Rental inspection...what to expect?
Oct 16th 2009, 8:18 pm
#1
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Rental inspection...what to expect?
Hi there,
We're in a long term rental and have our first inspection next week. I was wondering how others' experiences went with their regularly scheduled tenancy inspections...
We did get a letter telling us to mow, weed, and basically clean everything: all tiled surfaces, vents, ducts, windows, you name it. But another issue is that the place was NOT clean when we moved in. I noted the dirty blinds, filthy oven, mucky showers etc. on the move-in inspection report, but I'm not motivated to have the place gleaming spotless since it wasn't even that way when we moved in...
We're in a long term rental and have our first inspection next week. I was wondering how others' experiences went with their regularly scheduled tenancy inspections...
We did get a letter telling us to mow, weed, and basically clean everything: all tiled surfaces, vents, ducts, windows, you name it. But another issue is that the place was NOT clean when we moved in. I noted the dirty blinds, filthy oven, mucky showers etc. on the move-in inspection report, but I'm not motivated to have the place gleaming spotless since it wasn't even that way when we moved in...
Oct 16th 2009, 8:28 pm
#2
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
Hi there,
We're in a long term rental and have our first inspection next week. I was wondering how others' experiences went with their regularly scheduled tenancy inspections...
We did get a letter telling us to mow, weed, and basically clean everything: all tiled surfaces, vents, ducts, windows, you name it. But another issue is that the place was NOT clean when we moved in. I noted the dirty blinds, filthy oven, mucky showers etc. on the move-in inspection report, but I'm not motivated to have the place gleaming spotless since it wasn't even that way when we moved in...
We're in a long term rental and have our first inspection next week. I was wondering how others' experiences went with their regularly scheduled tenancy inspections...
We did get a letter telling us to mow, weed, and basically clean everything: all tiled surfaces, vents, ducts, windows, you name it. But another issue is that the place was NOT clean when we moved in. I noted the dirty blinds, filthy oven, mucky showers etc. on the move-in inspection report, but I'm not motivated to have the place gleaming spotless since it wasn't even that way when we moved in...
bring it to the standard that it was when you moved in should pass 100%, more will show you to be a great tenant
Oct 16th 2009, 8:29 pm
#3
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
Your call. But in my experience they *do* expect it to be spotless. Our rental agent is Harber and they are totally anal about rental inspection.
Everything must be spotlessly clean. Also, nothing on kitchen surfaces, no washing drying in the laundry or outside, no cobwebs outside, no weeds on the drive, absolutely no watermarks on the tiles in the shower, the basins etc etc
Everything must be spotlessly clean. Also, nothing on kitchen surfaces, no washing drying in the laundry or outside, no cobwebs outside, no weeds on the drive, absolutely no watermarks on the tiles in the shower, the basins etc etc
Oct 16th 2009, 8:33 pm
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
If you got shit for that, youd have a great case for the CTTT, where it would be laughed at.
Oct 16th 2009, 8:50 pm
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
Your call. But in my experience they *do* expect it to be spotless. Our rental agent is Harber and they are totally anal about rental inspection.
Everything must be spotlessly clean. Also, nothing on kitchen surfaces, no washing drying in the laundry or outside, no cobwebs outside, no weeds on the drive, absolutely no watermarks on the tiles in the shower, the basins etc etc
Everything must be spotlessly clean. Also, nothing on kitchen surfaces, no washing drying in the laundry or outside, no cobwebs outside, no weeds on the drive, absolutely no watermarks on the tiles in the shower, the basins etc etc
We had ours yesterday. She was in and out in a few minutes. Basically just checked that we were not trashing the place.
Oct 16th 2009, 9:22 pm
#6
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
I spent a day cleaning on my 1st inspection including windows, behind the sofa etc etc..
The 2nd inspection(we have them every 3 months), I made sure i tidied up...
The 3rd inspection.. screw it, take us as you find us..
To be fair, our agent usually spends more time studying the outside of the building that he does inside..
Don't sweat it.. if feel it necessary to go ballastic with the Mr Sheen then just use it as an opportunity to have a nice spring clean and then enjoy your gleaming house!
Em x
The 2nd inspection(we have them every 3 months), I made sure i tidied up...
The 3rd inspection.. screw it, take us as you find us..
To be fair, our agent usually spends more time studying the outside of the building that he does inside..
Don't sweat it.. if feel it necessary to go ballastic with the Mr Sheen then just use it as an opportunity to have a nice spring clean and then enjoy your gleaming house!
Em x
Oct 16th 2009, 10:04 pm
#7
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
I spent a day cleaning on my 1st inspection including windows, behind the sofa etc etc..
The 2nd inspection(we have them every 3 months), I made sure i tidied up...
The 3rd inspection.. screw it, take us as you find us..
To be fair, our agent usually spends more time studying the outside of the building that he does inside..
Don't sweat it.. if feel it necessary to go ballastic with the Mr Sheen then just use it as an opportunity to have a nice spring clean and then enjoy your gleaming house!
Em x
The 2nd inspection(we have them every 3 months), I made sure i tidied up...
The 3rd inspection.. screw it, take us as you find us..
To be fair, our agent usually spends more time studying the outside of the building that he does inside..
Don't sweat it.. if feel it necessary to go ballastic with the Mr Sheen then just use it as an opportunity to have a nice spring clean and then enjoy your gleaming house!
Em x
And the other part of me, the one chasing a 18 month old and 4 year old around all day says, "forget it!" especially as the place was just plain mucky when we moved in and the rental agent noted it was "clean and in perfect condition" on the move-in report. So, either she can't see dirt (yay for future inspections), she's in and out in 5 minutes, or she can't be bothered. I never had to clean so much BEFORE we moved into a rental unit as we did here. But if they thought it was "clean" when we moved in, then I won't need to do anything at all...it's already in a better state now than it was previously.
Oct 16th 2009, 10:08 pm
#8
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
Your call. But in my experience they *do* expect it to be spotless. Our rental agent is Harber and they are totally anal about rental inspection.
Everything must be spotlessly clean. Also, nothing on kitchen surfaces, no washing drying in the laundry or outside, no cobwebs outside, no weeds on the drive, absolutely no watermarks on the tiles in the shower, the basins etc etc
Everything must be spotlessly clean. Also, nothing on kitchen surfaces, no washing drying in the laundry or outside, no cobwebs outside, no weeds on the drive, absolutely no watermarks on the tiles in the shower, the basins etc etc
Oct 16th 2009, 10:40 pm
#9
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
But the place was just plain dirty when we moved in. I have over 100 photos and the amended inspection report. It's liveable clean now, but I'm not making it into a show home for them. If they have an issue with that, then I think we can discuss their lax move-in standards...
Oct 17th 2009, 10:22 am
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
Yup, it was inspected without us and then I amended it to list all the discrepancies...burnt on food in the oven, filthy blinds. It says that we need to leave it in the condition it was in when we moved it. So, that should be no problem.
Oct 17th 2009, 11:52 am
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
I always make sure our house is spotless when they come to inspect - sometimes they take the landlords along with them sometimes they dont, sometimes they inspect thoroughly, mostly not but in any case I would like them to know I am taking good care of their property so when it comes to moving out they will not be able to turn round and say oh you mistreated it for the last 3 1/2 years. And I wouldnt want to live in a dirty house anyway.
We have also decided (having heard some of the horror stories about not getting bonds back) that as there is due to be a 6 monthly inspection about 3 months before we leave I am going to get it spotless, let them inspect it, and take time stamped pictures of everything at exactly that time. That way when we hand in our notice if they do start saying anything silly we can say well you were perfectly happy with it in exactly the same condition three months ago!!
We have also decided (having heard some of the horror stories about not getting bonds back) that as there is due to be a 6 monthly inspection about 3 months before we leave I am going to get it spotless, let them inspect it, and take time stamped pictures of everything at exactly that time. That way when we hand in our notice if they do start saying anything silly we can say well you were perfectly happy with it in exactly the same condition three months ago!!
Last edited by AlliF; Oct 17th 2009 at 11:53 am. Reason: typo
Oct 17th 2009, 1:34 pm
#12
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
My experience - with several different agents - just make sure the place looks like you are looking after it. If its cleanish and tidyish you'll be fine - they just want to see you are taking care of the place and it doesn't need attention. Also use it as an opportunIty to say "This needs fixing" or "that needs sorting".
Oct 17th 2009, 1:56 pm
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
I always make sure our house is spotless when they come to inspect - sometimes they take the landlords along with them sometimes they dont, sometimes they inspect thoroughly, mostly not but in any case I would like them to know I am taking good care of their property so when it comes to moving out they will not be able to turn round and say oh you mistreated it for the last 3 1/2 years. And I wouldnt want to live in a dirty house anyway.
We have also decided (having heard some of the horror stories about not getting bonds back) that as there is due to be a 6 monthly inspection about 3 months before we leave I am going to get it spotless, let them inspect it, and take time stamped pictures of everything at exactly that time. That way when we hand in our notice if they do start saying anything silly we can say well you were perfectly happy with it in exactly the same condition three months ago!!
We have also decided (having heard some of the horror stories about not getting bonds back) that as there is due to be a 6 monthly inspection about 3 months before we leave I am going to get it spotless, let them inspect it, and take time stamped pictures of everything at exactly that time. That way when we hand in our notice if they do start saying anything silly we can say well you were perfectly happy with it in exactly the same condition three months ago!!
The house as it is now is cleaner than when we moved in (thankfully), and it's tidy, but I'm not going to scrub out the oven or scrub every tile in the shower. It's clean enough, tidy, and looks fine.
Oct 17th 2009, 1:57 pm
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
My experience - with several different agents - just make sure the place looks like you are looking after it. If its cleanish and tidyish you'll be fine - they just want to see you are taking care of the place and it doesn't need attention. Also use it as an opportunIty to say "This needs fixing" or "that needs sorting".
And yup, I have the form filled out already to hand to the agent to fix the leaking tap...LOL.
Oct 17th 2009, 2:04 pm
#15
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Re: Rental inspection...what to expect?
We always take video of a rental when we move into it, paying particular attention to any damage, cobwebs, dirt etc. We rented the same house for almost six years in Brisbane and never had a problem. Then we had a change of property manager and got this short a*se italian stallion who walked in the door and we knew he would be trouble. We bought a house the next week. He tried to keep $3,000 or so of our bond money. My husband told him to stick it and let him take him to small claims court. Produced the video evidence of the state of the house when we moved in, the video of our total clean on our moving date etc etc. The judge awarded everything in our favour until the last issue, which you could tell she felt like she needed to award the agent something, so she gave him $250 towards the carpet (and underlay) in our bedroom which they had replaced because it was close to ten years old, cheap crap and had a stain on it.
