Tips for making the most of a rental inspection checklist



Rental inspection checklists are documents that are designed to protect both the owner of a building and the tenant. They describe in great detail the condition of a property when a tenant moves in, and when they move out. Typically, the rental inspection checklist is developed by a real estate agent. However, they tend to be fairly similar in nature. Often, a real estate agent will go through the property to make an assessment of its condition and make a note of any problems before giving the rental inspection checklist to the tenant to fill out. The same usually occurs when a tenant moves out. That is, the tenant will fill out the checklist, and the real estate agent will confirm what the tenant has made a note of. This is to ensure that the property is always presented it in adequate manner.



Inspection checklists for rental properties tend to be fairly standard, but they are usually quite detailed. This is for the benefit of the tenant, the landlord, and the real estate agent. By filling in these checklists, all parties know what state or condition the property is in when a tenant moves in, or moves out. By filling out the form, the tenant can let the landlord or real estate agent know whether any repairs need to be made, or whether it is likely that they may need to be made in the future. The inspection checklist is also great for referring to in the event of something breaking or going wrong. It is also useful to refer to if the landlord or tenant accuses a tenant of causing some sort of wear and tear to the property. The different parties can refer to the rental checklist to examine the condition of the item in question. For example, if a carpet has worn through, the landlord can check to see whether the carpet was marked as "worn" when the tenant moved in. This can help them make a decision about how to proceed in terms of making repairs or claiming insurance.

Rental inspection checklists can be long and detailed. It can be tempting to rush through them in order to get it all over and done with. No doubt if you're moving into a new place, you want to get on with the moving and not waste time on trivial housekeeping matters such as checklists. However, always bear in mind that it's in your interests as a tenant to make sure that the form is filled out, and filled out properly. If you don't fill out the form properly, and you have to make a claim, it's your word against your landlord's. However, if you have taken the time to fill out the form, you can use the form to back up your claim.