Rental Walkthrough, A Checklist for Property Managers

A rental walkthrough is an important aspect of renting out properties. Ideally, it should be done before and after a property has been rented out to a tenant, each walk accompanied by the tenant. If done correctly, a rental walkthrough helps apprise both parties of the exact condition of the property right before the turnover. After the end of the lease, it also helps determine the status of the rental property as opposed to what it looked like before the start of the lease. 

But what exactly should be done during the walkthrough? As the landlord, you should be targeting specific parts of the property and taking careful note of their status. Here we provide an apartment walkthrough checklist template for you to follow:

Check Every Room

Start by looking through every room of the property. You want to start in the living room and work your way through every portion of the property. It doesn’t matter what room you’re looking at; you need to check the floor, walls, ceiling, doors, windows, light fixtures, outlets, and switches. Take careful note of all the aspects that are damaged and will need repair or replacing. 

While in the room, here’s what you should check each time: 

• Doors and locks: Each door should lock into place and be opened using an available key. This goes into the security of the property and should be shown to the tenant during the walkthrough.

• Floors and carpet: Make sure the carpets are clean and they fully cover the surface area. Take note of any patches, frayed spots, or discolored portions indicative of previous damage.

• Walls, ceilings, and paint: Take note of chalky, damaged, or slightly bent portions. Not every single imperfection should be noted. Small things that do not really affect the overall usefulness of the room can be ignored to help foster some goodwill between yourself and the new tenant. 

Check the Safety Equipment

Next, you’d want to check every piece of safety equipment on the property. This refers to the smoke detector, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and so on. Depending on the requirements of each building in your area, the fire extinguisher should be updated and the alarms thoroughly tested to guarantee the safety of clients.

Turn Appliances On/Off

Look into the appliances that already form part of the rental property such as the microwave oven, the dishwasher, the garbage disposal, the refrigerator, and so on. Doing so in front of the tenant helps show them how they work and more importantly, that they are in good working condition. 

Open and Close Cabinets

Next up, make sure to open and close the cabinets just to see if there is wear and tear from the previous tenants. The cabinet could be stuck up or it may not open as smoothly as it did before. This is something you can note on your rental walkthrough checklist so you know the status of the drawers beforehand. Remove any material found inside the cabinet. Typically, it’s something a previous tenant left over. 

Check the Plumbing

An apartment walkthrough checklist template is never complete without going through the plumbing. You want to turn the tap on and off while showcasing every aspect of the property. You want to show the prospective tenant that all the faucets, sink, tub, and drainage are all in good working order. By extension, you want to check for any cracks or dents in the plumbing, which could indicate pre-existing damage. Take note of those items in your notebook. 

Spot the Electricals

Once you’ve checked the water, the next step is to look at the lights and other electrical aspects of the room. We’re talking about testing out all the lights to see that they work, using all the outlets to ensure that electricity is available, and leading tenants towards the main switches. It’s only right that they are told exactly where the main control panel for the power is located, allowing them to turn it on or off as needed during the moving-in process.

Take Pictures and Videos

It’s not uncommon for the tenant and property owner to have disputes during the term of the lease. The dispute can be due to the status of the property before moving in or what it looks like right before moving out. This is why landlords today make a point of taking pictures or even capturing the whole walkthrough on video. This serves as an excellent reference and backup should there be any problems later on in the lease. During the whole process, just make sure to inform your tenant about your intention to take videos and gain their approval before continuing the process.

Take Note of Unique Features

Finally, don’t forget to write down the unique features of every property. There’s almost always something that stands out from all other properties such as a standout bathroom, a walk-in closet, or a massive master bedroom. The property’s unique features should be noted to help create a paper trail for future use.

Check the Outdoor Property

Of course, the interior of the house is just a small part of the walkthrough. Properties with porches, decks, terraces, gardens, or driveways should also be looked at. Special attention should be given to the driveway and the decks where damage can easily occur. Since these items are located outdoors, tenants have less control over what happens to them, especially during bad weather. However, it still helps to take note of their current situation prior to move in day.

Follow a Template

You should be able to get a readymade apartment walkthrough checklist template from sites that extend help to property owners. These sites will give you a complete list of the standard items that form part of the inspection. From there, you can make small adjustments to meet the specific needs of your property. The beauty of these templates is that they already cover most bases and ensure that you won’t forget anything during the walkthrough. 

Have Your Tenant Sign

Of course, don’t forget that a rental walkthrough forms part of the contract. This is why it’s not enough to just have a checklist with you and write down every single aspect of the property. At the end of the walkthrough, the checklist should be signed and dated by both the property manager and the prospective tenant. This is an acknowledgment between both parties where they agree that this is the condition of the property before being turned over to the tenant. This is effectively the benchmark and any deviation from the benchmark, outside of the normal wear and tear, subjects the tenant to additional liabilities.

The law requires landlords to meet multiple guidelines in order to continue renting out property. A complete rental walkthrough is just one of those requirements but unfortunately, not all property owners are in the position to get it done. Obtaining the help of third-party property managers can go a long way in ensuring that owners meet all the requirements set for landlords. Expert managers typically have a ready apartment walkthrough checklist that helps cover all bases and keeps you protected as the property owner.