What Can We Actually Ask Tenants to Fix During a Routine Inspection?

Routine inspections are an important part of protecting an investment property but there is sometimes confusion about exactly what a property manager can reasonably ask a tenant to address after an inspection.

Can we ask them to clean the oven?

What about a stained carpet?

Can we tell them to put the kids’ toys away or clear the dishes from the kitchen sink?

The answer comes down to understanding the purpose of a routine inspection.

A routine inspection isn’t a housework inspection

One of the most important things for landlords to understand is that a routine inspection isn’t about judging how somebody chooses to live in their home.

The Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) specifically states that a routine inspection is not a housework inspection and that property managers and owners should appreciate that people are living in the property.

At the same time, tenants have an obligation to keep the premises clean, having regard to its condition at the beginning of the tenancy.

So where is the line?

At Affinity Res, we look at it from an asset-management perspective:

Is what we’re seeing simply evidence that somebody lives in the home, or could leaving it unaddressed potentially cause damage or deterioration to the property?

That’s an important distinction.

Carpet stains? Yes, we may ask for those to be addressed.

If we notice a significant stain on a carpet during a routine inspection, that’s something we want addressed.

Why?

Because the longer certain stains are left untreated, the harder they can become to remove.

A fresh spill that could potentially be treated today may become a permanent stain if it’s still there months later.

That’s no longer about whether the home looks perfectly presented for an inspection. It’s about taking reasonable steps to protect the owner’s carpet from avoidable damage.

Soap scum on shower screens? Yes.

This is another really good example.

A shower screen doesn’t need to look like it’s been professionally cleaned every time we conduct an inspection.

But significant soap scum and mineral build-up shouldn’t simply be ignored.

Over time, build-up can etch or permanently mark glass, leaving shower screens cloudy or damaged.

In fact, the RTA has specifically discussed this example in its guidance around routine inspections, noting that soap scum and scale build-up can eventually leave shower screens permanently marked.

That’s exactly the sort of issue a good property manager should identify before it becomes permanent damage.

A heavily soiled oven? Yes.

The same principle applies to an oven.

We’re not opening the oven because we expect tenants to have it looking brand new every three months.

We’re looking at whether there is an excessive accumulation of grease, food residue or grime that, if continually left untreated, could become extremely difficult to remove or potentially affect the appliance.

An oven is an inclusion belonging to the property. Part of managing the asset properly is identifying issues before they become expensive problems.

Toys on the floor? No.

This is where the distinction becomes important.

If children have toys out during a routine inspection, we’re not going to tell the tenant to put them away simply because the house would photograph better without them.

They’re living there.

The same goes for normal personal belongings around the home.

Untidy doesn’t automatically mean the property isn’t being cared for.

Dishes in the sink? No.

If there are breakfast dishes sitting in the sink when we arrive, that’s generally none of our business.

A tenant isn’t required to present the property as though they’re preparing it for an open home.

There is a difference between normal day-to-day living and a genuine cleanliness issue that could affect the condition of the property.

That’s where experience and common sense matter.

So what are we actually looking for during a routine inspection?

At Affinity Res, our inspections aren’t about looking for reasons to criticise tenants.

We’re looking at the property through the eyes of an asset manager.

We’re considering things such as the condition of carpets, walls, bathrooms and kitchens; signs of water leaks, moisture or deterioration; damage that may need to be addressed; maintenance the owner may need to undertake; and cleaning issues that have the potential to cause permanent damage if they’re allowed to continue.

We’re also looking for the things tenants themselves may not recognise as a problem.

A small leak, deteriorating silicone, a rusting flexi hose or another seemingly insignificant maintenance issue can potentially become a much larger and more expensive problem if nobody notices it.

That is one of the real purposes of regular inspections.

It’s about protecting the property not policing the tenant

There needs to be a balance.

Landlords are entitled to expect their investment to be properly cared for, and tenants are required to keep the premises clean, having regard to their condition at the beginning of the tenancy.

But tenants are also entitled to live normally in the property.

A good property manager understands the difference.

We aren’t concerned about whether somebody has made their bed or whether there are dishes waiting to be washed.

We are concerned when something we’re seeing today has the potential to become damage the owner has to pay for tomorrow.

That’s the standard we apply at Affinity Res.

Because routine inspections shouldn’t just document what’s happening inside an investment property.

Done properly, they should help prevent problems before they become expensive ones.

Looking for a more proactive approach to property management?

At Affinity Res, we don’t see routine inspections as a box-ticking exercise. They’re one part of our broader approach to protecting our clients’ assets, controlling unnecessary costs and identifying risk early.

If you’d like to discuss how your investment property is currently being managed, contact the Affinity Res team for a confidential property management review.