Do you get inspector to do routine building inspection?

[OneStepCloser]

Hi, just wonder how often do you get a building inspector to inspect your property? How do you know if your property need any building maintenance (such as painting of of exterior walls, roof, roof structure, foundation etc)? Or do you just leave it after pre-purchase inspection until something goes wrong? As I understand the property manager will not check these things.

Thanks.

[Don't believe the Hype]

A property manager should very much indicate any maintenance required... They are a PROPERTY manager... Not a tenant manager.

If you live near your investment properties you can drive past to do visual inspection of exterior to determine repaint/guttering/roofing related maintenance. I also attend routine inspections with PM to assess internal condition.

there is also an expectation that tenants should notify in a timely manner any maintenance issues. Ensure tenants know their obligations here.

[Nick G]

I am paying a 7k bill for some water damage nobody spotted over 7 years. I don't think the PM would have noticed it and don't expect them to have that expertise. However if they had asked the tenant about dampness it would have come up for sure. Just highlighted the value of knowing your PM's processes.

[Champion78]

The reason I ask is when I get a pre-purchase inspection report, its say the roof structure is in good condition but routine checking and maintenance is required due to its age (1970's). And I do not expect the PM would go to the roof every year and understand when maintenance is required - or should I expect that?

Nick - so do you or are you going to get building inspector to check it regularly?

[flyernzl]

I am paying a 7k bill for some water damage nobody spotted over 7 years. I don't think the PM would have noticed it and don't expect them to have that expertise.

When I do my regular property inspections I always take a moisture-meter.
It's just a small hand-held one, less than $100 at the Tool Shed.
I always check the moisture level is the floor around the HWC, the kitchen, the laundry, the room or hallway that backs onto the shower, and in the toilet area.
And I record the results. Anything high - I investigate.

I would expect a competent PM to do the same.

[Monsterbishi]

The only inspections I trust as comprehensive are the ones I do myself, even the building inspection that I paid for when purchasing my last property, whilst very good, was limited by time constraints, environmental conditions and new daft new H&S laws.

ie. The inspector wasn't allowed on the roof without scaffolding, or even onto the top rung of his ladder - whereas I have access to a entire fleet of elevated platform vehicles :-)

[FJW]

Hi One Step Closer

Property managers should be trained in basic building maintenance, although not many of them are unfortunately.

Why don't you make it an annual task that you do at least one inspection a year yourself just for your piece of mind or advise the PM what you want checked at the inspection and for photos to be taken?

Hope that helps

Fraser

[Champion78]

Hi Fraser,

Thanks for your advise. That's what I want to find out - whether it is required for me to take extra care, and it seems like it does.
The only tricky part is I invest out of town which could be a bit more harder, although still achievable.

Thanks again.

[flyernzl]

Prime example today.

Went out with my wife to do regular inspections on her three rental units.
Bunged the moisture meter into the living room carpeted floor at the doorway through to the kitchen, and the reading went off the top. Yikes!

A bit of checking around seems to reveal no damp areas near the HWC or the adjacent bathroom. A bit of a mystery.

One of the other units needs the services of a plumber (undersink wastepipe leak) so she'll get him to check this place out as well while he is on site.

It might just be the result of someone spilling liquid on the floor fairly recently, so we have scheduled a repeat check in three weeks time to see if the level of reading has dropped. If not, we may need to investigate further.

So there you are - a cursory visual inspection would not have picked this up. Water is your unseen enemy.