'Property condition reports – Video on why and when'

Brooke and Lorrie from Rutherfords Property Management Department talk to you about the 3 different types of inspection reports. 1. Condition Reports, 2. Routine Reports and 3. Final / Exiting Reports.
 

Condition Report

Firstly, we have an ingoing report also known as a condition report and this is done prior to the tenant commencing the tenancy. A condition report is, in-depth photos and notes taken of the whole property in and outside to ensure the future tenant is not held accountable for any damages that may have occurred prior to their lease agreement

For example, a condition report may include but not limited to, scruff marks on walls, stains on carpet, broken windows and even noting down if a certain area has been well maintained with no damages etc. Both the agent and tenant will keep a copy of this report, the tenant is also able to add any extra notes they may have been missed or they may not agree with and provide this copy back to the agent within the first few days of the lease commencing.
 

Example: we had a tenant who vacated the property and we noticed that the glass windows were cracked and he was adamant they were the before, so we had a look at the condition report and saw that they were not there beforehand & we were then able to proceed with getting repairs done at the tenants cost.

Routine Inspection

Secondly, there is a routine inspection report which is conducted every 6 months (twice a year). The first routine will be 6 months after the lease commencement date. A routine inspection is a brief overview for our landlords on how the property is being maintained, noting down if there is any maintenance, damages, issues etc. The report will then be sent to the landlord within 24 hours for their reference. A routine inspection allows us to note down any changes from the condition report that may have occurred making the whole process a lot easier for both the landlord and the agent if need be. Doing routine inspections is a great way for us to maintain our relationship and communication with both our landlords and tenants. It is also a general follow up to see how our tenant's businesses are running.
 

Example: we have had examples of when we do a routine inspection and notice that ESM maintenance has not been done or rectified by tenants as requested and we can follow this up on the report.

Final Inspection

A final inspection which is also known as a ‘make good’ therefore is conducted as soon as the keys are returned once the lease has ended. This is a thorough inspection to see if anything has changed from the condition report. Once we conduct the final inspection, we compare the two (condition report & final inspection) to ensure everything matches up.

If there are any changes that need to be rectified/repaired we then liaise directly with the tenant/contractor to get this amended in time for the next tenant to take over the lease. If the tenant does not cooperate we then have the option of taking these funds out of the security deposit in which we get from the tenant at the beginning of the tenancy for these reasons that may occur.
 

Example: The tenant had moved into a newly constructed property therefor anything further than wear and tear had to be rectified in the make good. The tenant refused to get anything repaired so we then had authority to deduct this from the security bond