Dorm Inspections: Conduct Effective Student Housing Inspections With Software and Checklists

Managing dorms and student accommodations presents challenges different from those of traditional property management. High tenant turnover, diverse schedules, and shared living arrangements require managers to offer

• high-quality safety standards, 
• proper maintenance, 
• strict adherence to compliance, and
• a responsible living environment for students. 

Regular inspections play a crucial role in achieving these goals. However, traditional paper-based methods can be cumbersome, inefficient, and prone to human error. A student housing inspection software can empower property managers to conduct thorough, efficient, and documented inspections.

Discover the importance of dormitory inspections in student property management, the challenges faced by property managers/owners, and how student housing inspection apps can help tackle them.

Student Housing and Dorm Room Inspection Software

Irrespective of the university, managing student housing is time-consuming and complex. Student housing inspection apps, such as GoAudits, can make your student housing management and inspection process efficient and streamlined.

With GoAudits dorm inspection software, you can:

• Create all dorm room checklists – pre-tenancy, move-out, routine, or a combination.
• Schedule and complete inspections for as many rooms as you like. Even students can perform self-inspections with the GoAudits mobile app.
• Generate and share inspection reports with parents, universities, students, etc., in one single click.
• Implement faster corrective actions and track progress in real-time through a dashboard.
• Pinpoint trends, recurring defects, and track your team’s overall performance through analytics.

With a rating of 4.8 stars on Capterra, GoAudits is trusted by some of the biggest names in the property management industry.

» GoAudits Reviews: Read how organizations leverage GoAudits to save time and improve standards.

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Why is it Essential to Inspect Student Properties?

A regular student property inspection offers the following benefits:

• It Strengthens Safety and Security: Inspections can uncover potential dangers like electrical faults, gas leaks, mold, and fire hazards, ensuring a safe living environment for students. With regular inspections, you can identify weak points in security systems and access control, promoting secure living for students.
• It Saves You Money in the Long Run: Minor issues like leaks, wear and tear, or appliance malfunctions can be detected and fixed faster, preventing escalations and expensive repairs. 
• It Cultivates Open Communication and Trust: Frequent student housing inspections facilitate communication between property managers and students. Also, managers can educate student tenants on using and caring for appliances, waste disposal, and responsible living practices.

Additionally, you can improve the property’s accessibility. For instance, only 5% of the US housing supply is accessible to the disabled population. In such a scenario, you can make your rental property accessible to students with disabilities, gaining more business and promoting inclusive accommodation.

Who is Responsible for Inspecting Student Accommodation?

In most cases, owners or management companies conduct inspections in student properties as they are legally bound to ensure the property meets safety and living standards. They may have a dedicated staff for conducting inspections or work with a third-party property inspection service.

In the case of on-campus student residences, especially the ones managed directly by the university or college, the institution itself might take responsibility for inspections. They may have dedicated housing or facilities departments to perform regular checks. There might also be a Resident Assistant/Community Assistant (RA/CA) to assist staff during the inspection.

Some institutions might require students to perform self-assessments with the help of a dorm inspection checklist. They may also ask students to report issues or perform joint inspections with the staff.

What to Look For During Dorm Inspections?

Depending on the policies of a property, there might be different areas of focus for dormitory inspections. However, common items on a dorm inspection checklist include the following:

Safety and Security

• Electrical Systems: The property manager should check for exposed wires, overloaded outlets, and damaged appliances.
• Security Checks: Check for signs of forced entry, unsecured windows and doors, and proper functioning of security cameras and locks.
• Fire Hazard: Look for flammable materials near heat sources, blocked emergency exits, and malfunctioning smoke detectors or fire extinguishers.
• Water Damage and Molds: The typical signs of water damage include mold growth, musty odor, stains or discolorations, and warped floors, walls, or ceilings.  

Cleanliness and Maintenance

• Hygiene and General Cleanliness: Ensure common areas and individual rooms are free of excessive clutter, garbage, and spills. Check bathrooms, kitchens, canteens, and shared spaces for cleanliness and sanitation.
• Trash Disposal: Check if the recyclable items and trash are separated. Trash should only include unrecyclable items like plate glass, ceramics, soiled paper, cassette and VHS tapes, window blinds, etc.

Compliance With Policies

• Appliance Restrictions: Check if students are using appliances allowed by the university. For instance, a university may not allow student microwaves of more than 1100 watts or halogen lamps with plastic heads.
• Occupancy Limit: Verify the number of residents matches the allowed occupancy for a student room.
• Noise Levels: Ensure adherence to designated quiet hours and noise restrictions. Some on-campus student accommodations mandate a 24-hour quiet hours policy during exams.
• Prohibited Items: Check for possession and distribution of items explicitly banned by the dorm or school regulations, like pets, open flames, or specific appliances.
• Personal Modifications: Make sure any alterations to the room or common areas comply with school/dorm policies. For example, the students cannot paint the furniture and rooms or reconfigure beds.

Student Property Inspection Checklists

Here are some property audit checklist templates to conduct thorough student housing inspections:

• School Dormitory Inspection Checklist
• Heat Pump Maintenance Checklist
• Pest Control Inspection Checklist
• Property Due Diligence Checklist
• Fire Safety Compliance Checklist
• Bathroom Cleaning SOP Checks
• Furnace Maintenance Checklist
• Dormitory Inspection Checklist
• Termite Inspection Checklist

How Often Should Managers Conduct Dorm Room Inspections?

The frequency of dorm room inspections depends on various factors, including local regulations, institutional policies, and the accommodation type.

In most cases, inspections occur at least annually, often accompanied by pre- and post-tenancy checks. Additionally, unannounced inspections may take place to address specific concerns or enforce policies.

Challenges in Inspecting a Student Accommodation

Here are five major challenges property managers face when inspecting student housing:

Challenge #1: Ensuring Complete and Consistent Inspection Data

One of the biggest operational bottlenecks in student housing management is collating the inspection data, photos, and other attachments in one place. 

The property inspection process traditionally involves paper or spreadsheet-based inspection checklists. Therefore, managers struggle to generate inspection forms or reports instantly, during and after the audit.

Challenge #2: Handling a Large Volume of Inspections

As the business grows, you start adding hundreds or even thousands of rooms to your residential portfolio – the volume of inspections grows exponentially. Now, you coordinate with many more inspectors, students, contractors, and parents. This growth can invite new challenges if you lack the right partners, tools, and processes.

Challenge #3: Limited Time Flow

As property managers, you balance inspections with student schedules, and in most cases, you have a limited accessibility window. Hence, ensuring a thorough inspection, early scheduling, and clear communication to accommodate everyone’s needs becomes challenging.

Challenge #4: Documenting Wear and Tear

Many property management companies don’t dedicate time to training their resources on documenting the defects found during the inspection. You may often observe discrepancies in data presentation and reporting. The reports may lack visual evidence, like photos or videos, and previous data for comparative analysis.

Challenge #5: Keeping Stakeholders Informed

Lastly, involving stakeholders, especially parents of younger students, can add another layer of complexity. However, you must maintain transparency and keep everyone informed to adhere to the communication policies.

Property managers can easily overcome all the challenges with student accommodation inspection software. Let’s learn how.

How a Student Room Inspection Software Helps

Here are the key advantages of using a student housing inspection app like GoAudits:

Accurate and Efficient Inspections

Digital inspection software makes it easy to schedule, conduct, and report on inspections. Good property inspection software includes:

• customizable inspection templates, 
• an option to take photos, 
• an advanced inspection dashboard, and 
• automated reporting, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. 

With a dorm room inspection app, property owners and managers can save time and reduce the risk of human error occurring in manual inspections.

Enhanced Health and Safety

With a digital student housing or dorm inspection app, you can maintain safe and secure student housing, avoiding the risk of costly litigation and reputational damage.

Apart from identifying potential hazards, like wiring or mold, a student housing inspection app allows you to assign corrective action for a defect. Depending on the nature of the defect, the auditor can define the level of urgency to address the issue. The assignee gets notified instantly, calling for prompt action.

Increased Compliance

Running a student accommodation facility requires landlords and property managers to adhere to building codes, regulations, and safety standards. A property inspection app includes customizable inspection templates, pre-populated inspection fields, and ready-to-use compliance checks. 

These ensure that the properties meet all the required standards and you are safeguarded against the risk of non-compliance and penalties.

Reduced Response Time

With a good property inspection app, you can assign corrective action tasks during the inspection. The assignee gets notified in real-time and can promptly attend to the task. This strengthens student safety and helps you maintain a good rapport in the industry.

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