Basic Landlord Inspection Checklist
by Vertask (verified provider)
A 33-item checklist of HUD and Home Forward unit requirements for landlords preparing a rental for inspection. Each item gets a Pass, Fail or N/A result and notes on any corrective action.
Free with a Vertask account. New workspaces start with a 30-day Pro trial, so you can import it straight away.
- 33 checklist items
- 10 sections
- 3 columns
- Version 1.0
- Updated Oct 26, 2026
About this template
A failed unit inspection can delay a lease, a move-in or a housing assistance payment. This checklist lists the basic living conditions a unit is expected to meet under HUD and Home Forward requirements, so you can walk the unit beforehand, find problems and fix them before the inspector arrives.
What the sections cover
- Utilities and Heat: utilities on at all times, garbage service, and working heat sources with no open-flame or portable heaters counted toward the heat requirement.
- Electrical Outlets and Plumbing: outlet and light fixture counts by room, intact cover plates, hot and cold water, leaks, drainage, a working toilet, separate kitchen and bathroom sinks, and P-traps.
- Appliances: stove burners, oven elements and knobs, refrigerator size and cooling, and water heater relief valves, discharge lines and strapping.
- Ventilation: bathroom windows or fans, bedroom and living room windows, cracked glass and weather seals.
- Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Alarms / Detectors: placement by bedroom and level, and rules for single-family, manufactured and multifamily housing.
- Locks and Latches and In General: deadbolts, window locks, peeling paint, surface defects, pests, cleanliness, exposed wiring and a private bathroom.
Working through it
Walk the unit room by room with the workbook open, and record a result for every row rather than skipping items that look fine. Start with peeling paint, which the checklist calls responsible for the majority of inspection failures. For anything marked Fail, write down the fix and who is handling it, then return to the row once the repair is done.
Two rows refer to the reverse side of the original checklist: bedroom window size requirements, and stairs, rails, porches and decks. Those details are not reproduced here, so check the original form for them. The inspector's standards always govern.
Built for: Landlords and property managers preparing a rental unit for a HUD or Home Forward inspection
What you get
- 33 unit requirements organized into 10 sections, from utilities and plumbing to locks and general condition
- Specific thresholds, such as outlet counts per room and CO alarms within 15 feet of each bedroom door
- Smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm rules for single-family, manufactured and multifamily housing
- A Pass, Fail or N/A result for every item, showing what still needs work before the inspection
- A record of corrective actions you can check off as repairs are completed
What you’ll record
Filled in for you
- Requirement · long text
You fill in
- Result · dropdown: Pass, Fail, N/A
- Notes / Corrective Action · long text
A look inside
1. Utilities 2 items
| Requirement | Result you fill in | Notes / Corrective Action you fill in |
|---|---|---|
| All utilities must be on at all times. | Pass / Fail / N/A | |
| The landlord may need to provide and maintain garbage service within the city. | Pass / Fail / N/A |
2. Electrical Outlets 4 items
| Requirement | Result you fill in | Notes / Corrective Action you fill in |
|---|---|---|
| Living room/bedrooms: must have two outlets, or one outlet and one light fixture. | Pass / Fail / N/A | |
| Kitchen: must have one outlet and one light fixture. | Pass / Fail / N/A | |
| Bathroom: no outlets required, but must have one permanent light fixture. | Pass / Fail / N/A |
+ 28 more items in 8 more sections
Every section
- 1. Utilities 2
- 2. Electrical Outlets 4
- 3. Plumbing 5
- 4. Appliances 4
- 5. Ventilation 5
- 6. Smoke Detectors 1
- 7. Carbon Monoxide Alarms / Detectors 3
- 8. Heat 1
- 9. Locks and Latches 1
- 10. In General 7
Questions
What does a HUD unit inspection look at?
This checklist covers utilities, electrical outlets, plumbing, appliances, ventilation, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, heat, locks and latches, and general condition such as paint, floors, pests and exposed wiring. Use it to prepare, and follow the inspector's standards if anything differs.
Is this the official inspection form?
No. It is a landlord preparation checklist based on HUD and Home Forward requirements, meant for checking a unit before the inspection. Two items refer to details on the reverse side of the original checklist that are not reproduced here.
What is the most common reason a unit fails inspection?
The checklist says peeling paint is responsible for the majority of inspection failures, so check every wall, ceiling, trim and exterior surface for it.
What smoke detectors does a rental unit need?
The checklist requires one working smoke detector inside each bedroom or sleeping area and on every accessible level. Battery-operated detectors are allowed if they have a 10-year life and a hush button.
Where do carbon monoxide alarms need to go?
A working carbon monoxide alarm must be inside each bedroom or within 15 feet outside each bedroom door, installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. The checklist has separate rows for one- and two-family, manufactured and multifamily housing.
Can I use it for more than one unit?
Yes. Import a separate copy as a new workbook for each unit so every unit has its own results and corrective notes.
Do I need a paid plan to use this template?
Getting the template is free with a Vertask account. Importing it into a working checklist uses Workbooks, which is on the Pro plan; new workspaces start with a 30-day Pro trial.
Can I change it after importing?
Yes. Importing creates your own copy: rename, add or remove sections, rows and columns. The template itself never changes, and you can clone your copy per client, property or device.
Provided as is, no warranty.
How to use it
- Sign up free We take you straight to this template afterwards.
- ImportIt becomes a working checklist with an owner, a status and a date on every line.
- Make it yoursEdit any step, add your own, then clone it per client, property or device.
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