The prospect of a rental inspection may be stressful. You may be unsure about your landlord�s expectations, especially if you are a first-time tenant.
Your rental contract will likely contain guidelines regarding the period your landlord will give you before the inspection. It is typically at least 24 hours. Here are a few simple ways to get your property ready for inspection:
1. Prepare Early
Your landlord and agents are lawfully required to give you a 24-hour notice before an inspection. However, in most cases, they would inform you a week in advance.
Once your rental inspection is scheduled, gradually begin preparing for it. For instance, you can sweep the porch one day and clean the shower the next day. Step-by-step cleaning is much easier than tackling the entire place in one go.
2. Leave Pets with a Friend
Pets have a natural aversion to strangers. If you are a pet owner, there is a high chance of your furry friend getting anxious around people they are unfamiliar with.
They may bark, hiss or growl in the presence of new people in the house. Leave your pet with a friend or family member to ensure that your rental inspection process is not disturbed. The pet is likely to be comfortable enough with someone they already know. Note, this is providing you are allowed to have pets at the property.
3. Ventilate
In the morning of the rental inspection day, open all windows to air out your home. This way, you can do away with all musty smells that may be lingering indoors.
You can also use air fresheners, diffusers, or candles for a pleasant smelling home. However, people tend to link strong-smelling things with you attempting to cover something up.
Therefore, you can opt for alternative methods. Simply microwave a cinnamon stick in a mug of water for a couple of minutes or bake something 30 minutes prior to inspection. The resulting fragrance would be pleasant but not overwhelming.
4. Clean the Property
If you are satisfied with your rental home and happy with the rent, then try doing your best to stay there. Make sure you do a thorough cleaning job to get your property ready for inspection.
Cover all aspects, such as cleaning the windows well, scrubbing the shower screen, maintaining the garden, and spot cleaning the carpet. Both the landlord and agent would be impressed with a clean property. This is bound to influence their decision to retain you as a tenant.
It is a good idea to check for minor repairs to get your property ready for inspection. Take care of all aspects that you may be responsible for. While there may be some grey area here, the general rule is that if something is your �fault,� then it�s your job to rectify it.
If there is a garden on the premises, keep it trimmed and watered before the inspection. Rental inspections usually last only about 10 minutes. The landlord or agent quickly examines the home to check for any damages or potential problems.
At OKG Property Management, we are available to assist you with property matters. Click here to contact us or dial 07 3491 2000 today!