If you care deeply about the cleanliness of your rental property, you're not alone. 69% of people want a clean place, free of dirt and grime.
Unfortunately, that means another 31% don't share your views on what constitutes clean or filthy. So during a year-long lease, a home can quickly become a disgusting pigsty in the wrong hands. You can prevent this with one simple practice: rental property inspections.
That said, you can't just pop in whenever you want, and you can't leave it off for when the lease expires. So in this article, we discuss how often Fairfax, VA property management can - and should - come by to look.
How Often Can You Do Rental Property Inspections?
For starters, there are landlord inspection rules in place that dictate how often you can perform rental property inspections. According to legal experts, Virginia law requires at least 24-hour notice from a landlord. Thus, you cannot just barge in at a moment's notice because you're in the area.
Tenant Obligations
In addition to this, granting advance notice does not mean you can force your way in. Tenants must admit you, as this is their personal and private space.
However, they do have an obligation to let you in once you give notice. If they do not, you are allowed to file a civil action via your General District Court.
How Often Should You Do Rental Property Inspections?
There's the law, and there's good practice. You have no way of knowing what state your Fairfax property is in beyond your tenant's word.
Remember, the tenant has maintenance responsibilities. In that spirit, you have to go by the old Russian proverb: trust but verify. Semi-frequent property inspections are therefore a must.
Use the 6-Month Rule
If you ask this question, you'll get a different answer every time. We recommend you inspect the property once every six months. Therefore, you would check the property twice during a typical year-long lease.
Of course, you can do more frequent inspections. Inspecting quarterly with a seemingly messy or irresponsible tenant may help manage your landlord stress.
Rental Inspection Checklist
To cap off this Fairfax rental property guide, let's cover some inspection musts. Take a look at these key things during your walk-through:
- Extreme signs of wear and tear
- Stains and holes in walls
- Water damage signs
- Pet damage
The last one is especially important if you don't allow pets on your property. They may have a service or emotional support animal. If they don't, then they are breaking the lease.
Manage Your Property with PMI
Rental property inspections are a must if you want to keep your Fairfax, VA property in tip-top shape. Legally, you must provide 24-hour advance notice before an inspection. Landlords should typically conduct said inspections at least once every six months, sometimes more.
At PMI of Fairfax, we leverage our 20 years of property management experience to maximize your profitability. We know how to keep tenant satisfaction high and operating costs low. If you would like to rent, use our free rental analysis calculator.
