Building Inspections

Building and communal area inspections for residential portfolios

Inspect internal areas, external spaces, communal facilities and shared building assets with structured mobile workflows, photo evidence, follow-up actions and professional reports built for BTR, PBSA, blocks and large residential portfolios.

Support building condition checks, resident safety observations, maintenance follow-up and compliance-aware reporting from one connected inspection platform.

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Portfolio Building Area Inspection Evidence Action Report
Building inspections โ€” Maple Court (Block A)
6
Buildings
18
Open issues
3
Overdue
92%
On time
Entrance & lobby Clean ยท OK
Stairwell B Damp observed
Bin store Fire risk note
Lift lobby L3 Contractor assigned
Communal areas
Internal & external checks
Damp & mould
Sensor-triggered inspections

Built for residential property teams managing buildings, blocks, shared spaces and large portfolios.

8M+
reports completed
750M+
images captured
200,000+
users
3,000+
companies
The basics

What are building inspections?

Building inspections help property teams record the condition, safety observations, maintenance issues and follow-up requirements across residential buildings and shared spaces. They can cover internal areas, external areas, communal facilities, plant spaces, entrances, corridors, lifts, bin stores, car parks and other building assets.

Portfolio
Site
Building
Floor
Area
Inspection
Action

Beyond Individual Units

Inspect shared spaces, building fabric and common facilities as well as individual apartments or rooms.

Internal and External Checks

Record observations inside and outside the building.

Shared-Space Records

Capture evidence across communal areas used by residents, tenants, staff or visitors.

Maintenance and Follow-Up

Identify issues that need cleaning, repair, contractor review or management attention.

Compliance-Aware Evidence

Support structured record keeping for building safety, housing condition and resident safety workflows.

Why it matters

Why structured building inspections matter

For large residential portfolios, issues often appear outside the individual unit. Shared spaces, building systems, communal facilities and external areas need regular checks, consistent records and clear follow-up.

Better Portfolio Visibility

See what is happening across sites, buildings and communal areas.

Earlier Issue Identification

Record maintenance, safety or condition concerns before they escalate.

Clearer Resident Safety Records

Keep evidence connected to building-level observations and follow-up.

More Consistent Checks

Use templates and checklists to standardise inspections across teams and sites.

Faster Contractor Follow-Up

Create clearer notes, photos and priorities for maintenance teams or contractors.

Stronger Audit Trail

Maintain a record of inspections, reports, activity and outcomes over time.

Coverage

Inspect every area of the building

Create building inspection templates for the areas, assets and workflows your team manages.

Entrances & Reception

Condition, access, signage, security, cleanliness and resident-facing issues.

Corridors & Stairwells

Lighting, flooring, decoration, obstructions, damage and cleanliness.

Lifts

Visible condition, notices, availability, faults and service observations.

Communal Lounges & Amenities

Furniture, cleanliness, damage, maintenance and safety observations.

Plant Rooms & Service Areas

Access, visible condition, leaks, alarms, signage and follow-up notes.

Bin Stores

Cleanliness, access, waste overflow, pests, damage and fire risk observations.

Car Parks & Cycle Stores

Access, lighting, security, surfaces, signage and damage.

External Areas

Rooflines, gutters, drains, facades, paths, boundaries, landscaping and external defects.

Shared Kitchens & Facilities

Condition, appliances, cleanliness, ventilation and resident-use observations.

Laundry Rooms

Appliance condition, cleanliness, leaks, faults and maintenance needs.

Fire Doors & Escape Routes

Visible observations, obstruction notes, signage and follow-up actions.

Individual Units Where Required

Optional unit checks, room inspections or resident-facing follow-up where applicable.

The workflow

From building check to completed action record

InventoryBase helps teams manage the full building inspection workflow, from site setup and mobile checks to follow-up actions, reports and audit history.

STEP 1

Set up the site or building

Create buildings, blocks, floors, areas and inspection templates.

STEP 2

Schedule or trigger inspection

Schedule routine checks or create inspections from an issue, alert or follow-up requirement.

STEP 3

Complete the inspection on-site

Use mobile templates to inspect internal, external and communal areas.

STEP 4

Capture evidence

Record photos, notes, severity, priority and location details.

STEP 5

Create follow-up actions

Log cleaning, repair, contractor or management follow-up notes.

STEP 6

Share reports

Send reports or summaries to clients, internal teams, contractors or stakeholders.

STEP 7

Track history

Keep building-level inspection records connected over time.

Inside & out

Inspect inside and outside the building

Create structured checks for the internal and external areas that matter to building managers, property teams and portfolio operators.

Corridors Stairwells Lifts Entrances Communal lounges Shared kitchens Laundry rooms Plant rooms Storage areas Fire routes Lighting Leaks Decoration Flooring Doors Signage
Communal areas

Keep communal areas safe, clean and well documented

Use communal area inspections to record cleanliness, damage, defects, resident-facing issues, access concerns and follow-up actions across shared spaces.

Cleanliness Checks

Record cleaning standards, waste issues and shared-space presentation.

Damage and Defects

Capture damage, broken fixtures, wear or vandalism.

Access and Obstructions

Record blocked routes, access issues or items requiring removal.

Resident-Reported Issues

Connect observations to issues raised by residents or site teams.

Amenity Checks

Inspect lounges, gyms, shared kitchens, laundry rooms and other facilities.

Follow-Up Actions

Create notes for cleaning teams, contractors or internal property teams.

Compliance-aware

Support compliance-aware building inspection workflows

InventoryBase can help teams structure inspection records and evidence for building safety, housing condition, resident safety and maintenance response workflows.

Building Safety Act Evidence Workflows

Record observations, actions and audit history connected to building safety management processes.

Awaab's Law Response Workflows

Support damp, mould and hazard response processes with evidence, timelines, follow-up notes and resident communication records.

HHSRS-Style Assessments

Use configurable templates to record hazard observations, location, severity, evidence and recommendations.

Fire Safety Observations

Document visible fire safety observations, access issues, signage, escape routes and follow-up actions.

Legionella Workflows

Record water-related observations, risk notes, review details and follow-up requirements.

Electrical Safety Records

Capture visible electrical safety observations, certificates, EICR-related documents or follow-up notes where appropriate.

Damp and Mould Inspections

Record room, area, ventilation, condensation, leak and mould observations with supporting photos.

Post-Works Verification

Verify completed works and keep before-and-after evidence connected.

InventoryBase helps structure inspections, evidence and follow-up records. It does not provide legal advice, certify compliance, diagnose hazards or replace qualified professional assessments.

Resident safety

Document damp, mould and hazard response workflows

For housing providers and resident-facing operators, structured building inspections can help record damp, mould, leaks, condensation, ventilation issues and follow-up actions across units, communal areas and building fabric.

Issue reported
Inspection created
Evidence captured
Priority assigned
Action raised
Resident update
Works completed
Reinspection
Record retained

Damp and Mould Observations

Capture visible damp, mould or condensation with location-specific photos.

Leak and Water Ingress Notes

Record leaks, staining, roof issues, pipework concerns or water ingress.

Ventilation Observations

Document airflow, extractor fans, window condition or blocked vents where relevant.

Resident Reports

Record resident-reported concerns, access notes and communication history.

Priority and Response Fields

Add priority, severity, due date or escalation fields where configured.

Follow-Up and Reinspection

Track repairs, cleaning, remediation and follow-up inspections.

InventoryBase supports Awaab's Law response workflows by helping teams capture evidence, assign follow-up and maintain clearer records. It does not satisfy Awaab's Law, determine statutory compliance or replace legal advice.

Building Safety Act

Support building safety evidence and record keeping

InventoryBase can support building managers and responsible teams by helping structure inspection records, building observations, follow-up actions and audit history.

Building safety record Block A ยท Audit log
Building Maple Court โ€” Block A
Inspection type Communal fire route check
Area Stairwell B, Level 3
Observation Storage obstructing route
Evidence 4 photos
Responsible team Building Safety
Action status Assigned ยท Urgent
Document link Fire strategy v2.pdf

Building-Level Records

Maintain inspection records by site, block, floor and area.

Fire and Structural Observations

Record visible observations that require review by responsible teams or qualified professionals.

Action History

Keep follow-up notes, status updates and verification evidence connected.

Resident Communication Records

Store relevant updates, comments or report delivery activity.

Document Uploads

Attach supporting documents, certificates or reports where appropriate.

Audit Trail

Maintain a record of inspections, reports, changes, comments and outcomes.

InventoryBase supports evidence capture and workflow management. It is not a Building Safety Act compliance system or statutory safety case tool.

Housing condition

Create structured HHSRS-style building and housing condition records

Use configurable templates to record hazard observations, room or area location, evidence, severity notes, priority fields and recommendations.

Hazard Observation Fields

Create fields for hazard type, location, severity and supporting notes.

Room and Area Checks

Assess individual units, communal areas, shared spaces and external areas.

Photo Evidence

Attach photos directly to observations.

Priority and Recommendation Fields

Record follow-up requirements, escalation notes or recommended next steps.

Report Outputs

Create structured reports for internal teams, clients or stakeholders.

Reinspection History

Keep follow-up checks connected to the original observation.

InventoryBase supports HHSRS-style hazard observation workflows. Templates should be reviewed by your team for the specific methodology you follow.

Specialist safety

Record specialist building safety observations

Building managers often need to coordinate records around fire safety, water safety, electrical safety and other specialist building management workflows. InventoryBase can help capture observations, documents, photos and follow-up notes in a structured way.

Fire Safety

Visible observations, escape routes, signage, doors, communal areas, access issues, fire equipment locations and follow-up actions.

Legionella

Water-related observations, outlet checks, plant room notes, risk review information, temperature or inspection fields where configured.

Electrical Safety

Visible electrical observations, EICR document references, electrical cupboard access, visible defects and follow-up notes.

Certificates and documents Photo evidence Recurring checks Contractor notes Review dates Follow-up actions Post-works verification Audit history

InventoryBase supports structured evidence, documentation and follow-up workflows. It does not certify fire safety, Legionella risk or electrical safety.

Sensors & IoT

Use inspections alongside sensor and IoT data

Where sensor, smart building or IoT data is available, InventoryBase can support proactive inspection workflows by helping teams respond to alerts, verify issues on-site and keep evidence connected to building records.

Sensor alert
Inspection triggered
Evidence captured
Action created
Contractor follow-up
Verification
History updated

Damp and Humidity Alerts

Create follow-up inspections from humidity, temperature or damp-related alerts where integrated.

Leak Detection

Trigger checks from leak sensors or water ingress reports.

Environmental Monitoring

Support inspection workflows around temperature, ventilation or air quality indicators where data is available.

Occupancy and Access Signals

Use building data to inform inspection scheduling or follow-up where appropriate.

Fire or Plant Alerts

Create follow-up checks for plant room, alarm or equipment issues where configured.

Predictive Maintenance Signals

Use recurring trends to prioritise inspections, repairs or contractor review.

Sensor and IoT workflows are available where integrated or configured through approved API access. InventoryBase does not natively integrate with all sensors or automatically monitor buildings.

View Integrations Apply for API Access
Maintenance & contractors

Turn building findings into maintenance follow-up

Building inspections often identify issues that need cleaning, repair, contractor review or post-works verification. InventoryBase helps teams capture the evidence and create clearer follow-up records.

Finding
Evidence
Priority
Contractor note
Work completed
Post-works verification
Record retained

Maintenance Observations

Record defects, damage, leaks, access issues or equipment concerns.

Cleaning Issues

Capture communal cleaning issues, waste problems or presentation standards.

Contractor Instructions

Create clearer notes for contractors with location, photo and priority context.

Priority Levels

Mark urgent, routine, advisory or planned follow-up items.

Before and After Evidence

Use inspection evidence as the starting point for post-works verification.

Reinspection

Schedule or create follow-up inspections after work is completed.

Portfolio Visibility

See recurring issues across buildings, areas or contractors.

Audit History

Keep all activity connected to the original finding.

Explore Maintenance Reporting Explore Post-Works Inspections
Mobile inspections

Complete building inspections on-site

Use the InventoryBase mobile app to complete internal, external and communal area inspections while walking the building.

Building and Area Checklists

Work through site, block, floor, area and asset-specific templates.

Photo Capture

Capture evidence for defects, safety observations, cleaning issues and maintenance items.

Voice-to-Text Notes

Record findings quickly during site walks.

Offline Access

Keep working in basements, plant rooms or areas with limited signal.

Priority Fields

Mark issue severity, urgency or follow-up status.

Location Context

Attach observations to building, floor, area, room or asset.

Signature Capture

Capture sign-off or acknowledgement where required.

Live Syncing

Sync inspection data back to the platform.

Explore Mobile App
Templates & consistency

Standardise building inspections across every site

Use templates, dictionaries and reusable wording to create consistent building inspections across teams, sites, regions and property types.

Building Inspection Templates

Create templates for blocks, BTR communities, PBSA buildings and managed portfolios.

Communal Area Checklists

Standardise corridors, stairwells, lifts, entrances, bin stores and shared facilities.

Internal and External Templates

Separate internal and external building checks.

Compliance-Aware Fields

Add priority, hazard, follow-up, resident safety or review fields where needed.

Dictionaries

Use approved wording and observation language.

Auto Text

Speed up repeated building inspection notes.

Client-Specific Workflows

Adapt reports for asset managers, landlords, housing providers or management clients.

Branded Reports

Deliver professional reports under your company brand.

Explore Templates & Dictionaries
BaseAI

Complete building inspection reports faster with BaseAI

BaseAI helps turn photos, notes and inspection observations into structured building inspection report content, summaries and professional wording ready for review.

BaseAI assists your reporting workflow. Your team remains in control of reviewing observations, applying judgement and approving every report.

AI Photo Analysis

Generate draft condition descriptions from building inspection photos.

Smart Fill

Complete report fields using inspection context.

Smart Rewrites

Turn rough site notes into professional wording.

Executive Summaries

Create concise building or portfolio summaries faster.

Contractor Summaries

Summarise cleaning, repair or maintenance follow-up items.

Consistent Language

Help maintain report tone and wording across teams.

Explore BaseAI
Portfolio visibility

Keep building records and portfolio history connected

InventoryBase helps teams maintain a clearer history of building inspections, photos, documents, follow-up actions and reports across sites and portfolios.

Portfolio overview 4 sites ยท 11 buildings
4
Sites
11
Buildings
42
Open issues
7
Overdue follow-ups
9
Damp/mould obs.
5
Fire safety obs.
Contractor actions
12 open
Completed inspections
186 this month
Report history
Full audit trail

Building History

Keep inspections connected to each building, block, floor or area.

Photo History

Maintain evidence over time for recurring issues or follow-up checks.

Document Uploads

Attach supporting documents, certificates, reports or contractor evidence.

Recipient Tracking

See when reports are delivered, opened or reviewed.

Comments and Signatures

Keep stakeholder feedback and acknowledgements connected.

Version History

Maintain visibility of report changes and delivery.

Portfolio Reporting

Review recurring issues across buildings, sites or areas.

Exportable Evidence

Export PDFs and records where required.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

A building inspection records the condition, safety observations, maintenance issues and follow-up requirements across internal areas, external areas, communal spaces and shared building assets.
Building inspection software can be used by BTR managers, block managers, PBSA operators, housing providers, facilities managers, property managers, compliance managers and managed service providers.
Yes. InventoryBase can support communal area inspection templates for entrances, corridors, stairwells, lifts, lounges, bin stores, car parks, shared facilities and external areas.
Yes. Teams can configure templates for internal building checks, external condition checks, shared spaces, assets and specialist workflows.
InventoryBase can support evidence capture, follow-up records and audit trails connected to building safety management workflows. It should not be presented as a statutory Building Safety Act compliance system unless product-approved.
InventoryBase can support damp, mould and hazard response workflows by helping teams capture evidence, assign follow-up and maintain clearer records. It should not be presented as satisfying Awaab's Law or replacing legal advice.
Yes. InventoryBase can be configured for HHSRS-style hazard observation workflows with photos, notes, priority fields and recommendations.
Yes. Teams can capture visible damp, mould, condensation, leak and ventilation observations with supporting photos and follow-up notes.
InventoryBase can support structured evidence, document uploads, observations and follow-up workflows for these areas. It does not certify fire safety, Legionella risk or electrical safety.
Where integrated or configured, InventoryBase can support workflows that use sensor, IoT or smart building data to trigger inspections, prioritise follow-up or connect alerts with on-site evidence.
Yes. Building findings can help create clearer cleaning, maintenance or contractor instructions, with area, asset, note and photo context depending on your configuration.
Yes. InventoryBase can support portfolios with multiple sites, buildings, floors, areas and inspection templates.
Yes. BaseAI can help turn photos, notes and inspection observations into draft report content, summaries and follow-up notes ready for review.

Ready to standardise building inspections across your portfolio?

Use InventoryBase to inspect buildings, communal areas and shared spaces, capture evidence, coordinate follow-up and maintain clearer records across residential portfolios.

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