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What is a Property Inspection Report?
A Property Inspection Report is a check-out report carried out after a tenant (or ‘contract holders’ in Wales) moves out of a residential rental property. Property Inspection Reports are used to record meter readings, test alarms and appliances, and record the condition of the property and any items and fixtures in the property.
For the avoidance of doubt, references to tenants also apply to contract holders unless otherwise specified.
When should I use a Property Inspection Report?
Use this Property Inspection Report:
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when you have let out a residential property (ie a flat, a house, or a room in a shared property) in England, Wales or Scotland
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for furnished or unfurnished properties
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when your tenant moves out
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to record meter readings
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to test alarms and record their status
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to test appliances and record their status
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to, where relevant, record the condition of the property and the items within the property (this template can be used to record the condition of up to 2 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms)
Sample Property Inspection Report
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PROPERTY INSPECTION REPORT
PROPERTY AND CONTRACT DETAILS
| Landlord details | |
Tenant / Contract holder details | |
Property details | , , |
INSPECTION DETAILS
Move-out inspection date | |
Inspector details | |
Inspection details | The inspection involved an inspection of. |
METER READINGS
Meter type | Meter reading on move-out | Serial number | Location | Utility supplier |
ALARMS
Alarm type | Location | Manual present? | Tested for power and working? |
APPLIANCE TESTING
Appliance | Make | Model | Serial number | Manual present? | Tested for power and working? |
Light fittings | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Gas / electric fire | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Boiler | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Radiators / heaters | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Refrigerator | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Freezer | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Cooker / oven | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Hob | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Dishwasher | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Washing machine | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
Tumble dryer | Yes/No* | Yes/No* | |||
* Delete as appropriate
PROPERTY CONDITION
SIGNATURES
| Date: |
About Property Inspection Reports
Learn more about making your Property Inspection Report
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How to make a Property Inspection Report
Making your Property Inspection Report online is simple. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer will build your document for you. When you have all the information about the property prepared in advance, creating your document is a quick and easy process.
You’ll need the following information:
Landlord and tenant details
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What is the landlord’s name, address, and legal structure? If it’s a company, what’s its company number?
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Will an agent sign the Report on behalf of the landlord? If so, what’s the agent’s name? This may be an individual or a company.
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What is the tenant’s name? If there are multiple, what are all of their names?
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Will an agent sign the Report on behalf of the tenant(s)? If so, what’s the agent’s name? This may be an individual or a company.
The property
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What is the rental property’s address?
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Is the property rented furnished or unfurnished?
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What meters does the property have (electric, water, and/or heating)?
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What alarms does the property have (smoke/fire, carbon monoxide, and/or security)?
Move-in
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Was the property inspected before the tenant(s) moved in? If so, what was the date of the inspection?
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Was an Inventory carried out when the tenant(s) moved in? If so, will this original inventory be updated during the move-out inspection?
The inspection
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On which date will the move-out inspection take place?
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Who will the inspector be? You’ll need their name, phone number, and email address.
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Will the whole property be inspected or just the bedroom(s) (eg if the tenant moving out only rented a room)?
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How many of the following types of rooms are being inspected:
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Reception - 1 or 2?
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Bathroom - 1, 2 or 3?
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Bedroom - 1, 2, 3 or 4?
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Is a garden being inspected?
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Common terms in a Property Inspection Report
Property Inspection Reports set out the condition of a property when the tenant(s) move out. To do this, this Property Inspection Report template includes sections covering:
Property and contract details
The parties’ and property’s key information is set out in this first table, including any agents’ details.
Inspection details
This table sets out the relevant inspection dates as well as who will carry out the move-out inspection and how much of the property will be inspected.
Meter readings
This table provides space for details of the property’s meters (eg the electricity meter) and readings to be inserted during the inspection.
Alarms
This table provides spaces for the location of each of the property’s alarms to be entered and for the inspector to indicate whether manuals are present and whether alarms are working.
Appliance testing
This table provides spaces for details about various appliances present in the property to be entered (eg serial numbers) and for the inspector to indicate whether manuals are present and whether appliances are working. It covers a range of appliances (eg boilers, cookers, and kettles) and provides space for you to add more, if necessary.
Property condition
If an Inventory was created when the tenant(s) moved in and you’ve indicated that this original inventory is being updated during the move-out inspection, this section of the Property Inspection Report will simply refer to the attached inventory for details of the condition of the property and its furnishings.
If this isn’t being recorded on the original inventory, this section will contain multiple tables, one for each room of the property that is being inspected. For each room, a row will be inserted for each of the various items usually present in that type of room (eg beds and dressers for a bedroom). There will be empty rows for you to insert a description of additional items or fixtures present in that room. Each row will provide space for the inspector to indicate the quantity of that item present and for them to describe the item’s condition during the check-out inspection.
Signatures
The Report ends with spaces for the landlord and the tenant(s) (or their agents) to sign the document.
Inventory
If you’re attaching an Inventory to your Report, a heading at the bottom of the Report will provide a space for this.
If you want your Property Inspection Report to include more, less, or different provisions, you can edit your document. This can be an easy way to tailor your Report to your rental property (eg by adding a table for an extra bedroom or removing lines for some items that aren’t present in a given room). If you would like assistance modifying your report, you can use Rocket Lawyer’s Ask a lawyer service.
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Legal tips for landlords and tenants
Be accurate and clear when setting out an item or fixture’s condition
The key advantage of Property Inspection Reports is that they can help a landlord and tenant to agree on the state of items and fixtures contained in a property at the move-out date. This helps the parties to avoid disputes if, for example, the landlord finds damage to the property later on and it’s not clear who caused the damage.
It’s important, therefore, to be precise and accurate when checking items as well as when recording their condition. If an entry in your Report is ambiguous, it may not help clear up disputes.
Make sure you meet your other obligations when a tenancy ends
There are certain things that both landlords and tenants must do when a tenancy ends. For example, tenants must generally remove their possessions from the property, return their keys, and leave the property in a clean and tidy state. Similarly, landlords must facilitate the return of tenancy deposits or else follow the correct procedures if they believe a deduction should be made. For more information, read Legal obligations of a landlord and Tenants’ and owners’ obligations.
Understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
In some circumstances, it’s good practice to Ask a lawyer for advice to ensure that you’re complying with the law and that you are well protected from risks. You should consider asking for advice if:
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you want to make a Report for a commercial property
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you need help tailoring your Property Inspection Report for a property that has more than 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and/or 2 reception rooms
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no inventory was completed when the tenant moved into the property and you’re unsure how to compare the property’s condition at the start of the tenancy to its condition at the end of the tenancy
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Property Inspection Report FAQs
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What is included in a Property Inspection Report?
This Property Inspection Report template covers:
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details of the check-out inspection (including who it was carried out by)
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a list of common meters found in a property and their readings at the end of the tenancy
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a list of common alarms found in a property, where they are located, and whether they are functioning
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a list of common appliances found in a property, appliance details, and whether they are functioning
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where relevant, a list of the common furnishings and fittings found in a property and their condition at the end of the tenancy
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where relevant, the condition of carpets, walls, and doors at the end of the tenancy
Depending on the character and scale of the property in question, more information (eg rows for more appliances or fixtures) may need to be manually added.
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Why do I need a Property Inspection Report?
Making a Property Inspection Report when tenants move out isn’t a legal requirement. However, making a Report is a good idea as doing so allows a landlord and tenant to check and agree on an accurate description of the property’s state on (or just after) the move-out date. This allows accurate comparisons with the property’s state when the tenant moved in, to help prevent disputes at a later time (eg about the condition of items).
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What is a check-out inspection?
A check-out inspection is an examination and assessment of a rental property at the end of a tenancy. It can be carried out by the landlord, the landlord’s agent, or a third party (eg an inventory clerk). All tenants who are moving out of a property should be present during the inspection. If any tenants are unable to attend, they should appoint an agent (eg a family member or close friend) to attend the inspection (and to sign the report) on their behalf.
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What is the difference between a Property Inspection Report and an inventory?
An Inventory only sets out the condition of the property and the items within the property. A Property Inspection Report also sets out meter readings, alarm testing, and appliance testing.
You can use an inventory and a Property Inspection Report together. Where an inventory was completed when the tenant moved in, and this original inventory will be updated with the condition of the property on move-out, the updated inventory should be attached to the Property Inspection Report. This allows all check-out information to be located in the same place.
Where the original inventory isn’t being updated, this Property Inspection Report will include a check-out inventory which should be completed and compared to the original inventory (if one exists).
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What details need to be included in a Property Inspection Report?
For meters (eg electricity meters), you should record the meter reading when the tenant moves out. This ensures you have a record of final meter readings before the property is empty or before new tenants move in. You should also record the meter’s serial number, where the meter is located, and who the utility provider is.
For alarms (eg smoke alarms), you should record where the alarm is located, where a manual for the alarm can be found, and whether the alarm was tested for power and is working.
For appliances, you should record the make, model and serial number of each appliance. You should also record whether a manual for each appliance is present and if all appliances have been tested for power and are working.
If the Property Inspection Report is also recording the condition of the property and the items in the property, you should provide a clear description of the property and/or items contained in it. Be specific and detailed when completing descriptions of items (eg ‘walls are clean and painted’, or ‘the patio is weed-free’).
You may wish to include photographs as part of your Property Inspection Report.
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Who needs to sign the Property Inspection Report?
Each tenant moving out of the property (or their agent) must sign and date the Property Inspection Report to indicate their agreement that it is correct.
The landlord (or their agent) should also sign and date the Property Inspection Report.
Any photographs added to the Report should also be signed and dated.
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