Does it sometimes feel like your landlord has only just had your rental home inspected before they\u2019re requesting to schedule another one?<\/strong><\/p>\n When it comes to rental inspections, as a tenant it\u2019s important to know the rules, as well as your rights.<\/p>\n While rarely convenient, rental inspections are a necessary part of the residential property system in order to protect property owners.<\/p>\n 99% of tenants and landlords work well together to ensure a property is maintained, however it\u2019s still important to remember the rules that govern what landlords and tenants can and can\u2019t do.<\/p>\n And though there can be slight variations on the rules and regulations from state to state, in general they\u2019re very similar and offer<\/a> you, as a tenant, key rights when it comes to the inspection of your home.<\/p>\n Although it\u2019s not fun having your landlord and\/or real estate<\/a> agent walk through your home, rental inspections are a necessary part of the residential property system. Picture: realestate.com.au\/rent<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Belle Property Annandale\u2019s head of property management, Lisa Stenning says landlords or agents can\u2019t simply turn up and ask to inspect your home, or tell you they\u2019re coming around the next day.<\/p>\n \u201cIt needs to be written notice and at least seven days in advance, for a routine inspection,\u201d Stenning says.<\/p>\n Landlords can enter the property on less than seven days\u2019 notice, but only if you agree to it, however in many cases agents will give tenants much more than the the requisite seven days.<\/p>\n For repairs or urgent maintenance situations, in some states landlords are only required to give two days notice.<\/p>\n But given this type of inspection is to fix something that\u2019s broken or not working within your property, chances are two days will be just fine.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a two-day notice to carry out ordinary repairs and maintenance,\u201d Let\u2019s Rent principal Lisa Indge says.<\/p>\n \u201cThen there\u2019s a two-day notice for checking smoke alarms, because of the health and safety aspect.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019ve got a complicated repair situation, it may be that the legislation says you can do four routine inspections per year, but it may be that you put one of those into a repair category, and if you don\u2019t get the access then how do you complete the repair?\u201d<\/p>\n Again, there\u2019s that aspect of working with your agent and your owner so you can get things done.\u201d<\/p>\n Your rights as a tenant when it comes to run-down rentals<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n How often your landlord or agent is permitted to inspect the property depends on the state in which it is situated.<\/p>\n In Victoria, it\u2019s a maximum of once every six months, while in New South Wales it\u2019s four times in any 12-month period.<\/p>\n \u201cA tenant must provide reasonable access, but they can refuse access if the owner tries to inspect more than four times in a year for the purpose of a routine inspection,\u201d Stenning says.<\/p>\n Some states also prevent routine inspections within the first three months of a tenancy.<\/p>\n This one is a consideration for both tenants and landlords.<\/p>\n Landlords or agents are able to inspect at any time within business hours, which means that if you would prefer to be present for the inspection, you\u2019ll need to be flexible.<\/p>\n Rather than seeing inspections as an invasion of your privacy, think of the agent as working with you too, to ensure your rental is up to standard. Picture: realestate.com.au\/rent<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt does have to be within business hours. Some tenants prefer to be there, and it\u2019s absolutely fine to request to be there during a routine inspection,\u201d Indge says.<\/p>\n \u201cBut from our perspective as agents, flexibility around that is also great.<\/p>\n \u201cAs agents, we work between 9 and 5, so don\u2019t ask us to come on a Sunday at 10 o\u2019clock.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe just want to have positive relationships with our tenants.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t about invading people\u2019s privacy, it\u2019s just about us doing our job and working with the tenants rather than against them.\u201d<\/p>\n Should you decide to move out of your rented property, you\u2019ll need to make the property available for agents to show prospective tenants through the property, as your tenancy nears its end.<\/p>\n \u201cTenants are obliged to give access for open house inspections within the last two weeks of their tenancy,\u201d Stenning says.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can refuse access prior to this, if they have given notice to vacate well in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n <\/p><\/div>\n Realestate au <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"rental](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.realestate.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/20011136\/rental-inspections_800x600.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nAdequate notice<\/h2>\n
Shorter notice<\/h2>\n
Frequency<\/h2>\n
Time of day<\/h2>\n
![\"rental](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.realestate.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/20011139\/rental-kitchen_800x600.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nOpen for inspections<\/h2>\n