Why do Maintenance Inspection Reports?

Most property insurance providers require regular maintenance inspection reports. Before your tenant signs the lease — talk to your insurance provider to ask how often maintenance inspection reports are necessary to maintain your policy.

If it’s once, twice, or three times a year, include maintenance inspection reports in an addendum to your lease and have your tenant sign/date it — provide tenants with a copy (of course). You can schedule maintenance inspection reports as needed and ensure you provide your tenant with 24 hours notice, work with suitable times and honor their days of worship/rest.

Even if bi-annual or quarterly maintenance inspection reports are not a requirement from your insurance provider, it’s still good practice to schedule two to three maintenance inspections a year for your peace of mind. Property maintenance inspection reports:

1. Let your tenant know you are a landlord who cares about keeping tenants happy by maintaining the property at a high standard
2. Allow you to touch base with your tenants to see if there are any maintenance issues that need to be dealt with (not all tenants will tell you about leaking sinks or running toilets)
3. See how the tenants are taking care of your property
4. Help you build a relationship with your tenants
5. Help you spot any illegal activities or additional unregistered guests or pets

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To make tenants feel more comfortable from the onset, I’ve referred to property maintenance inspection reports as check in’s rather than inspections. The message I want to give tenants is that I am providing a well-maintained property for them to live in, I’m not spying on them. Remind them this is a requirement of your insurance provider, and to sweeten the visit — bring a Starbucks gift card or something small you know they’d like.

When my husband and I ran a property management business, we completed quite a few property maintenance inspection reports. Most times, our tenants were happy to see us and let us know if additional items needed repair.