Periodic interior inspections are a vital part of managing your investment property. A landlord should view any tenant’s resistance to this type of inspection with suspicion and be aware that the tenant may not be abiding by all the terms of the lease or possibly worse.

The most common violations that occur in single family properties are additional pets and people not listed on the lease.

These types of violations should not be tolerated and if discovered should be dealt with firmly and quickly. An initial face to face conversation is best, but if you think you will have future problems around the same issues, you should serve the tenant with a “Notice to Cure Covenant or Quit” notice. This is a formal document that informs the tenant in writing that they are in violation of the lease agreement and they need to come into compliance with the terms of the lease.

If additional people are living in the property and you are not opposed to having them continue their residency, they should go through the entire rental application process including a credit and background check. If they would not qualify to rent one of your properties when it is vacant, they should not be allowed to move in as an add on tenant midway through an existing lease.

Like any other inspection, the periodic inspection should be documented with pictures and notes. You should check all entry points for water including the water heater and all electrical outlets. Any signs of mold or water leaks should be fixed as soon as possible regardless of who caused the leaks. The same is true for any habitability issues found during the inspection. This is also a good time to make sure the tenant is changing the HVAC filter and maintaining any other items they agreed to maintain in the lease agreement.