Landlord Inspection Report Template and Photo Checklist

A good inspection report is a factual condition record and action plan. It respects the tenant’s home, distinguishes observation from diagnosis and connects each concern to a responsible person and follow-up date.

For non-emergency access in England, GOV.UK says landlords must normally give at least 24 hours’ notice for inspection or repairs. The tenancy and circumstances still matter, so arrange visits clearly and lawfully.

Report header

• Property and tenancy.
• Inspection date, time and purpose.
• Notice and access record.
• People present.
• Weather or occupancy context relevant to the observations.

Room-by-room structure

For each space, record:

1. General condition.
2. Water, damp or mould indicators.
3. Heating and ventilation observations.
4. Electrical or fire-safety concerns visible to the inspector.
5. Doors, windows, floors and obvious trip or fall risks.
6. Tenant-reported issues.
7. Photograph references.
8. Action, owner, priority and target date.

Photo checklist

• Front and rear exterior where relevant.
• Each room from a consistent wide angle.
• Specific defect in context and close-up.
• Meter readings only when part of the visit.
• Alarm or certificate labels where inspection of them is appropriate.
• Completed remedial work at follow-up.

Use neutral language

Write “dark discolouration visible above north-facing window; tenant reports it returned two weeks after cleaning” rather than “tenant caused mould”. Diagnosis belongs to a competent assessment. Neutral language protects the quality of the record.

Turn every concern into an action

Use four practical states: no action, monitor, investigate or repair. Add urgency, responsible person and next date. If a concern indicates immediate risk, leave the routine inspection flow and begin the appropriate safety response.

After the visit

1. Share an appropriate summary with the tenant.
2. Create repair cases rather than hiding work inside the inspection PDF.
3. Assign compliance or contractor follow-up.
4. Record delivery and responses.
5. Schedule the next review only after open actions are visible.

How Tendmere connects the evidence

Tendmere links an inspection to the property timeline and turns identified issues into contextual repair or compliance work. The original inspection remains evidence; the follow-up lives as an accountable case with its own status and history.

Use the companion council inspection preparation guide and heating repair timeline.

This template is general operational guidance. It is not a professional survey, hazard assessment or legal opinion.