Vacant property inspection checklist
Vacant Property Inspection Checklist (Free Printable Template)
A free vacant property inspection checklist to print or open in Excel: area, check, OK or problem, photo and notes for each visit, and what to check where.
By the PatrolBadges team · Updated · 7 min read
Print it, save it as a PDF from the print dialog, or open it in a spreadsheet.
Vacant Property Inspection
Page ____ of ____- Address:
- Date:
- Time in:
- Time out:
- Inspector:
- Weather:
- Vacant since:
- Next visit due:
| Area | Check | OK | Problem | Photo taken | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Problems found: who was told, what was done, what's still open:
Free template from PatrolBadges · patrolbadges.com/templates/vacant-property-inspection-checklist
The short answer
A vacant property inspection checklist is the record of one visit to an empty home or building: who inspected it, when, what was checked in each area, whether each check was OK or a problem, and whether a photo was taken. Check the doors and windows, signs of entry or vandalism, the water shutoff and leaks, heat and freezing risk, the electrical panel, the roof and gutters, the yard, mail, and the smoke and CO alarms. How often to inspect depends on your insurance policy, so read its vacancy conditions or ask your broker.
When to use this checklist
Use it on every visit to a property that's sitting empty: a house between tenants, an estate waiting to be sold, a second home over the winter, a store or office between leases, a building waiting for renovation. Fill in one sheet per visit. Over weeks, the sheets show the property was looked after, which matters most when something goes wrong while nobody's there.
Empty buildings fail quietly. A pipe that bursts the day after a visit can run until the next one, and a broken window invites the next intruder. The checklist makes each visit cover the same ground in the same order, so nothing gets skipped because it looked fine last time.
Why insurers care about vacancy
Homeowners policies can limit coverage once a home has been empty for a while. The sample ISO HO-3 homeowners form published by the Insurance Information Institute (HO 00 03 10 00) is a good example. It doesn't cover glass breakage, or vandalism and malicious mischief, if the dwelling has been:
“vacant for more than 60 consecutive days immediately before the loss”
The same form says "A dwelling being constructed is not considered vacant." And it covers freezing damage only if you used reasonable care to "Maintain heat in the building" or "Shut off the water supply and drain all systems." A visit log that records the thermostat reading or the water shutoff each time is how you show that care.
What to check, area by area
The sheet is blank, so you can write in your own property's areas and checks. Use this as a starting list:
| Area | What to check |
|---|---|
| Entrances and windows | Every door locked and undamaged, locks and frames intact. Windows closed, latched and unbroken. Boarded openings still secure. |
| Signs of entry or vandalism | Pry marks, broken glass, graffiti, things moved inside, signs someone has slept there, new trash or footprints. |
| Water shutoff and leaks | The main shutoff where you left it. No water on floors, ceilings or under sinks, no new stains or drips. The sump pump running, if there is one. |
| Heat and freezing risk | The thermostat set where you left it and the building warm, or the water off and the lines drained. Write the reading. |
| Electrical panel | Breakers as you left them, none tripped, no burning smell or scorch marks. |
| Roof and gutters | From the ground, missing shingles or storm damage, and gutters and downspouts clear. Inside, ceiling stains and attic leaks. |
| Yard and exterior | Grass and hedges kept, no dumped trash, gates closed, outdoor lights working. |
| Mail and flyers | Collected, so the place doesn't look empty. Note anything official, like a utility or city notice. |
| Smoke and CO alarms | In place and not chirping. Press the test button if your procedure says to. |
What to write in each field
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Address, date, time in, time out | Where and when. The times show how long the visit took. |
| Inspector | Your name, printed. |
| Weather | Conditions now, and since the last visit if you know them, like a hard freeze or a storm. |
| Vacant since | The date the property was last lived in or used, so you can count the days against your policy. |
| Next visit due | The date of the next visit, so it doesn't slip. |
| Area, check | One check per row. Area: "Basement". Check: "Water shutoff off, no leaks". |
| OK, problem | Tick one on every row. |
| Photo taken | Y if you took one. Photograph every problem, and the thermostat and the shutoff on every visit. |
| Notes | Readings and details: "Thermostat set 55°F, reads 56°F", "Kitchen window, lower pane cracked". |
| Problems found | Who you told, what was done, and anything still open for next time. |
A filled-in example
Here's part of a weekly visit to a made-up house in January, three weeks after the tenants moved out.
| Area | Check | OK | Problem | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front door | Locked, lock and frame intact | ✓ | Y | ||
| Kitchen window | Closed, latched, unbroken | ✓ | Y | Lower pane cracked, no sign of entry. Taped, glazier booked for 1/14. | |
| Basement | Water shutoff off, no leaks | ✓ | Y | Valve closed, floor dry | |
| Hallway | Heat on, no freeze risk | ✓ | Y | Thermostat set 55°F, reads 56°F | |
| Utility room | Panel: no tripped breakers | ✓ | |||
| Porch | Mail and flyers collected | ✓ | Two flyers, one utility bill. Bill sent to owner. |
One problem, one photo, one note saying what happens next. The next inspector checks that window first.
How to fill it in well
- Walk the same route each visit. Same areas, same order, so the sheets compare week to week.
- Fill in each row where you are, not in the car afterward.
- Tick OK or Problem on every row. A blank row could mean fine, or forgotten.
- Photograph problems, and the heat and water every visit. Make sure the photos carry the date, and mark which rows have one.
- Write readings, not just ticks. The thermostat setting and the temperature it reads.
- Say who you told. A problem with no follow-up in the notes looks like nobody acted.
- File each sheet the same day, with its photos, by address and date.
Common mistakes
- Checking from the car. Walk the outside, then go in.
- Skipping the thermostat in a cold snap.
- Missing a visit and not writing down why.
- Losing track of how long the property has been empty.
- Assuming your policy matches the sample form. Read your own.
How often should a vacant home be inspected?
There's no single answer. Start with your insurance policy: its vacancy or unoccupancy conditions may set inspection requirements, and your broker can tell you what the insurer expects. A lender, a property management agreement or local rules can add their own. Whatever applies, write the next visit date on each sheet, and add a visit after a hard freeze or a big storm.
How long to keep inspection records
We haven't found a rule that sets a period for private owners. A sensible default is to keep every sheet and its photos until the property is lived in or sold, and longer for any visit that found damage or a break-in, or led to a claim, since a claim can be settled long after the visit. Ask your broker if your policy says otherwise.
Doing it by scanning instead
A paper checklist shows someone filled it in, not that they were there. With PatrolBadges, you put a QR sticker or NFC tag at the front door, the water shutoff, the thermostat and the panel. Whoever inspects scans each one with their phone's camera, with no app and no account: they type their name, or a PIN, when they start. Each scan is stamped with the time and GPS, and an OK/Problem checklist at each spot replaces the tick boxes. A Problem needs a note and opens an incident, and any spot can require a photo.
Set the days a visit is due, and you're emailed when a visit ends with a spot unscanned or hasn't started. Each day's report prints, exports to CSV and has a private link you can send your broker. It's a record of visits, not an insurance claims tool, so ask your insurer what they'll accept. It's free for 5 checkpoints, and Pro is $9 a month for 10, then $1 each.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a vacant property inspection checklist?
The address, date, inspector, time in and out, and the weather. Then each area and what was checked: doors and windows, signs of entry or vandalism, the water shutoff and leaks, heat and freezing risk, the electrical panel, roof and gutters, the yard, mail and flyers, and smoke and CO alarms. Mark each OK or Problem, note any photo, and write what was done about each problem.
How often should vacant homes be inspected?
As often as your insurance policy, lender or management agreement requires, so read your policy's vacancy conditions or ask your broker. Add a visit after a hard freeze or a big storm, and write the next visit date on each sheet so it doesn't slip.
When does a home count as vacant for insurance?
It depends on your policy's wording. The sample ISO HO-3 homeowners form published by the Insurance Information Institute excludes glass breakage and vandalism if the dwelling was vacant for more than 60 consecutive days immediately before the loss, and says a dwelling being constructed isn't considered vacant. Your policy may differ, so read it.
Should I turn off the water in a vacant house?
It's one way to protect it. The sample HO-3 homeowners form covers freezing damage only if you used reasonable care to maintain heat in the building, or to shut off the water supply and drain all systems. Check your own policy, and record the shutoff or the thermostat reading on every visit.
Is an unoccupied property inspection log the same thing?
It does the same job: a dated record of each visit to a property nobody is living in or using. Policies define vacant and unoccupied in their own terms, so check which word yours uses and what it requires. This checklist works for both.
Is there a vacant property inspection checklist for Excel?
Yes. The Excel / Sheets (CSV) button above the sheet downloads this checklist with the header fields, columns and sign-off ready to fill in, and it opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. You can also print it, or save it as a PDF from the print dialog.
Sources
Or let each visit log itself.
Add your checkpoints and scan one from your phone, right off your screen. No card, and sign up only when you're ready to keep it.
- Vacant Property Inspection Log with QR CodesInspections of empty buildings on the schedule your insurer sets, with photos at every stop.
- Security Incident Report Template: Free Printable Form for GuardsA one-page incident report form: details, people and witnesses, the narrative, actions taken and sign-off.
- Free Security Patrol Log Template (Printable PDF & Excel)A one-page patrol log sheet: time, location, findings and initials for every stop on every round.
- How to Know Your Security Guards Are Really Doing Their RoundsCheckpoints, schedules and alerts: how to prove rounds happened, and the tricks to watch for.