Many people have negative connotations when it comes to HOAs. Around 57% of homeowners dislike that their property is part of the HOA community. Knowing how to balance community happiness with your routine tasks as an HOA leader is important.
One of the main things you need to stay on top of is routine rental property inspections. This blog will discuss the best way to conduct different types of property inspections. Keep tenant communication at the forefront of your mind to ensure the happiness of your tenants.
What Are Rental Property Inspections?
Inspection of your HOA rental property is important to ensure your property's condition. The goal of these inspections is to make sure residents are complying with HOA guidelines and their lease terms. There are a few different types of property inspections landlords may perform.
Move-in Inspection
Landlords should complete the move-in inspection with their new tenant before they move into the property. This property lets both parties see the unit's condition. We recommend that you take videos and photos of the property's interior and exterior to properly document its condition.
Move-Out Inspection
Landlords will use their checklist from the move-in inspection to compare how the property looks to how it did before. You can use the previous videos and photos to see how much damage the tenant caused. This inspection is key to determining how much of a tenant's deposit they get back.
Safety Inspection
Safety inspections can cover a wide range of inspections. Landlords can use these sessions to check the property's safety features. This includes:
- Fire extinguishers
- Fire alarms
- Smoke alarms
Routine Inspections
Routine inspections can be performed quarterly, seasonally, or yearly. Landlords can check many different things during these inspections. Most of the time routine inspections are specified on pre-determined dates in the lease.
How Often Can I Conduct Inspections?
Despite the fact landlords and property owners own their units, they're not able to access their property whenever they want. They have to give their tenants proper written notice, even with routine inspections.
California law states that landlords need to give their tenants reasonable notice before inspecting a property. The law considers 24-hour notice to be reasonable. However, if the inspection notice gets mailed, six days beforehand is considered reasonable.
Purpose of Entry
One of the main elements that determines how many times a landlord can inspect a property is why the inspection is being performed. The types of inspections we mentioned above are typical ones that landlords perform. Anything beyond that, except for scheduled maintenance, could be deemed excessive.
Drive-by inspections are something that should be avoided by landlords. These inspections aren't illegal but could infringe on your tenant's privacy.
Partner With an Experienced Property Management Company for Inspections
HOA rental property inspections are a fact of life. Knowing when and why to perform them is key to preserving your relationship with your tenants. Stay on top of your property's condition by conducting routine inspections.
PMI South Bay understands that it can be challenging to manage multiple properties in Santa Clara. Our team of experienced property managers can handle your inspections for you. Call our office to schedule a consultation.
