Checklist · Property manager
NSPIRE inspection checklist
Find it before the inspector does, and have the photo when you fix it. NSPIRE looks at three places — the unit, the inside of the building and the outside — and the items that fail are rarely a surprise: a dead smoke alarm, an outlet without its cover, a blocked bedroom window, a water heater with no discharge line. This is the built-in NSPIRE pre-inspection template: the walk a manager makes a week or two before the inspection, each item photographed, each deficiency a work order, so the fix is done and dated before anyone arrives.
25 items in 3 areas · the built-in “NSPIRE pre-inspection” template, as it ships
How to run it
Three passes, in walking order
The unit first
Alarms, outlets and GFCIs, windows that open and lock, the entry door, bedroom egress, heat, the water heater, plumbing, mold-like growth, pests, railings. Most failures live here.
Inside, then outside
Hallways, stairs, fire doors, exit lighting and extinguishers; then walkways, lighting, the roof line, fencing and address numbers.
Fix it and prove it
Rate Poor and the item becomes a work order with the photo. When the vendor marks it done with an after photo, the record shows when it was fixed.
The checklist
NSPIRE pre-inspection
The unit, inside and outside walk before the NSPIRE inspector comes: alarms, electrical, egress, water, heat, mold, pests — each with a dated photo.
Built-in template, as it ships · reviewed against the app on 2026-09-18
| Unit | Good | Fair | Poor | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke alarms present and working | ||||
| Carbon monoxide alarms where required | ||||
| Outlets, switches & cover plates | ||||
| GFCI outlets near water | ||||
| Exposed wiring or open electrical panels | ||||
| Windows open, stay open and lock | ||||
| Entry door closes, latches and locks | ||||
| Bedroom egress clear | ||||
| Heating works | ||||
| Water heater relief valve & discharge line | ||||
| Sinks, tub & toilet: leaks and drainage | ||||
| Mold-like growth or water damage | ||||
| Signs of pests | ||||
| Walls, ceilings & floors: holes, trip hazards | ||||
| Stair railings & guardrails |
| Inside | Good | Fair | Poor | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallways & stairs: lighting, handrails, clear path | ||||
| Fire doors close and latch | ||||
| Exit signs & emergency lighting | ||||
| Fire extinguishers in place, tag current | ||||
| Laundry, trash & mechanical rooms |
| Outside | Good | Fair | Poor | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walkways, steps & parking: trip hazards | ||||
| Exterior lighting | ||||
| Roof, gutters & siding | ||||
| Fencing, gates & play areas | ||||
| Address numbers visible |
In the app an item can also answer as pass/fail, done/not done or a number, and any Fair or Poor item becomes a work order in one tap. The PDF prints the checklist as shown, with a notes line per item and a signature block.
When not to use it
- — The HQS walk, if the property is still inspected under HQS — use the Section 8 / HQS template.
- — A move-in or move-out record for the deposit — use those templates.
What goes wrong
- — Testing the smoke alarm button and not looking for the carbon monoxide alarm.
- — Checking that the window opens, not that it stays open and locks.
What this is not
A manager's or owner's walk before the inspection. It is not a HUD, housing-authority or NSPIRE inspection, does not score the property, and does not replace the standards HUD publishes.
The finished report
Complete the walk and the PDF exists
Every item with its rating, notes and photos; an action-items table by priority; signatures captured on the phone or through a link. No export step. See a finished one before you sign up.
Built for property managers
Property manager
Move-ins, move-outs, routine walks, turnovers — and the vendors who keep the units running.
Pick “Property manager” at signup — or start from this page and it's already picked — and the app leads with this template and speaks the trade's words.
Guide: NSPIRE vs HQS: what actually changes in your pre-inspection walk →Questions
NSPIRE pre-inspection: what people ask
Is this the NSPIRE inspection?
No. The inspection is done by HUD's inspector or the housing authority under the current NSPIRE standards. This is the owner's or manager's walk beforehand, so the deficiencies are found and fixed first.
Does it list every NSPIRE deficiency?
No. It covers the items that fail most often and that a manager can see on a walk. HUD publishes the standards and scoring; check them for anything specific to your property.
We used the HQS checklist. Do we switch?
Use the one your inspection is under. HUD is moving voucher inspections from HQS to NSPIRE, and both templates are in the library. Our post on what changes between them is linked below.
Can tenants be told before the walk?
Notice to enter follows the lease and your state's law, not the app. Once you are in, the walk itself takes one pass with a phone.
More checklists
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