A routine apartment inspection for property managers: unit door and hall, living areas, kitchen, every bedroom and bathroom, laundry, balcony, smoke and CO alarms, leaks and mould, and care of the unit against the lease — ending in a repair list that says whether each item is wear and tear, tenant damage or a building fault.
Unit Details
Which unit, who lives there, and why you are visiting.
Inspection Title
Reference
Building or property owner
Address
Apartment number, as shown on its door
Bedrooms and bathrooms
Tenant or tenants on the lease
Lease start and end
Reason for this visit — Routine periodic inspection, Annual inspection, Before a lease renewal, Follow-up to a repair or complaint, After a leak or other event, Other
Date written notice was given
Was a tenant at home for the inspection?
Your Company
Inspected by
Your Role
Date
Time
Since the Last Visit
What was promised last time, and what has been reported since.
Were the repairs listed at the last inspection all completed? — Yes, No, N/A
Which are still outstanding, and why?
Has the tenant logged maintenance requests since then?
What did they report, and has it been dealt with?
Unit Door, Entry and Hall
The way in, and the space just inside it.
Does the unit front door close, latch and lock properly, with the deadbolt and peephole working? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Where the entry door is a fire door, does it swing shut and latch by itself? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Does the door-entry handset call through and release the building door? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is the hall closet sound — doors running, rail and shelf firm? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are hall walls, ceiling and floor free of holes, stains and water marks? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Do hall lights, switches and outlets work, with every cover plate in place? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Notes on the entry and hall
Photographs — entry and hall
Living and Dining Areas
The main room, and anywhere the household eats.
Are walls and ceilings free of holes, cracks, damp patches and fixings nobody approved? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is the floor finish sound — carpet unstained and lying flat, hard floors unscratched and level? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Do the windows open, shut and lock, with glass uncracked and insect screens whole? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are blinds or curtains complete, and do they work? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Do light fittings, switches and power outlets work, with no cover plates missing? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Do interior doors open and close without sticking, with handles intact? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are baseboards, skirting and door trim intact? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
If the unit is let furnished, is the furniture all there and in reasonable shape? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Notes on living and dining
Photographs — living and dining
Kitchen
Appliances, plumbing, and the surfaces that take the most wear.
Do all burners or hob zones heat, with knobs and controls intact? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Does the oven heat, with its door seal, light and racks in place? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Do the range hood fan and light work, and is the grease filter reasonably clean? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is the refrigerator cold, with door seals closing tight and shelves unbroken? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Does the dishwasher run and drain, with no leak at the door or underneath? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Do the sink taps run hot and cold, and is the cupboard under the sink dry? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Does the waste disposal unit run without jamming or leaking? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are cupboard doors, hinges and drawer runners sound? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are worktops free of burns, cuts, chips and lifting edges? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Do the GFCI or RCD-protected outlets near the sink trip and reset? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are kitchen walls, ceiling and floor free of damage, grease build-up and water staining? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Notes on the kitchen
Photographs — kitchen
Bedrooms
One entry per bedroom — add as many as the unit has.
Bedrooms inspected
Which bedroom
Walls and ceiling free of holes, marks and damp patches? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Carpet or floor finish clean, flat and undamaged? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Window opens, locks, and has a whole insect screen? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Blinds or curtains complete and working? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Bedroom door, handle and any lock working? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Wardrobe or closet doors, rail and shelving sound? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Lights, switches and outlets all working? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Smoke alarm in or just outside this room sounds on test? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Window usable as a way out — not blocked, and any bars release from inside? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
What needs attention in this room?
Photos of this bedroom
Bathrooms
One entry per bathroom or toilet — where most leaks start.
Bathrooms inspected
Which bathroom
Toilet flushes, refills and stops, and sits firm on the floor? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Basin, taps and vanity sound, with no drip and a dry cupboard floor? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Bath or shower drains freely, with the mixer and shower head working? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Caulking and grout round the bath, shower and basin unbroken and free of mould? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Extractor fan runs and actually pulls air? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Walls, ceiling and floor free of mould, peeling paint and soft spots? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
GFCI or RCD-protected outlet trips and resets? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Window or vent opens and closes? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
What needs attention in this bathroom?
Photos of this bathroom
Laundry
Machines, hoses and the dryer duct.
Does the unit have its own washer, dryer or laundry hookups?
Are the washer fill hoses free of bulges and cracks, with no drip at the taps? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Does the washer drain away properly, with the floor around the machines dry? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is the dryer duct connected and the lint screen and duct free of build-up? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are the laundry tub, cupboard and floor in reasonable condition? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Notes on the laundry
Balcony, Patio or Yard
The outdoor space that belongs to this unit.
Does the unit have a balcony, patio or private yard?
Does the sliding or patio door run, lock and seal, with its screen intact? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is the railing firm, with no loose balusters or gaps a small child could get through? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is the surface sound, falling away from the building, with drains clear? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Does the outside light work? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Does the outdoor outlet have its weather cover, and does it trip on test? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Are barbecues, heaters and stored items kept the way the building rules allow? — Yes, No, N/A
Photographs — outdoor space
Safety and Building Systems
Alarms, power, heat, hot water — and any sign of water where it should not be.
Has every smoke alarm in the unit been tested, and did each one sound? — Yes, No, N/A
Where there are gas appliances, a fireplace or an attached garage, is a working carbon monoxide alarm fitted? — Yes, No, N/A
Can you reach the breaker panel, with its cover on and circuits labelled? — Yes, No, N/A
Do heating and cooling respond to their controls, with filters reasonably clean? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is the water heater free of leaks and rust at the base, with its relief valve pipe in place? — Good, Repair needed, N/A
Is there no sign of water getting in or leaking down — ceiling stains, swollen skirting, damp under windows? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the unit free of visible mould and of a persistent damp smell? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the unit free of signs of pests — droppings, live insects, bed bug spotting? — Yes, No, N/A
Where the landlord supplies a fire extinguisher or blanket, is it there and usable? — Yes, No, N/A
Notes on safety and systems
Photographs — safety and systems
Care of the Unit and Lease Terms
How the home is being kept. Record what you saw, not what you suspect.
Are you checking care of the unit and lease terms on this visit?
Is the unit kept reasonably clean, without rubbish building up? — Yes, No, N/A
Is there no sign of smoking where the lease forbids it — smell, ash, yellowed ceilings? — Yes, No, N/A
Are any animals in the unit ones the lease permits? — Yes, No, N/A
Does the household appear to match the people named on the lease? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the unit free of changes nobody approved — new locks, painted walls, holes for TV mounts? — Yes, No, N/A
Are doors and windows kept clear enough to get out in an emergency? — Yes, No, N/A
Is the unit free of hazards the household brought in — overloaded power strips, heaters near curtains? — Yes, No, N/A
Anything the tenant raised with you during the visit
Repairs and Sign-Off
What gets fixed, who pays, and who signed.
Did you find anything needing a same-day response — a leak, a gas smell, a silent smoke alarm, a hazard?
What was it, and who did you call?
Repairs and follow-ups
What needs fixing
Room and exact spot
Most likely cause — Ordinary wear and tear, Tenant damage, Building or plumbing fault, Not sure yet
Who will deal with it — Landlord or maintenance team, Tenant, Building management or HOA, Outside contractor
How soon — Today, Within a week, Within a month, At next turnover
Due by
Photo
Does the tenant need a written follow-up about care of the unit or the lease?
Overall condition of the unit — Well kept, Acceptable, Needs attention, Poor
Summary for the owner
Any other photographs
Next routine inspection due
Property manager — signature
Tenant who walked round with you
Tenant — signature
Property Management
Apartment Inspection Checklist
A routine apartment inspection for property managers: unit door and hall, living areas, kitchen, every bedroom and bathroom, laundry, balcony, smoke and CO alarms, leaks and mould, and care of the unit against the lease — ending in a repair list that says whether each item is wear and tear, tenant damage or a building fault.
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An apartment inspection checklist is what a property manager carries into an occupied unit on a routine visit: a room-by-room look at the fixtures, the safety devices and the way the home is being kept, so small repairs are caught before they become large ones and lease problems are raised while they are still easy conversations. This one repeats for as many bedrooms and bathrooms as the unit has, and you can fill it in here and download a finished PDF without creating an account.
A routine visit, not a move-in or move-out record
Three different inspections get called an apartment inspection. The move-in record documents the unit on the day a tenant takes possession; the move-out record compares the unit against it when they leave, and decides what comes out of the deposit. Both are about evidence, and both have their own templates in this library — the move-in / move-out inspection and the rental property inspection.
This form is the third kind: the periodic visit during the tenancy. Its job is maintenance and care. Is anything leaking, failing or unsafe? Is the tenant looking after the place? Are there pets, occupants or alterations the lease does not allow? It ends in a repair list, not a deposit deduction.
Notice, consent and staying in your lane
Almost every jurisdiction requires written notice before a landlord or manager enters an occupied home for an inspection, and many limit how often routine inspections can happen. The period varies — commonly 24 to 48 hours in US states, and set by state law in Australia and by the tenancy agreement and legislation in the UK. Check yours, and record the date notice was given at the top of the form.
You are inspecting the unit, not the tenant's life. Open cupboards that hold fixtures — the one under the sink, the one with the water heater — but do not search belongings, and photograph damage rather than possessions. Record what you saw, not what you suspect.
Where the damage hides
Most of what a routine visit catches is water, and most of it is in a few places:
The base of the cabinet under the kitchen sink and each bathroom vanity. Feel it — slow drips swell the board long before anyone notices a puddle.
Around the base of each toilet. A toilet that rocks has usually been leaking for a while.
Caulking along the bath and shower. A gap lets water into the floor below — sometimes into the unit below.
Ceilings under bathrooms and around windows, for brown rings and bubbling paint.
The bathroom extractor. A fan that hums but pulls no air is usually the cause of the mould on the ceiling.
The washer hoses and the floor around the machine.
Wear and tear or damage — decide on the day
Each repair in the list asks what caused it: ordinary wear, tenant damage, a building fault, or not yet known. Deciding on the day, with a photo, is fairer to everyone than deciding at move-out from memory.
Wear and tear is the slow decline of things used normally — carpet flattened along walkways, paint faded by sun, a hinge that has loosened over years. Damage is something that happened: a hole in a wall, a burn on a worktop, a pet-scratched door. When you are not sure, say so, and describe what you can see.
Common questions
How often should an apartment be inspected?
Routine inspections every three to six months are common, with some managers moving to once a year for long, trouble-free tenancies. Local law may cap the frequency or set the notice you must give, so check before you set a schedule. Add a visit after any reported leak or repair.
Does the tenant need to be present?
Usually not, provided proper notice was given, though many managers prefer it — a tenant who is there will point out the things that are bothering them, and problems get agreed on the spot. The form records whether they were present and anything they raised.
What should an apartment inspection checklist include?
Each room's walls, floors, windows, doors and fittings; the kitchen appliances and plumbing; each bathroom's toilet, basin, shower, sealants and fan; smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; the electrical panel and outlets; heating and cooling; signs of leaks, mould and pests; and how the unit is being kept against the lease.
Should the tenant sign the inspection report?
It is good practice to offer, and to send them a copy either way. A signature confirms they saw the report, not that they agree with every line. If they disagree, ask them to put it in writing so it sits beside the report.
What if I find a lease breach during the inspection?
Record what you saw, factually, with a photo where it is appropriate, and follow up in writing afterwards rather than arguing it out in the unit. Unauthorised pets, extra occupants or smoking are matters for the lease process, and the remedy depends on your jurisdiction.
What counts as an urgent repair?
Anything that threatens safety or causes ongoing damage: an active leak, a gas smell, no heat in cold weather, a smoke alarm that will not sound, exposed wiring, a door that will not lock. Report these the same day and do not wait for the written report to go out.