When Your Tenant Hires an Inspector: What Landlords Should Know

You get a call from your tenant. Or maybe you don’t get a call—maybe you just show up at the property and find someone you don’t recognize walking through the unit with a clipboard and a camera.

Your tenant has hired a professional inspector.

This moment is a crossroads. How you respond in the next few minutes can either de-escalate the situation and protect your interests, or it can make everything significantly worse.

I know because I’m the inspector who shows up at these properties. I’ve seen landlords handle it well. I’ve seen landlords handle it badly. The difference in outcomes is dramatic.

Why Tenants Hire Inspectors

Before we talk about how to respond, it helps to understand why tenants hire inspectors in the first place. It’s usually one of these situations:

They Have Legitimate Concerns

The most common reason. The tenant has noticed something wrong—electrical issues, water problems, mold, safety hazards—and wants professional documentation. Maybe they’ve complained to the landlord and nothing happened. Maybe they want to understand what they’re dealing with before deciding how to proceed.

They’re Building a Case

The tenant is preparing for a dispute. This could be a rent withholding situation, a habitability claim, or preparation for legal action. They want professional documentation before anything changes.

They’re Considering Their Options

Some tenants hire inspectors just to understand their situation. Is this unit as bad as they think? Are these conditions normal? Do they have grounds for complaint? A professional inspection gives them clarity.

An Attorney Recommended It

If the tenant already has legal representation, the attorney may have advised them to get professional documentation. This is increasingly common.

What This Tells You

If your tenant has hired an inspector, they’re serious. They’re investing money. They’re creating a formal record. This is not a casual complaint—it’s the beginning of a documented process. Your response needs to account for that.

The Tenant’s Legal Right

Here’s the legal reality that many landlords don’t fully understand:

A tenant controls who enters their unit.

When you rent a unit to a tenant, you transfer possession to them. They have the right to quiet enjoyment of that space. That includes the right to invite guests—and inspectors are guests the tenant has invited.

You, as the landlord, have limited rights to enter. California Civil Code 1954 specifies when a landlord can enter: emergencies, agreed-upon repairs, showing the unit to prospective tenants or buyers (with proper notice), and inspections with 24-hour written notice.

But notice what’s NOT on that list: preventing someone the tenant invited from entering.

What You Cannot Legally Do

• Demand that an inspector leave (the tenant controls access, not you)
• Physically block entry to the unit
• Threaten the inspector or the tenant
• Retaliate against the tenant for hiring an inspector
• Enter the unit without proper notice to confront the inspector

What You Can Do

• Ask (politely) to be present during the inspection
• Request a copy of the inspection report
• Take your own photos and notes
• Hire your own inspector to conduct a separate assessment
• Address any legitimate issues that are identified

What Happens During the Inspection

A professional habitability or rental inspection typically covers:

• Electrical systems: Panel condition, outlet function, GFCI protection, visible wiring issues
• Plumbing: Water pressure, hot water temperature, leaks, drain function
• HVAC: Heating function, ventilation, cooling (where present)
• Safety devices: Smoke detectors, CO detectors, egress
• Structure: Walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors
• General habitability: Pest evidence, mold, water damage, general condition

The inspector will photograph conditions, take measurements (like water temperature), test systems, and document everything. The result is a professional report with photos that can be used for LAHD complaints, legal proceedings, or negotiations.

What I Also Research

As part of my inspections, I also research permit records, ZIMAS data, and rent registry status. This tells me whether the unit is legally recognized, whether work was permitted, and whether the property is properly registered. Tenants increasingly expect this level of research—and AI tools are making it easier for them to do it themselves.

The Wrong Response (A Real Example)

Recently, I was hired by a tenant to inspect her unit. She had concerns about electrical safety—specifically, an electrical panel that appeared to be in an unusual and potentially dangerous location.

I arrived at the scheduled time. The tenant let me in. I began documenting conditions.

About 15 minutes into the inspection, the property owner arrived. He confronted me, stated “This is my property and you are not allowed here,” and demanded I leave immediately. When I explained that I was there at the tenant’s invitation, he became threatening and advanced toward me physically.

I left for safety reasons.

What That Response Accomplished

The owner’s confrontation didn’t prevent documentation. I had already photographed multiple serious conditions—including an uncovered electrical panel in a bathroom with live components exposed. The inspection happened. The evidence exists.

What the confrontation DID accomplish: it’s now documented in my report. The tenant has evidence that the owner tried to prevent documentation. This strengthens her position significantly. His behavior suggests he knew something was wrong and wanted to hide it.

Here’s what else happened as a result of his response:

• The tenant, who was already concerned, is now certain she’s dealing with a bad-faith landlord
• The tenant already had an attorney—the attorney now has documentation of the owner’s behavior
• The tenant can file an LAHD complaint, and city inspectors cannot be prevented from entering
• My report includes a section describing the early termination and the reason for it
• Everything the owner was trying to hide is still documented—plus now there’s evidence of attempted obstruction

The owner turned a bad situation into a much worse one.

The Right Response

If you discover your tenant has hired an inspector, here’s how to handle it professionally:

✓ DO

• Stay calm and professional
• Politely ask if you can be present
• Take your own photos and notes
• Listen to what the inspector identifies
• Ask questions about findings
• Request a copy of the report
• Thank the inspector for their time
• Follow up with the tenant professionally

✗ DON’T

• Demand the inspector leave
• Threaten anyone
• Physically block access
• Argue about your property rights
• Blame or confront the tenant
• Make statements that could be used against you
• Try to prevent documentation
• Retaliate in any way afterward

The Professional Landlord Response

Here’s what a good response looks like in practice:

“I wasn’t aware an inspection was scheduled, but I understand [tenant name] has concerns about the property. Would it be possible for me to be present while you complete your assessment? I’d like to understand what you find so I can address any issues.”

This response:

• Acknowledges the tenant’s right to hire an inspector
• Demonstrates you take the concerns seriously
• Positions you as cooperative rather than obstructive
• Gets you information you need
• Creates no negative documentation

After the Inspection

Once the inspection is complete, you have decisions to make:

If Issues Were Found

Address them. Seriously. If a professional inspector documented habitability issues, those issues exist. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away—it just increases your exposure.

Prioritize by severity. Safety issues (electrical hazards, gas leaks, no smoke detectors) need immediate attention. Less urgent issues can be scheduled, but they still need to be addressed.

Document your response. Keep records of repairs, contractor invoices, and completion dates. This protects you if the situation escalates.

If You Disagree With Findings

You can hire your own inspector to conduct an independent assessment. A second professional opinion may support your position—or it may confirm the original findings. Either way, you’ll have better information.

What you should NOT do is simply deny the findings without evidence. “That’s not true” doesn’t hold up against dated, photographed documentation.

If the Tenant Has an Attorney

The inspection report will likely become part of their case file. Your best response is to address legitimate issues promptly and document your response. This limits damages and demonstrates good faith.

Consider consulting your own attorney about how to proceed.

The Proactive Alternative

Here’s the thing: you don’t have to wait for your tenant to hire an inspector.

Landlords who stay ahead of compliance issues don’t end up in confrontations. They don’t get surprised by documented violations. They don’t have to respond to problems—they prevent them.

Get There First

Have your property inspected proactively. Identify issues before they become complaints. Fix problems on your timeline, with your contractors, at your pace.

A proactive inspection costs the same as a tenant-initiated one. The difference is who controls the narrative and who controls the timeline.

Maintain Documentation

Keep records of inspections, repairs, maintenance, and tenant communications. If a dispute arises, your documentation demonstrates good faith and responsible ownership.

Respond to Complaints

When tenants raise concerns, address them. Document your response. Don’t ignore complaints and hope they go away—in 2026, they won’t.

The Bottom Line

When your tenant hires an inspector, the inspection is going to happen. The only question is whether you respond in a way that protects your interests or in a way that makes things worse.

Professional, cooperative, and responsive is the only approach that works. Everything else creates more problems than it solves.