Property inspections: Landlord Vs Tenant

23rd January 2023

Property Inspections can come in various types of visits, these can range from the legal obligations placed upon landlords, for home valuations or check-ins with the tenants to maintain support, communication and upkeep of the property. Here we will look at the various types of property inspections and why these may be permitted.

Inspections for Legal Obligations

The law requires landlords (or a qualified engineer) to inspect the gas and electrical installations on their properties. This is done to make sure the homes are secure for the tenants. Gas Safety inspections are to be completely (legally) every 12 months by a registered Gas Safe Engineer.

Some tenants, even for gas safety inspections, deny entry. Despite the fact that gas can be quite dangerous if the equipment is not handled appropriately. It is imperative access is granted for such property inspections.

General Property Inspections

Additionally, landlords/agents are likely to perform general property inspections at least once every six months. This will guarantee that:

• There are no unauthorised occupants, which would make the home an HMO and subject the landlord to additional regulations and the possibility of severe fines for noncompliance.
• The tenants are not using the property for illicit purposes
• There are no repair problems, which if left untreated could worsen and cost additional money to fix.

Due to all of these factors, most landlord insurance policies now include that rented buildings must be regularly inspected. Meaning that if you don’t perform these, claims may be rejected.

How to deal with Property Inspections

Landlords or agents can’t merely use their keys to enter if tenants aren’t cooperating. That would be against the law under the ‘right to quiet enjoyment’, and the landlord would be exposed to accusations of harassment and perhaps other fines. However, in case of an emergency which is either posing risk to a tenant or potentially causing serious deterioration to a property it can sometimes be permitted that a landlord can enter the property with less than 24 hours notice.

The best course of actions, is to ensure your certificates are up to date and you have reminders set with plenty of time to arrange these and notify the tenant in advance. Its also important to be communicative with the tenants from the start, and set their expectations of when visits will likely to take place. For example, if you know your gas safety is due every April, ensure the tenant is aware.

If tenants are being difficult regarding access, depending on the case, you may be authorised to take action by issuing letters to request a court injunction if the renters continue to oppose (most often used for gas access situations).

Seraph can help you make sure you select appropriate tenants that are cooperative with inspections, or can handle all inspections for your rental properties with our fully managed service. Contact a member of our team today for advice and help. 

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