No-one enjoys tenancy inspections.
The letting agent has to
- make (and often rearrange) appointments, and sometimes out of office hours as a courtesy to the Tenant- give what may sound like patronising advice to Tenants on simple domestic tasks such as drying washing outside to avoid condensation
- provide reports to both Tenant and Landlord in a non-biased manner
- obtain quotes for work; instruct work; pay the contractor; deduct the monies from the Landlord; and make sure that the job has been done to the Tenant’s and Landlord’s satisfaction.
The tenant
- has a stranger coming into their home, often without their presence
- receives patronising advice!
- has to wait for authorisation from the Landlord before any work can be done
The landlord
- often receives a list of maintenance issues every time which ultimately costs them money
- can only make a judgement on the condition of the property and any maintenance issues from photographs alone
- knows it’ll all happen again in another 3 months!
Any relationship will become fraught if tested too often, but the Landlord-Tenant situation has to be one of the most delicate and fragile relationships in existence.
A Tenant wants everything to be fixed immediately, and the Landlord wants everything looked after as if it were their own.
Quarterly Tenancy Inspections are a necessary evil – don’t bury your head in the sand and avoid the awkwardness of the task. I have found cannabis factories, drugs, unauthorised pets, and disappearing Tenants by keeping on top of inspections, so avoid them at your peril.
Nick Stott, Maintenance Manager for HOMEbuild.
