HOUSING INSPECTION CHECKLIST
General Items For The Entire Unit
- There needs to be at least one working smoke detector on each level of the unit
- Floors cannot have any tripping hazards such as carpet that needs to be tacked down, large holes in the floor covering or missing flooring
- Ceilings must not have any large cracks or holes, no severe bulging or large amounts of loose or falling surface area
- Walls must not have any large cracks or holes, no severe bulging or large amounts of loose or falling surface area
- For security purposes all doors and windows that are accessible from the outside or that open, must have working locks
- No chipping or peeling paint anywhere on the inside or outside of the unit (This includes any fences, sheds, eaves, and window sills)
- There must be handrails on the inside or outside of the unit where ever there are four or more steps, handrails must be secure
- Exterior walls and foundation must be in good condition with no large cracks or holes
- Plumbing and pipes must be in good condition and connected to an approved sewage disposal system
- Water heater must be in working condition with a drain line or discharge pipe coming off of the pressure relief valve to within about 6″ of the floor
- There must be enough heating equipment so the unit is warm during cold months. Oil and gas space heaters that are not vented to the outside are not acceptable
- There must be at least two fire exits (Doors and windows count)
- Must be a safe neighborhood – no dangerous places, spaces, or things
- No large piles of trash, debris, or garbage inside or outside of the unit
- No serious pollution inside or outside of the unit such as exhaust fumes or sewer gas
- There must not be any signs of infestation such as rats, mice, roaches, spiders, mice droppings, etc.
- All windows in the unit must be free from signs of severe deterioration. There also must not be any missing, broken, or cracked panes
- Roof must be in good condition and must not leak
- All outlet and light switch covers must not be missing, broken, or cracked, and must be securely fastened to the wall
- There must be a dryer vent cover over the outside dryer vent
- There must be a lid over the outside garbage can(s), or both lids must be present on any dumpster
- For any sink in the unit there cannot be any leaks coming out of the pipes
- All storage units on the unit property must have some kind of working lock
- Mobile homes must have tie downs connecting the mobile home unit to the cement pad underneath
The Living Room
- There must be at least two working outlets or one working outlet and one working permanently installed light fixture
- There must be at least one window
The Kitchen
- There must be at least one working outlet and one working permanently installed light fixture
- Stove or range must have all of the burners working. There must be a working oven. Both the range and oven must have all of the knobs and handles intact.
- Working refrigerator with a door on the freezer compartment that shuts securely. Refrigerator must have all of the handles and a kick-plate secure and intact
- Working sink with hot and cold running water
The Bathroom
- There must be at least one permanently installed light fixture
- Working toilet in the unit that has some kind of lid or cover over the toilet tank
- Permanently installed wash basin with hot and cold running water
- Tub or shower with hot and cold running water
- Working exhaust vent system or at least one window which will open and lock
For All Bedrooms
- There must be at least two working outlets or one working outlet and one working permanently installed light fixture
- At least one window which opens and locks
For All Other Rooms
- There must be a means of natural light or there must be something such as a window, a working outlet, or a permanently installed light fixture
- Remember, a unit can only be inspected if it is empty or if you (the tenant) are living there.
- Have an adult at the unit when the inspector comes to inspect.
- Be aware that the unit must be ready for the inspection, this includes having the utilities turned on in the unit (Gas, Electricity, and Water).
The Pressure-Temperature Relief Valve

*The Pressure-Temperature relief valve may be in one of two places on the hot water heater as shown above. #1- on top of the water heater OR #2- on the side of the water heater