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Property inspection checklist for landlords and letting agents
A property inspection checklist is the list a landlord or letting agent works through on a routine visit during a tenancy, to check the home's condition, safety and any repairs it needs. This one is for private landlords and agents in England, and covers notice to the tenant, every room, alarms and safety records, damp and mould, the outside and the follow-up.
Last reviewed by ProSurvey Apps Limited
At a glance
- Who it is for
- Private landlords, letting and property managers, and HMO managers carrying out visits during a tenancy.
- When to use it
- Routine visits during the tenancy, after a tenant reports a problem, and when checking that repairs have worked.
- Time needed
- Around 30 to 60 minutes for a flat or small house; longer for an HMO or a property with open repairs.
- What to bring
- The check-in inventory and last report, a copy of your notice, phone or tablet, torch, and a hygrometer or moisture meter if you have one.
Ticks on screen are not saved. Print it, save it as a PDF, or run it in the app with photos.
The property inspection checklist
Twelve sections, from the notice to the follow-up. Take the check-in inventory with you so you are comparing like with like.
1.Before the visit
2.Entrance, hallway and stairs
3.Living and dining rooms
4.Kitchen
5.Bathrooms and WCs
6.Bedrooms
7.Heating, hot water and electrics
8.Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
9.Damp, mould and ventilation
10.Exterior, garden and communal areas
11.Tenancy and occupation
12.Close the visit and follow up
What is a routine property inspection?
A routine inspection is a short, planned visit during a tenancy to check the home’s condition, confirm it is safe, and pick up repairs before they grow. It is not a check-out and not a chance to judge how the tenant lives. Done well, it protects the tenant’s health, the landlord’s asset and the deposit conversation at the end of the tenancy.
The rules on this page are for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own tenancy law, notice rules and safety requirements, so check the local guidance if your property is there.
How often should you inspect a rental property?
There is no set legal frequency in England. Follow what the tenancy agreement says, and weigh the value of spotting problems early against the tenant’s right to live in the property undisturbed.
Many landlords and agents visit every three to six months, with extra visits after a reported problem or completed repair. A new tenancy, an older building, a history of damp or a house in multiple occupation can justify visiting more often. Insurers and lenders sometimes set conditions about inspections or empty periods, so read those terms too.
How much notice do you need to give a tenant?
In England, give at least 24 hours’ written notice and visit at a reasonable time of day.
Section 11(6) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 implies a term, into leases where the landlord has the statutory repairing obligation, that the landlord or someone they authorise in writing may enter to view the condition and state of repair “at reasonable times of the day and on giving 24 hours’ notice in writing to the occupier”. GOV.UK’s guidance on making repairs puts it plainly: give your tenant at least 24 hours’ notice, although immediate access may be possible in emergencies.
In practice, send the notice by the method your tenancy agreement allows, state a date and time window, explain the purpose, say whether you will take photos, and invite the tenant to be there. If the time does not suit, agree another. Do not let yourself in without agreement except in a genuine emergency.
Safety checks to make on every inspection
A routine visit is the easiest time to confirm that alarms work and that the gas and electrical safety records are in date. The table summarises the main duties in England.
| Item | What the rules require | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke alarms | At least one on each storey with a room used as living accommodation. Checked working on the day a new tenancy begins; repaired or replaced once the landlord is told it is faulty. | GOV.UK alarm regulations guidance |
| Carbon monoxide alarms | In every room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler or wood burner. Gas cookers are excluded. | GOV.UK alarm regulations guidance |
| Gas safety | A Gas Safe registered engineer checks each gas appliance and flue every year. Existing tenants get a copy of the record within 28 days of the check, new tenants before they move in. Keep records for at least two years. | HSE gas safety for landlords |
| Electrical safety | A qualified person inspects and tests the installation at least every 5 years. Copy of the report to existing tenants within 28 days, to new tenants before they occupy, and to the council within 7 days of a request. Remedial work within 28 days, or sooner if the report says. | GOV.UK electrical safety standards |
The alarm regulations apply to private and social rented homes, and councils can fine up to £5,000 for each failure to comply with a remedial notice. The GOV.UK guidance also suggests a practical way to evidence the day-one check: have the tenant sign the inventory to confirm the alarms were tested and working. HSE explains what to keep in its guidance on gas safety check records. The electrical rules were extended to the social rented sector in 2025.
You are not expected to test gas appliances or electrics yourself on an inspection. Your job is to look for warning signs (sooting, scorch marks, damaged sockets, a tripping supply) and get the right engineer in.
Spotting damp and mould on an inspection
Look for visible mould, damp staining, condensation, peeling wallpaper, defective plaster and musty smells, then look outside for the causes.
The government’s guidance, understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home, lists internal checks (peeling wallpaper, visible damp or staining, visible condensation, defective plaster, consistently high humidity, low insulation, cold internal walls, and extractor fans that are damaged, blocked or switched off) and external ones (damaged or blocked gutters and downpipes, broken window seals, cracked render or missing roof finishes, and a bridged damp-proof course).
The same guidance is clear that it is unreasonable to blame damp and mould on “lifestyle choices”: cooking, bathing and drying washing are normal, and the underlying causes are usually building defects, poor ventilation, inadequate heating or poor energy efficiency. It advises photographing and documenting mould before it is removed, tackling the cause rather than just cleaning the surface, and inspecting again at least six weeks after remedial work. When the cause is not obvious, bring in a qualified damp specialist and use our damp and mould inspection checklist.
What evidence to record
Record enough that someone who was not there could see what you saw and decide what to do next.
- Dated photos of each room from the same positions as the check-in inventory, plus close-ups of anything new.
- Alarm tests: which alarm, where, working or not, and what you did about a fault.
- Dates of the current gas safety record and electrical report, and whether the tenant has copies.
- Readings, if you take them: humidity in affected rooms, and a note of the weather.
- What the tenant told you, in neutral words, and any repairs they have reported.
- Each repair needed, with a priority, who is doing it and a target date.
After the inspection: follow-up actions
The inspection only helps if something happens next. Send the landlord a written report within a few days, and give the tenant a short summary of what was found and what will be done, and when.
- Deal with safety first. A failed alarm, exposed wiring, a gas warning sign or a serious leak is a same-day action.
- Prioritise the rest. Separate urgent repairs from routine maintenance and cosmetic items, and give each a target date.
- Think in hazards. Serious disrepair can become a hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, which councils use to take enforcement action. Our HHSRS hazard checklist sets out the hazards to look for.
- Book the return visit. Check repairs worked, and for damp and mould go back at least six weeks after the work.
- Keep the file together. Notice, report, photos, invoices and certificates in one place make the end-of-tenancy conversation much easier.
Private tenancies in England changed on 1 May 2026 under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. GOV.UK’s overview for landlords explains what changed, including that tenants can ask to keep a pet and that a landlord can only refuse with a valid reason.
Running inspections in PropertySurvey Pro
PropertySurvey Pro is built for this kind of visit. It works offline on iPhone, iPad and Android, and produces the PDF report on the device before you leave. Photo captions are numbered in the report, and with Pro you can mark up a photo with circles, arrows and labels.
Start the next visit as a follow-up from the finished inspection, so you walk the same rooms in the same order. Dictate notes, or use “Talk through a room” to turn a spoken walk-through into entries you check. AI Polish turns shorthand into draft wording that you review and edit; it does not assess hazards or decide what needs repairing. The free app runs real inspections and exports PDF reports with the app’s watermark, with 3 free uses a month of each AI tool and up to 25 surveys stored on the device. Pro adds cloud sync, your own branding and the full AI allowance; see pricing.
Property inspection checklist: frequently asked questions
How often should a landlord inspect a rental property?
There is no set legal frequency in England. Check what the tenancy agreement says, and balance the need to spot problems early with the tenant’s right to live in the property undisturbed. Many landlords and agents inspect every three to six months, and also visit after a reported problem or completed repair. Insurance and mortgage terms can add their own conditions.
How much notice does a landlord need to give for an inspection in England?
At least 24 hours’ notice, in writing, for a visit at a reasonable time of day. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 implies this into most residential tenancies where the landlord has the repairing obligation, and GOV.UK guidance repeats it. Immediate access may be possible in a genuine emergency, such as a serious leak or a gas escape.
Can a tenant refuse a property inspection?
GOV.UK guidance says tenants should give the landlord access to inspect or carry out repairs when given at least 24 hours’ notice for a visit at a reasonable time. Tenants also have the right to live in the property undisturbed, so if the time does not suit, agree another one. Do not enter without agreement except in an emergency, and take advice if access is repeatedly refused.
What should a landlord check during a routine inspection?
Check each room’s condition against the last report, test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, look for leaks, damp, mould and condensation, check heating, hot water, extractor fans and visible electrics, confirm the gas and electrical safety records are in date, and walk the outside for roof, gutter and boundary problems. Then record repairs with priorities and dates.
Do landlords have to test smoke alarms at every inspection?
Not specifically. In England the alarm regulations require landlords to check that each required alarm works on the day a new tenancy begins, and to repair or replace an alarm once told it is faulty. Testing at every routine inspection is still worth doing, because it finds faults early and gives you a dated record.
Can I take photos during a rental property inspection?
Yes. Photographs of the property’s condition are normal and make the report useful. Mention them in the notice, photograph condition rather than the tenant’s belongings, avoid people, documents and anything that identifies the household, and store the images securely because they can count as personal data.