There is a huge market for rental properties in the United States. In fact, more than 44 million American households choose to rent over buying. And since the average household has about 2.5 people, that comes out to about 110 million Americans.
That is more than a third of the entire population of the whole country!
It is up to landlords to know the finer points of rental property inspection laws. Although many Americans choose to rent, they expect their landlords to handle a detailed understanding of the legalities of renting.
So how exactly do rental property inspection laws work? Read on to learn all about these laws and what rights they give to landlords!
Different Kinds of Property Inspections
There are basically three kinds of rental property inspections. They are the move-in inspection, the move-out inspection, and routine inspections.
On top of that, you can also include emergency inspections and requested inspections.
In general, during a move-in inspection, the landlord and tenant will walk through the apartment with a property inspection checklist. This way they can jointly document the nature of the property at the time of the lease.
The move-out inspection can then provide an updated picture of what has happened to the apartment since the move-in inspection. Any untoward damages may potentially be the responsibility of the tenant.
Routine inspections exist to allow for seasonal maintenance or regular checks for necessary repairs. They vary depending on the clauses of the lease agreement.
While all three of these kinds of inspections are part of doing normal business, a property inspection waiver can eliminate the need to perform them.
Illegal Types of Inspections
There are a few limits on what kinds of inspections a landlord can perform. In general, a landlord cannot drop by without giving notice to perform an inspection.
On top of that, there are some common-sense limitations on the number of property inspections allowed per year. While there are no hard-and-fast rules about how many inspections are too many, that issue can be decided in court if necessary.
How Often Can a Landlord Inspect a Property
Usually, the number of inspections allowed for a get a property comes down to what the lease says. If the lease says that the landlord can conduct as many inspections as they like, then there are almost no limits.
On the other hand, if the lease only lays out a few inspections per year, that will usually be the limit. There are some exceptions in case of emergencies.
On top of inspections by landlords or property management services, there might occasionally be city inspections for rental properties.
Make Sure That You Are Familiar With Rental Property Inspection Laws
We hope that you were able to learn something helpful from this brief article on some of the ins and outs of rental property inspection laws. There is so much knowledge that goes into being a successful landlord or property manager. Although it cannot all be learned at the same time, over time, it is important for every landlord to review some of the finer details of rental property inspection laws.
To learn more about the finer points of property inspection, property management, and more, you can reach out and get in touch with us at any time here!
