05/29/2026
Performing inspections
Is it important to perform inspections of the rental property?.
Yes it is a key part of managing the rental property. It’s also a key part of the screening of tenants as well. Performing an inspection helps the landlord with communication with the tenants. It also keeps the landlord up to date with the condition of the property during the tenancy. It provides the tenant with an opportunity to communicate issues to the landlord about the property. It helps the two way communication process.
During inspection the landlord should be looking at various issues at the property.
We look to confirm that only the parties on the tenancy agreement are living at the unit. We confirm tenants have not obtained a pet without permission. We are looking at items that might need future repairs to see if they can be repaired before they are a larger issue.
Confirming the people residing in the unit is very important. You are looking at the house to see if there is evidence of different parties reading in the unit. Landlords have the right to vett the people who rent their property. If you rent to two people and one moves out and another moves in without your references checks this could be an issue. Who is the new person and what is their background? They are not on the tenancy agreement and technically have no right to the tenancy unless the landlord knows they are at the unit and chooses not to do anything about it. When a landlord identifies an issue at the property they must choose to deal with it in a specified manner. If there is a new unapproved tenant, this would be considered subletting and could be grounds for terminating the agreement. If the landlord fails to enforce this part of the agreement and do anything you could be perceived as granting this change to the tenancy agreement. If a year later they are having issues with the new tenant they will be hard pressed to validate actions to vacate the person as they were aware for a year before taking action on the issue.
This is the same with pets. We often hear from landlords that their tenant now has a pet. When we ask what they did about it they respond with nothing. If you take no actions you are granting the pet at the tenancy. In both pets and new tenants you have options. These include having the new tenant apply and you perform background checks on them, and the two tenants sign a new lease. You can enforce the tenancy agreement requiring the tenants to vacate the unit as you did not approve this change. You can do nothing and this over time would grant the tenant permission to reside there.
The same is with a pet, you can do nothing which is perceived as granting the tenant permission to have the pet. You can enforce the tenancy agreement no pet clause which requires them to vacate the pet or vacate the property. If the landlord decides to allow the pet, the proper process is to perform another condition inspection report of the property before the pet arrives to clearly identify what the unit looks like at that time. Landlords are also permitted at this time to collect the pet deposit.
The important part of this issue is to make a decision and communicate the decision to the tenants. Then both parties can move forward with what decision was made.
When we indicate that we are performing inspections to prospective applicants they will decide to proceed or they will elect to look elsewhere. If they are unwilling to allow you to enter the unit regularly they are not quality tenants. People who have nothing to hide have no issues with the landlord accessing the unit for the inspections.
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