as unexpected extra sets of belongings? Sadly, the worst does sometimes happen with rental properties used for drug dealing and production and other illegal activity, so check for anything that doesn’t look right.

Also check your tenants are being responsible – look out for signs of damage – accidental or otherwise. Everyone has different perceptions of cleanliness but if the house is very dirty, you’ll need to address it – too many unwashed dishes and food on the floor could spark a pest infestation.

3 Inspecting the condition of the property

It is also vital to check for structural and other issues that could lead to big problems if left unchecked – broken gutters that could mean penetrating damp or mould patches in the bathroom, for example, as well as signs of mice or other pests. Look out for dripping taps and toilets too – these will need fixing before they become a much bigger leak.

Property inspection checklist for landlords

It’s easy to miss things out of your inspection. You leave the property and suddenly remember you’ve forgotten to check something crucial. We’ve outlined a list of the key items and areas of the property to inspect, so you don’t have to return to the property to check a second time!

Want to find out more? If an inspection reveals problems — whether with the property or the tenancy — it helps to know your options. Find out how to deal with a late rent payment and what the process is for evicting a tenant in East London if the situation escalates.

Health and safety issues

• Smoke & carbon monoxide alarms
• Electrical checks
• Heating & hot water
• Appliance functionality
• Fire safety

Tenancy agreement breaches

• Smoking
• Pets
• Sub-letting
• Illegal activity
• Damage or poor cleanliness

Issues with the condition of the property

• Any damage to structure & interior
• Leaks
• Damp & mould
• Bins & rubbish
• Pests
• Block gutters and drains
• Outside space

Feel confident handling a landlord property inspection?

If you’re new to renting out property in east London, we’d be happy to advise you about inspections or any other aspect of being a landlord. Contact us today to find out more about our property management services for landlords, which include conducting inspections.