Page 15 - The Ultimate Lanlord Guide_Neat

So now what happens if you arrive for the exit inspection, but the tenant has already left and is
not there?

Firstly, it is the landlord’s responsibility to arrange the exit inspect. Be sure that you have
invited the tenant to the inspection at the specific and pre-agreed day and time. Make sure
that this invitation has been recorded in writing, either by keeping a copy of the email, text
message or WhatsApp conversation. If you have done this and the tenant has not responded
to your invitation, or has not arrived, you can go ahead and do the inspection, and record the
condition of the property without the tenant.

If the tenant has not been invited to the exit
inspection, you CANNOT go ahead with the
inspection, first invite the tenant, give them a
reasonable time to respond, then go ahead with the
inspection.

BE AWARE – if the tenant has absconded, the same
applies, first invite them (to the email address or
phone number on record – or better still send a
registered letter to their domiciliam address, which is
your vacant property, as there is no better proof than
the copy of the registered letter) to attend the
inspection.

If the tenant has not been invited to the exit inspection, you CANNOT go ahead with the
inspection, first invite the tenant, give them a reasonable time to respond, then go ahead with
the inspection.

BE AWARE – if the tenant has absconded, the same applies, first invite them (to the email
address or phone number on record – or better still send a registered letter to their domiciliam
address, which is your vacant property, as there is no better proof than the copy of the
registered letter) to attend the inspection.

Besides for the above, failure by the landlord to inspect the property in the presence of the tenant, is
deemed to be an acknowledgement by the landlord that the property is in a good state of repair and
the landlord will have no further claim against the tenant.

The deposit plus interest can now be used to pay for any repairs that the tenant is liable for (if
any) and the balance must be refunded to the tenant in terms of the timelines discussed in the
deposit section.

Etchells and Young Property Brokers P A G E 1 4