Fact sheet - Property inspections
Easy guide - Property inspections
When you first move into your Homes Tasmania home, it will be clean and in good condition. It is important that your home is kept in this condition while you are living there. Homes Tasmania will visit your home to do a condition of property inspection to make sure it is clean and well looked after. Property inspections usually happen before you move in and then once a year after that.
Sometimes we do extra inspections, such as if an urgent repair has been done or if we asked you to do some cleaning or fix some damage.
During your property inspection, we will also talk to you about how your tenancy is going. If you are having any problems, or if you need extra support, the inspection is a good time to talk to us.
When we do the inspection, make sure your pets are controlled and that you do not smoke. Only the tenant and other people who live in the house can be at the property when we do inspections.
Before you move in
Homes Tasmania will give you a property condition report, which means that you and Homes Tasmania have an agreed record of the condition of the home when you moved in. You should keep this with your copy of the lease.
The property condition report lists all the parts of the home. You can take photographs or talk to us about the report if you notice any damage that has not been recorded.
Within seven days of moving in you need to:
- complete the report
- sign it
- return it to Homes Tasmania.
If you do not return it, we will think you are happy with the report.
We will keep the report on file. When you move out, we will use this report as a record of the condition of the property when you moved in.
Regular property inspections
We will inspect the property about once a year. We must ask you before we inspect your home. We need to let you know at least 24 hours before we are coming. If the time of our visit doesn't suit you, you can make another time. We will visit during business hours.
If you cannot make it to the inspection, you can ask another adult to attend in your place. If we need to, we can enter the home even if no one is there. We are allowed to do this by law. The Residential Tenancy Act 1997 says that if we have told you the inspection is going to take place, we can go into the home even if you are not there.
This means you cannot avoid having an inspection by not being at home.
If you do not take care of the property, you may be breaking your lease. This could mean that we ask you to move out.
Repair work
Sometimes, we will ask you to do some cleaning or repairs. If there are serious problems with the property, we may ask you to complete a condition of property plan. This is a plan that we both agree on that will explain the work you will do and when you will do it.
If we have asked you to do some repair work or cleaning, we may organise a follow-up inspection to make sure this has been done.
Who does the inspection?
The inspection will be done by a staff member from Homes Tasmania. They will have photo identification (ID). You can ask to see this ID before you let anyone into your home.
An inspection usually takes 30 to 60 minutes.
Tenancy problems
Sometimes during the inspection, we will need to talk to you about other things, such as a rent account or other issue. If you are having any problems with your tenancy, we may ask you to talk to Housing Connect.
Housing Connect is the way of getting housing and support in Tasmania. They work out what kind of housing you need and can also help you find other support services.
When you move out
You need to tell us in writing at least 14 days before you want to move out.
When you move out, the home must be in the same condition it was in when you moved in. Some types of fair wear and tear are OK.
We will provide you with a copy of the property condition report that you completed when you moved in. You will need to make sure your home is in the same condition as listed on the property condition report.
If cleaning or repairs are required, you need to pay for this. The cleaning and repairs must be done to a good standard. If you move out and don't do the cleaning or repairs, we will ask our contractors to do the work. We will then send you the bill. This could be quite expensive. It is usually a lot cheaper to organise cleaning and repairs yourself.
Fair wear and tear
When we live in our homes for a while, some types of general wear and tear take place. For example, the carpet in a busy hallway may get worn down or the paint on the outside of the house may start to fade.
The person who inspects your home will talk to you about what is considered fair wear and tear. Issues such as broken glass (windows and shower screens), damage to walls or doors, untidy gardens, and rubbish that needs to be removed – are not fair wear and tear.
What you need to do and what we need to do
As a tenant, you are responsible for keeping your home clean and in good condition. If you don't take care of the property, you may be breaking your lease agreement. This could mean that we ask you to move out.
You also need to ask us before you make any changes to your home, such as renovations, building or painting. There is a fact sheet that explains making changes to your home. You can ask us for this, or you can find it on our website.
Homes Tasmania is responsible for:
- providing a home that is clean and in good condition when you move in
- checking to make sure that your home is safe and well maintained
- fixing things quickly if there is an emergency or if you need urgent repairs
- fixing things within 28 days if the repairs aren't urgent.
We do a lot of regular maintenance on our properties, such as painting and repairs.
We will also help you in an emergency. Examples of an emergency include part of your roof blowing off, or a fire or a flood.
Urgent maintenance is when something stops working, such as your hot water, electricity, sewerage, entire stove or cooktop, or heating. We may need to inspect your home after any emergency repairs have been done.
Maintenance and repairs
For all maintenance issues or repair requests, call 1300 665 663.
Greg's story
Greg lives in a Homes Tasmania home. He wanted to avoid having an inspection. He knew that a lot of rubbish had been piling up in the back yard.
When he received a letter from Homes Tasmania about the timing of the inspection, he made sure he wasn't home. Unfortunately for Greg, the Homes Tasmania officer went into the home anyway. The officer wrote a letter to Greg, asking for the rubbish to be removed. He said that if Greg didn't clean up the back yard, he would be breaking his lease agreement.
Greg cleaned up the rubbish. Homes Tasmania came back to check on Greg's progress while he cleaned up.
For more information contact Homes Tasmania
Phone: 1300 665 663