Landlord Inspection Checklist: Guide for South London Landlords

One of the duties of a landlord is to carry out periodic inspections to make sure the rental property is in good condition and pick up issues affecting your tenants’ wellbeing. When the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 comes into effect on 1 May 2026, they will be more important than ever. The new landlord rules apply across England, so you’ll need to catch up to whether you rent out a property in Rotherhithe, New Cross, Canary Wharf, Lewisham or Southwark.

If you’re a prospective landlord looking to rent out property in the south east London areas of Bermondsey, Surrey Quays, Bow, Deptford, or Canada Water, read on for our essential guide to the landlord inspection checklist.

What is a landlord inspection checklist?

A landlord inspection checklist lays out all the key things you should be looking for when you visit the rental property.

Not only are they best practice, landlord property inspection checklists will become a crucial compliance tool under the Renters’ Right Act 2025. By keeping regular records, you can detect poor upkeep earlier and demonstrate that you have maintained your property’s conditions to required standards.

With this is mind, rental inspection checklists for landlords should cover everything from tenant safety and hazards to health, through to breaches of the tenancy agreement and even illegal activity. It complements the landlord inventory checklist you worked through at the start of the tenancy to ascertain the condition/presence of items within the property.

You can create your own checklist that works for your property or download one of the many landlord inspection checklists available online – there are even apps you can install that do the job for you. Read on for a suggestion of what to include on your landlord property inspection checklist template.

Why do you need a checklist for landlord inspection?

You won’t carry out a landlord inspection too frequently, so you want to make sure your visit is business-like and productive. A good checklist means you can work through the property room by room without missing any key details.

The Renters’ Rights Act’s inclusion of the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law will hand landlords a greater responsibility to detect hazards and resolve them within a fixed timeframe. Documented inspections showing proactive hazard identification of the likes of damp, mould, fire hazards and hygiene concerns, and will be essential evidence of compliance, with your landlord routine inspection checklist showing due diligence.

House inspection checklist – what to include

Your routine landlord inspection checklist should include these checks:

• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms – Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, you must test them and replace batteries or alarms if needed.
• Fire escapes – As required by law, make sure fire escape routes are clear of anything that could block someone’s exit.
• Security – Check that the locks on windows and doors are secure and in good working order. Don’t forget shared access points, such as the garden gate or an apartment building’s main entrance.
• Heating and hot water – While you’ll have arranged the mandatory gas and electricity safety checks before your tenants moved in, this is a vital area to cover. Boilers need servicing annually, and a gas safety check by an approved engineer.
• Appliances – Work through all the appliances you have supplied for signs of wear and tear. Check with the tenants that everything is working properly.
• Electrics – Check sockets and light fittings for any signs of wear or malfunction.
• Ventilation – Ventilation is important in preventing condensation, damp and mould. Check extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens are working, and that windows open freely.
• Damp and mould – Check for evidence of any damp or mould which could seriously affect your tenants’ health. Look out for signs of penetrating damp from a broken pipe or gutter.
• Plumbing – Check for drips from taps and toilets or leaks from pipes and evidence of blocked sinks or drains. Flush the toilet, and briefly run the taps and shower, to test them.
• Cleaning – See how well the tenants are taking care of the home. Are they keeping it reasonably clean – you’ll need to address this with them, if not. Health and hygiene are prominent under new private rental laws.
• Pests – Look too for signs of pest infestations from the likes of mice, rats, cockroaches, fleas and bedbugs – and the cleanliness issues that could be attracting them.
• Outside space – Is it clean and tidy, are the bins being emptied and are the tenants keeping on top of the garden, if that’s in the tenancy agreement?
• Gutters, downpipes and external drainage – Inspect their condition and look for signs of blockages or overflow, such as sagging or stains.
• Tenant communication – Ask the tenants if they have any maintenance concerns or repair requests. Some issues may show up during daily use but not be immediately apparent during a landlord inspection.
• Damage – Look or any damage you haven’t been informed about by your tenant. Expect some wear and tear in a rental property but look out for anything that goes beyond what’s reasonable and could be caused by negligence. Record evidence of any damage.
• Breaches of the tenancy – Check for signs that things aren’t as they should be. Could there be a pet on the property, is the tenant smoking or could they be subletting?
• Illegal activity – On a more serious note, look out for any evidence of law breaking – a cannabis farm in the loft for example. Such things are rare but worth being aware of.

Room-by-room landlord property inspection checklist

Walk round methodically room-by-room with your landlord house inspection checklist including these checks:

• Kitchen – Check the appliances, extractor fan, plumbing under sink, worktop condition and fire safety – no tea towels near the hob etc.
• Bathroom – Inspect the condition of the sealant around the bath or shower, ensure ventilation is adequate, test the toilet flush and fill, and look for signs of mould or damp.
• Living areas – Check the walls, flooring, light fittings, radiators and windows of each room.
• Bedrooms – Test the smoke alarms, check window locks, and inspect for signs of condensation or damp behind the furniture. Other than visible mould, you may notice damp patches, peeling wallpaper or a damp, musty odour.
• Hallways and communal areas – Check the appliances, extractor fan, plumbing under sink, worktop condition and fire safety – no tea towels near the hob etc.
• Outside – Don’t forget to inspect the garden and outdoor areas. Check the external walls, guttering and fencing as well as the general upkeep and bins.

When and how often should you carry out an inspection?

Most landlords carry out inspections once or twice a year. If your tenants have just moved in you might want to schedule a visit during the first three months to check things are going ok. If your tenants have been with you for a while with no issues, however, you may not need more than an annual visit.

However, quarterly inspections could be valuable under the new regulations. For example, if the property is susceptible to damp and mould then you will want to identify and remedy the problem swiftly.

Can tenants refuse entry for inspection?

Landlords must give their tenants 24 hours’ written notice before a visit and get their permission – you can’t just turn up unannounced. It’s a good idea to give more notice than that to make sure they can rearrange any work commitments. It is also worth writing inspection schedule into your tenancy agreement in advance and reinforcing to your tenants that the inspection is as much for their benefit as yours.

Tenants do have the right to refuse. A landlord can only force entry during a genuine emergency, such as a suspected gas leak or serious flooding. The Renters’ Rights Act strengthens tenant protections, making a cooperative relationship more crucial than ever to landlord inspections.

What should landlords do after an inspection?

After visiting the property follow this landlord post-inspection checklist to form good records:

• Record findings in writing – file all photographs and notes for each room
• Share a summary with the tenant and agree on any actions
• Schedule and follow up on any repairs or maintenance
• Keep inspection reports on file – these are important evidence of compliance under Awaab’s Law
• Update the inventory if anything has changed

Future rules changes

The new Renters Rights Bill is now law, and will add to the responsibilities you have as a landlord. The Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent in October 2025 and Phase 1 takes effect 1 May 2026, with further measures to follow across the next couple of years.

A key measure, Awaab’s Law, is being extended to private landlords. Landlords must investigate hazards like damp and mould within set timeframes – emergencies within 24 hours, other hazards within 10 working days. Remediation must then be completed promptly. The Decent Homes Standard will also apply to private rentals for the first time. Properties must meet baseline standards for safety, state of repair and energy efficiency, or landlords could attract penalties.

Local authorities now have enhanced enforcement powers to issue fines of up to £7,000 for non-compliance, rising to £40,000 for repeat offences. With health and safety being top priorities under the new private rental rules, regular inspections can be the landlord’s best defence. Proactively identifying issues can protect tenants, and also protect the landlord from penalties and failed possession claims.

Can we help?

With the Renters’ Rights Act in force, getting inspections right is more important than ever. As such, regular inspections using a good landlord inspection checklist can protect the property, the tenants and the landlord’s legal position.

If you’re a new landlord in of Bermondsey, Surrey Quays, Bow, Deptford, Rotherhithe, Canada Water, New Cross, Canary Wharf, Lewisham or Southwark, chat to us about our property management services. We can take care of many aspects of renting out property for you – including landlord inspection, so give us a call today.