Property inspections

At Mission Australia Housing (MAH), we visit your home during your tenancy for a range of important reasons.

These visits help us:

• Keep your home safe, well-maintained, and in good condition
• Identify and plan for any repairs or upgrades
• Support you in sustaining your tenancy
• Ensure the property continues to meet your needs
• Provide an opportunity to check in and respond to any questions or concerns you may have

Inspections are part of our commitment to working with you to maintain a safe, stable, and comfortable home.

Settling in visit

This is the first visit after you’ve moved into your home, usually around eight weeks into your tenancy. During this visit, we:

• Check how you're settling in
• Answer any questions you may have about your tenancy or the property
• Identify any early maintenance needs
• Offer support to help you feel comfortable and confident in your new home

This visit is a chance for us to connect with you early on, make sure everything is working as it should and support you in maintaining a successful tenancy.

Routine inspections

These usually happen twice a year but may occur more often if needed. During a routine inspection, we:

• Check that your home is safe and in good condition
• Identify any repairs or maintenance needs
• Answer your questions or tenancy concerns
• Support your tenancy by offering guidance on property care and addressing issues early.

Essential services inspections

These happen once a year. We check safety items like:

• Smoke alarms
• Fire doors
• Other safety systems

We make sure they work properly and meet safety rules.

Property assessment survey (PAS)

Every few years, our asset team conducts a PAS to review the condition of key components in your home. We look at things like:

• Walls, floors, and ceilings
• Roofing and drainage
• Windows and doors
• Outdoor areas and overall property condition

These inspections help us understand the current state of the property and identify when items may need to be repaired or replaced.

Moving out inspections

• Before you leave: We’ll explain what needs to be done to return the property in good condition. This helps avoid end-of-tenancy charges.
• After you move out: We’ll inspect the property again and compare it to the ingoing report. You’re welcome to attend.

These inspections help us fairly assess any cleaning, damage, or repairs that may affect your bond.

To help the inspection go smoothly:

• Make sure all rooms, sheds, garages, and outdoor areas can be accessed
• Secure pets so they don’t get stressed or interrupt the inspection
• Remove anything that could cause someone to trip
• Inform MAH if other people will be at the property during the inspection

• Letter with inspection date and time
• Inspection usually takes less than 45 minutes
• One or two MAH staff may attend, sometimes with a contractor
• We’ll walk through all rooms and outdoor areas
• Photos may be taken to record the condition of the property — but no photos of people will be taken
• You’ll receive a summary letter after the visit outlining any outcomes or next steps

If you can’t be home, just let us know.

You can:

• Reschedule the inspection
• Nominate someone else (18 or older) to be there
• Give us permission to use a spare key (if we have one)

If we don’t hear back after trying to arrange access, MAH may use the spare key to carry out the inspection. This will only happen in line with tenancy laws, and you’ll be informed in the letter. Allowing access is part of your lease. Repeated refusal or failure to arrange access may be considered a breach of your tenancy agreement.

If you’re unhappy with our service you can lodge a complaint. See our Appeals and Complaints Fact Sheet.  

See our Tenancy and Asset Inspections Policies for more information.