Rental Inspection Checklist: Ideas to Impress

Are you renting a studio room in Queensland? Here’s what to expect during your tenancy and how to prepare for routine inspections

PROBLEM

Our tenants sometimes find routine inspections to be quite stressful because they don’t know what to expect (or what’s expected of them!)

SOLUTION

We’ve carefully curated a studio room inspection checklist to help reduce your stress levels and help prepare you for your next routine inspection! These are checklists that our agents will be eyeing out and are common across all agencies when it comes to inspections.

So you might be thinking:

What is a studio room inspection, and how often are they performed?

Firstly, the inspection checklist covers your personal studio room as well as the common areas that you have access to.

A studio room inspection means we’re only coming inside your room and reviewing the common areas with this visit.

If your studio room is managed through a real estate agent, you should expect your property manager to perform regular inspections.

The key difference is that not all studio room inspections will be scheduled at once, unlike a standard house inspection, where all the rooms will be viewed during the same visit.

This inspection is done as part of the agent’s responsibilities to the property owner for two main reasons:

1. To ensure the studio room is being cared for; and

2. That any repair/maintenance issues are reported/addressed as soon as possible.

At Suite Studios, we respect our tenants’ private space and time, so we only schedule it as necessary.

In most tenancies, you should expect a routine inspection to take place a few times a year, spaced out quarterly or half yearly.

We’ve had previous tenants worry that we would just come knocking on their door at random hours. Rest assured that is NOT how it works.

WE LOVE GIVING OUR TENANTS PRIOR NOTICE! This means that your place will be neat and tidy and that you’ll always be happy to see us.

In fact, owners and agents cannot show up at the property and begin to inspect your room on the spot. By law, they must provide you with adequate notice.

We operate all our rooming studios in Queensland where the property managers cannot carry out routine inspections more than once every three months unless the tenant agrees in writing. The tenant must be given a minimum of 48 hours notice for entry in rooming housing, using an Entry notice (Form 9).

In most cases, you and your agent should agree on a mutually convenient time and day for the inspection.

You’re welcome to be present while a routine inspection occurs, but it’s never required.

CHECKLIST TIME!

An inspection includes these points:

· To make sure the property (including the common area and outdoor spaces) is maintained in a clean and tidy condition.

· Check the studio rooms are being maintained in a clean and tidy condition, (Please see below for what we are looking at)

· Confirm that the property hasn’t been damaged in any way.

· Check that there are no more people living in the studio room than what is signed off on the rental agreement.

· Make sure no pets are living at the property unless they’re allowed to; and

· Identify and start to address any maintenance issues

Want to know why we inspect your studio room?

We’re honestly not trying to see how tidy you can keep your room or see how daisy fresh you can make it smell. In fact, they’re designed to identify any problems that could require maintenance or repair and to ensure the space is being looked after.

When we attend your property, In most cases, the property manager will walk through the studio room and note down any problems to review when they return to their office.

This can be as small as noticing a sound when they turn the taps on, or the aircon isn’t working at full power. It also extends to larger problems like noticing a gash down the wall for example.

They will also note down any new damage they’ve seen at the property or things that could violate your rental agreement (like smoking on the premises when your agreement says ‘strictly no smoking’).

How do I best prepare for a studio room inspection?

There are a few simple things you can do to ensure your studio room inspection runs smoothly.

Notify your property manager if there has been any change to your mobile number, bank details or email address. This will keep the lines of communication open. It’ll also make it easier to notify you if any problems come up during or after the inspection.

Spend 20 minutes when you have time and just walk through your room as if you were us. Try to note down any repair or maintenance problems you notice leading up to the inspection and submit this to the office in a timely manner.

The sooner you let us know, the better. This is purely so we can kick-start the fixing process.

Here’s the long-awaited studio room inspection checklist

Learning to go over your room with a critical eye will help you get the most out of your next studio room inspection. To help you succeed at your next inspection, we have developed a handy checklist for your use.

Your Studio Room

General clean-up	Your property manager isn’t likely to poke around too much, but giving it a good once-over, throwing away any rubbish and wiping down exposed surfaces will give a good impression during your routine inspection.
​Windows and doors	Open your windows and doors and let the air in. Check the handles and locks on everything where appropriate. Sliding doors and windows can easily fall into disrepair. Clean and make sure no stains, dirt, dust, scratches.
Lights	Do all your lights work? Switch them on and off to double-check. Check your light globes- are they working order? Change and replace the globe if it has blown. Consider looking at the light fittings for loose cables and make a note if you spot anything. Give all light switches a once-over with a cloth to remove residue or leftover prints. (Please make note: The tenant is responsible for replacing all globes blown inside the room except for the main area ceiling lights and wardrobes)
Walls	The condition of your walls is important. To keep marks from appearing on your walls make sure your furniture does not rest right up against the wall. Leaving a slight gap between the wall and the furniture to protect the paintwork. Most marks on walls can be removed with the cleaning product "Gumption" which can be purchased at any grocery stores such as Coles and Woolworths. When renting, small ‘wear and tear'-style cracks shouldn’t worry you but note them down. However, if it’s noticeable and needs repair, depending on the type of damage, the owner or tenant will need to bring this back to its original condition. Look along the bottom edging of your wall for any rising dampness.
Floors	Look at the state of your floors. Ensure they have been vacuumed and mopped. Take note of any rips in the carpet, cracks in tiles or holes in floors. It’s expected to have some wear and tear when renting but if you have incurred damaged you will liable rectify the damage.
Fans	Ensure the fans are wiped over and dust free
Sinks and Plumbing	​Checked your taps recently? If you have a dripping tap, it could be as simple as replacing a washer. When you turn the taps on, listen for any strange sounds. It wouldn’t hurt to check under your sink for possible leaks. Here at Suite Studios, we keep the environment in mind so please report any leaks to the office immediately.
Kitchen Appliances and Fittings	Check appliances are working and if not report them to the office in t timely manner, as they may still be covered by warranty. See if there’s built-up grease in the exhaust fan cover and if so, take out to clean in warm soapy water and allow to dry before back in. The microwave and fridge need to be checked they’re clean and wiped out of any food or stains.
Tiles and surfaces	It’s all about the shine when it comes to your next inspection. - Clean away any residual debris on the shower area and scrub hard. You need to bring this back to the original condition when you first moved in, clear screens and sparkly surfaces. - Ensure if there is mould present anywhere in the bathroom, especially the tiles/ grout area, this is removed and cleaned off. The same goes for your sink and mirror. - Keep the shower drain and floor drain free of hair. - Be careful not to put Curling or Straighten irons on the vanity basin as they could leave a burnt mark which you would then be liable to rectify.
The Toilet	Do an extra check around the toilet and bin areas. Ensure you give your toilet a clean on the inside and outside of it and the surroundings areas.
The Cupboards	Ensure the fronts of the cupboards are wiped down regularly and cleaned from oil and food residue stains. The hinges of your cupboards and joins of your shelves in your kitchen and bathroom can catch food residue and grime.