Top tips to make your routine inspections easier in 2022 

Article by PropertyMe 18 July 2022

Routine inspections are an integral part of providing effective Property Management services right around Australia.

Of course, while each state has their own rules and regulations around these inspections, the common purpose is to ensure that each tenant is holding up their end of the rental agreement with their landlord and maintaining the property to a satisfactory standard.

Recently, we discussed the top mistakes that some Property Managers make when performing routine inspections to help you become more aware of these issues and avoid them in your own inspection process.

In this article, we want to follow that up by providing you with our top tips to help make your routine inspections even easier in 2022.

So, let’s get started. 

First, let’s discuss using digital technology to help streamline property inspections

In a recent survey by rent.com.au, it was found that 64% of Property Managers around the country conducted remote routine inspections at the height of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Furthermore, 42% of this group declared that they would happily consider continuing this remote inspection practice, even though many of these restrictions have now eased.

Others suggested that they would consider a more hybrid model, utilising a mix of on-site and remote inspections based on individual tenant circumstances.

Why?

Well, many Property Managers found that they saved valuable time performing remote inspections using digital technology, and this allowed them to inspect a larger number of properties over a much shorter period, while still achieving quality outcomes.

How often should you be conducting routine inspections?

As we mentioned earlier, each state has their own rules and regulations when it comes to how often inspections are permitted on rental properties. These rules apply regardless of whether you’re conducting your inspections remotely or in person.

To help make this easier for you, we’ve outlined the permitted timeframes that you can expect to work with in your state:

NSW: 4 times a year

VIC: Every 6 months (but not within the first 3 months)

QLD: Every 3 months

SA: Every 4 weeks

WA: 4 times a year

TAS: Every 3 months (including an inspection in the first month)

ACT: Twice a year (including an inspection in the first month)

NT: Every 3 months

As a general rule, we recommend conducting a routine inspection at least twice a year. This helps to ensure that the property is well maintained and that any issues can be tended to promptly.

For those of you wishing to adopt a hybrid approach to inspections, this could mean alternating between on-site and remote inspections every 6 months—depending on the needs of your landlords and tenants.

What sort of things should you be looking for during your routine inspections?

Whether performing an inspection on-site or remotely, the objective remains the same.

Routine inspections are a great opportunity to check on the condition of a property, while also resolving any issues that the landlord or tenant may have at the time. For example, there may be maintenance requirements that come under the umbrella of the landlord’s responsibility that the tenant is hoping to have taken care of, such as paint chipping or water damage.

In general, the things you should be looking out for during your routine inspections include:

• The overall cleanliness and presentation of the property.
• The condition of the property’s walls, floors and ceilings in each room, as well as any fixed appliances and other fittings. Keep your eye out for any damage that may have occurred since the last inspection.
• Make sure that all lights, light switches and smoke alarms are in working order.
• Make sure that all doors and windows are in good condition, with no damage or issues opening and closing. 
• You should also check the locks on each door and window as well.
• The overall cleanliness and presentation of all outdoor areas, including the front yard, back yard and pool area.
• The condition of any pool and boundary fences.
• Any trees overhanging the property that could present a danger to the structure or tenants inside.
• Any other signs of damage or illegal/suspicious activities that need to be reported to the landlord and dealt with accordingly.

Of course, with the help of the latest technology, you can perform more of these routine inspections in a shorter timeframe.

With standard inspection features now available on many Property Management desktop and mobile solutions, including PropertyMe, now is the ideal time to start considering how technology can help to make your routine inspections easier.

Make your routine inspections easier with PropertyMe

At PropertyMe, we make property management a simpler process for all parties involved so you can focus more on what you do best. PropertyMe helps you to run on-site and remote inspections, keep track of calendars and checklists, access previous reports and photos, and easily generate inspection reports for your landlords.

Our software is the most feature-rich cloud-based property management solution in Australia. With an easy-to-use interface, automated workflows, mobile app and simple client access, you’ll have everything you need to perform on-site and remote routine inspections and manage your properties with ease.

Contact our product specialists to start your Onboarding Journey with PropertyMe today!