What is a condition report?
What should your property condition report look like?
Property condition reports are an important part of keeping accurate records about your investment properties. These reports are important, while allowing for fair wear and tear, it provides all parties with a record of the property’s condition to make property maintenance and dispute resolution more straightforward. This article outlines what should be included in your property condition report to ensure it covers everything.
Start with the entry condition report
An entry condition report should include the working condition of all appliances, water and electricity connections, lighting, doors, windows, and other parts of the property. Any existing damage should be noted so it’s clear that the new tenants did not cause it. This may include things such as marks and dents on walls, carpet, kitchen benches and other surfaces. Once the rental provider or property manager has completed the entry condition report, the renter will then need to complete the document by comparing the condition of the property when they move in to the rental providers or property manager’s notes on the entry condition report.
When new renter move into a property, they have five days to complete and return the entry condition report. And if there are discrepancies between the property manager’s report and the comments made by the renters, the property manager will meet with the renters to resolve any issues.
It is best to try to work together to sort out any disagreements about the condition report. However, if the renter or rental provider thinks that the condition report is wrong or incomplete, either can apply to VCAT to make a decision. They must do this within 30 days of the start of the rental agreement.
Complete an exit condition report at the end of each tenancy agreement
As the name implies, the exit condition report is completed when the renter vacates the rental property. The exit condition report compares the property's condition at the end of the tenancy agreement to when the renter moved in. Any new damage that hasn’t been documented on the entry condition report is deemed damage that happened in the most recent tenancy.
Items to include in property condition reports
It’s important to be thorough in property condition reports by following a list of all items to check room by room. Your property condition report should include a space to check and comment on the condition of all surfaces, fixtures and fittings. This is done most efficiently by splitting the report into rooms, including the property entry, loungeroom and living areas, kitchen, bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms, toilet, laundry, and outdoor areas. Other general items that should be included are smoke alarms, security systems, electrical safety switches, hot water systems, locks, remotes, and storage rooms or cages.
Here at PH Property we use the latest technology to ensure the most detailed report for our rental providers. We use 360 degree cameras to capture every room, click on link to view the camera in action. 360 degree camera