Landlord Inspection Checklist UK: Room by Room, With Evidence That Holds Up
A good inspection does two jobs. It shows you how the property is being looked after, and it gives you a dated record you can rely on if there is ever a dispute over the deposit or the condition of the home. This checklist covers the three inspections most UK landlords carry out: move-in, interim (mid-tenancy) and move-out.
The free PDF template is a blank A4 checklist you can print and fill in by hand, with tick boxes, comments and a photo reference for every item. No email needed.
Download the free PDF template (174 KB)
Before you start
- Give notice. Tenants have a right to quiet enjoyment. Give written notice before an inspection (24 hours is the usual minimum in most tenancy agreements) and agree a time.
- Bring the last report. Comparing against the previous inspection is what turns a walk-round into evidence.
- Charge your phone. Photos and short notes are the backbone of the report.
The room-by-room checklist
Work through each room in the same order every time. Consistency makes comparisons easy. The same list is in the free PDF template if you want to print it.
Download the free PDF template (174 KB)
Every room
- Walls and ceilings: marks, cracks, holes, signs of damp or mould
- Floors and carpets: stains, wear, burns, lifting edges
- Windows: open, close and lock; seals; condensation; restrictors upstairs
- Doors: hinges, handles, locks
- Lights, switches and sockets (visual check only)
- Radiators and heating controls
- Curtain rails, blinds, fitted furniture
Kitchen
- Hob, oven and extractor: clean and working
- Fridge and freezer seals
- Under-sink: leaks, water damage
- Worktops and cupboard doors
- Washing machine hoses, if supplied
Bathroom
- Sealant around bath, shower and basin
- Extractor fan working
- Taps, shower pressure, drainage
- Tiles and grout; any mould
Safety items
- Smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (except gas cookers). In England these must be checked as working on the first day of each new tenancy. Source: gov.uk smoke and CO alarm guidance.
- Fire blanket and extinguisher, if provided
- Gas appliances: no obvious damage or soot marks (the annual check itself must be done by a Gas Safe engineer)
Outside and general
- Gutters, garden and boundaries (if the tenant is responsible, note the condition)
- Bins and storage
- Meter readings, with photos
- Keys: count and record each set
How to record condition so it holds up
The deposit scheme adjudicator will judge a dispute on evidence. Vague words such as "good" or "fair" don't help. Instead:
- Describe, don't grade. "Two 5cm scuffs on wall left of door" beats "minor marks".
- Photograph everything, close and wide. A wide shot shows where; a close-up shows what.
- Date and time everything. Timestamped reports are hard to argue with.
- Share the report with the tenant. Ask them to review it and raise anything they disagree with. Shelter also advises tenants to check and agree the inventory, so expect them to look.
- Keep it with the property's other records. Your inspection reports, certificates and correspondence should all live in one place.
Deposits must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving them (gov.uk), and the evidence you collect at move-in is what you'll rely on at the end.
Move-in vs interim vs move-out
| Inspection | Purpose | Key focus |
|---|---|---|
| Move-in | Baseline record | Every item, meters, keys, alarms tested |
| Interim | Spot problems early | Damp, leaks, safety items, general care |
| Move-out | Compare to baseline | Damage vs fair wear and tear, cleaning, keys |
Interim inspections are a good time to catch condensation and mould early, fix small leaks before they become big ones, and check alarms are still working.
Paper, spreadsheet or inspection app?
A printed checklist works. The problem is what happens afterwards: photos sit in your camera roll, notes are on paper, and putting a report together takes an evening.
A landlord inspection app pulls those together. When comparing property inspection apps in the UK, look for:
- Room-by-room structure with photos and notes attached to each item
- Move-in, interim and move-out inspection types
- A timestamped PDF report you can send to the tenant straight away
- Storage for your certificates alongside your reports
- Works offline (signal in a cellar or a new-build stairwell is unreliable)
Get Landlord HQ on the App Store.
Disclosure: we make Landlord HQ, an iPhone app built for UK private landlords. It does room-by-room move-in, interim and move-out inspections with photos and notes, creates a timestamped PDF report you can email to your tenant from the app, and stores your Gas Safety, EICR, EPC, HMO licence and PAT records with reminders 60 and 30 days before they expire. It works offline and syncs through iCloud. Download it on the App Store.
FAQ
How often should a landlord inspect a property in the UK?
There is no single legal frequency. Many landlords do an interim inspection every three to six months, but check your tenancy agreement and always give written notice.
Is an inventory or inspection report a legal requirement?
No, but without one it is very hard to prove the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy if you need to claim from the deposit. Gov.uk's How to Rent guide recommends agreeing an inventory: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent
Can I enter without the tenant's permission?
Except in an emergency, you should give notice and arrange access with the tenant.
What's the best landlord inspection app?
The one that produces clear, dated, photo-backed reports you'll actually use. Try a free tier on a real inspection before paying.
Sources
- Smoke and CO alarms: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarms-explanatory-booklet-for-landlords
- Deposit protection: https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection
- How to Rent: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent