In South Australia, a landlord or agent may carry out a routine inspection no more than four times a year. Each one needs between 7 and 28 days' written notice, with a stated window of up to two hours, inside normal entry hours. Get any of those elements wrong and the entry can be challenged. This guide sets out the rules as they apply to Adelaide landlords, where the common mistakes sit, and how to run inspections that protect the asset without creating a dispute.
TL;DR
- A landlord can inspect a tenanted property up to 4 times a year unless the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) orders otherwise.
- Written notice must be given at least 7 days, and no more than 28 days, before the inspection, and must state the purpose, date and a time window of up to 2 hours.
- Entry must fall within normal hours: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, excluding Sundays and public holidays.
- A tenant cannot unreasonably refuse a properly notified inspection, but a landlord must not force entry. If access is refused, the route is SACAT.
- Photos or video that may capture a tenant's belongings need 7 days' written notice, and publishing them needs the tenant's written consent.
Table of Contents
- What the law actually says
- The four-inspections limit
- Notice: what it must say and when it must be given
- Entry hours and conduct on the day
- Photos and video during an inspection
- Can a tenant refuse an inspection?
- How clean does a property need to be?
- Smoke alarms and safety checks at inspection
- Inspection sheets and evidence
- Common mistakes that put landlords at risk
- Our perspective: inspections as portfolio stewardship
- Having your inspections handled for you
- FAQ
- Sources
What the law actually says
Entry to a rented home is governed by section 72 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA). It treats the landlord's right of entry as a term of every residential tenancy agreement, and it lists the permitted reasons. An inspection is one of them, alongside emergencies, collecting rent in limited circumstances, carrying out repairs, showing the property to prospective tenants or buyers, and a few others.
The practical summary from the state government is on the SA.GOV.AU right of entry page. It confirms the three limits that matter for routine inspections: the annual cap, the notice period and the two-hour window.
The annual cap is recent. The Law Handbook notes that from 1 July 2024 a routine inspection may not occur more than four times in a year unless SACAT orders otherwise. Older advice that refers to more frequent inspections is out of date, and so are lease templates that still allow it. Terms that try to bypass these protections are unenforceable, as Consumer and Business Services (CBS) explains in its guidance on lease terms inconsistent with the Act.
The four-inspections limit
Four inspections a year is a ceiling, not a target. It applies to routine inspections, meaning those carried out only to check the condition of the property. It does not stop you entering for other lawful reasons, such as arranging a repair with proper notice or responding to an emergency.
The limit is better treated as a budget. Most landlords get more value from spacing inspections evenly than from using them up early. A typical year might look like this:
| Inspection | Typical timing | Main purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Within the first few months of a new tenancy | Confirm the tenant has settled in and the property is being looked after |
| 2 | Mid-year | Check for wear, moisture, pests and gutters ahead of winter |
| 3 | Before the lease renewal decision | Inform the renewal, rent review and any pre-emptive maintenance |
| 4 | Held in reserve | Follow up an issue, or confirm a repair was completed properly |
Holding the fourth in reserve is sensible. If a problem surfaces in the second half of the year, you still have an inspection available without needing to apply to SACAT.
If you genuinely need more than four, because of a persistent concern about condition, you apply to SACAT for an order. Do not assume you can add inspections by agreement in the lease: a term that conflicts with the Act does not stand.
Notice: what it must say and when it must be given
The notice must be in writing and reach the tenant no less than 7 days and no more than 28 days before the entry. That is a wide window, and it lets agents schedule a full route of inspections. It also means a notice served too early is as defective as one served too late.
The CBS Notice to enter premises form is the standard document. It records the purpose of the entry, the date, and the time window. For a routine inspection that window can be no longer than two hours.
A notice checklist
Before a notice goes out, confirm each of the following:
- The correct tenant names and the property address are shown.
- The purpose is stated as a routine inspection.
- The date falls between 7 and 28 days after the notice is served, allowing for the way it is delivered.
- The time window is no more than two hours.
- The window sits inside 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, and the date is not a Sunday or public holiday.
- You have not already used four inspections in the current year.
- A copy of the notice and proof of delivery are saved to the file.
The record-keeping step is the one most often skipped. If a tenant later says they were never notified, the file is your evidence.
Remote properties and assistants
The CBS form indicates that the two-hour requirement is relaxed in some situations, such as a remote location or an agent who needs an assistant. Entry must still happen during normal hours. These are narrow exceptions. For a typical metropolitan property in Adelaide, assume the two-hour window applies and read the form's wording before relying on an exception.
Entry hours and conduct on the day
Normal hours are 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, excluding Sundays and public holidays, per the SA.GOV.AU guidance. Many agents stay well inside that range, since a mid-morning or early afternoon slot suits most households and shift workers can be accommodated by agreement.
On the day:
- Arrive within the stated window. Arriving outside it undermines the notice.
- Carry identification and a copy of the notice.
- Keep the visit proportionate. A routine inspection checks condition. It is not an audit of the tenant's lifestyle or belongings.
- Do not open personal papers, drawers or private storage beyond what is needed to assess the property.
The same logic applies to the broader question of privacy. Our guide on tenant privacy laws in SA covers how entry rights sit alongside a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment.
Photos and video during an inspection
Photographic records are valuable. They document condition, support any later claim against a bond, and show an interstate owner what a property looks like without a visit. They also carry rules.
According to the SA.GOV.AU guidance, if images might capture a tenant's personal possessions, the agent must give 7 days' written notice. The tenant's written consent is also required before such images are published publicly, for example in marketing. Two practical consequences follow:
- Build the photo notice into the standard inspection notice so it is never forgotten.
- Photograph the property, not the person. Where possible, angle shots at walls, fixtures, floors and fittings, and keep personal items out of frame.
Images taken only for the owner's file and never published still need the notice if possessions are visible. When in doubt, give the notice.
Can a tenant refuse an inspection?
Not if the notice is valid. A tenant cannot unreasonably decline a routine inspection where written notice has been given in line with the Act. A refusal might be reasonable where the notice is defective, or where there is a genuine clash such as illness. In that case, agree a new date and serve a fresh notice.
What a landlord must never do is force entry or enter without a valid right. If a tenant with proper notice still blocks access, the formal path runs through SACAT, not self-help. Keep the record: the notice, the attempted entry time, and any communication from the tenant. A calm, documented approach is far stronger in front of a tribunal than a heated exchange at the front door.
Often a refusal is really a scheduling problem. Offering a different two-hour window within the permitted hours, and serving a new notice promptly, resolves most of them.
How clean does a property need to be?
This is one of the most common questions, and the honest answer is that the Act does not set a cleanliness standard for a routine inspection. What it does set is the tenant's general obligation to keep the premises in a reasonable condition, and to leave them in a reasonable state of cleanliness at the end of the tenancy.
So a routine inspection is not a pass or fail test of housekeeping. A lived-in home will have everyday clutter. What matters to an owner is whether the property is being maintained in a way that preserves its condition. Useful things to assess include:
- Mould, damp or water staining, especially in bathrooms, laundries and around windows.
- Damage to walls, floors, doors and window furnishings beyond fair wear and tear.
- Condition of gardens, lawns and outdoor areas, where the lease places that on the tenant.
- Evidence of unreported leaks or faults.
- Pest activity.
- Unauthorised pets or occupants, where the agreement restricts them.
Be careful with that last point. CBS notes that agreement terms restricting a tenant's right to occupy, such as limiting guests or the length of their stay, are invalid. Occupancy concerns need to be tied to the tenancy agreement and the Act, not to a house rule. For unapproved occupants, see our article on subletting rules in South Australia.
Smoke alarms and safety checks at inspection
A routine inspection is a natural moment to confirm safety items are working. Tenants are expected to tell the landlord when a smoke alarm needs attention, such as a flat battery, but not every tenant notices or reports. Testing every smoke alarm at each inspection is a low-effort habit that reduces risk to people and to the asset, and it creates a dated record that you acted. We recommend it as standard practice rather than as a legal requirement.
Also look at:
- Electrical items such as exposed wiring or damaged power points.
- Window and balcony safety.
- Hot water systems and visible plumbing.
- Anything the previous inspection flagged.
For the wider set of duties owners carry, read landlord obligations in South Australia explained and our overview of Adelaide rental compliance requirements.
Inspection sheets and evidence
Routine inspections only protect you if you have something to compare against. At the start of a tenancy, the landlord or agent must complete and provide inspection sheets to the tenant, a requirement set out in the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025. That baseline is what each later inspection is measured against.
A strong inspection record has these features:
- A dated report for every inspection, matched room by room to the original condition report.
- Photographs taken under the notice rules above.
- A clear list of actions: repairs the owner will arrange, and items the tenant is asked to address.
- A follow-up date for anything outstanding.
- A copy sent to the owner while the details are fresh.
Where you are preparing a property for an inspection cycle, our SA landlord inspection checklist gives a room-by-room approach.
Common mistakes that put landlords at risk
Most inspection disputes come from process, not from the condition of the property. The patterns we see most often:
- Notice served too early or too late. Outside the 7 to 28 day range, the notice is not valid.
- No time window, or a window longer than two hours. "Sometime on Thursday" does not meet the requirement.
- A fifth inspection in a year. Without a SACAT order, that entry is outside the Act.
- Using an old lease template. Terms that conflict with the Act are unenforceable, and the four-inspection cap only took effect from 1 July 2024.
- Entering on a Sunday or public holiday. Outside normal hours.
- Treating inspections as a cleanliness test. The Act does not support it, and it damages the relationship with a good tenant.
- Publishing photos without consent. Written consent is required.
Repeat issues often start with student or share-house tenancies, where many occupants and frequent turnover make notice and records harder. Our guide on the four inspections rule for student rentals in Adelaide covers how to plan around that.
Our perspective: inspections as portfolio stewardship
We manage residential property in Adelaide and we do nothing else: no sales, only management. That focus shapes how we see inspections. The legal limit is four a year, so every one has to earn its place.
First, we treat the notice as part of the product. A defective notice does not just risk a dispute, it wastes one of the four inspections. We build every schedule backwards from that cap.
Second, we think the best protection comes before the tenancy begins. Careful selection means inspections confirm a good tenancy rather than hunt for problems. That is why we use a four-layer tenant screening process, and why we publish our approach to SACAT-ready tenant selection.
Third, owners should see what we see. Interstate and time-poor owners cannot attend, so a reliable record, delivered promptly and accessible through a 24/7 owner portal, is what turns an inspection into useful information. A report that arrives weeks later helps nobody.
Finally, tone matters. Tenants who are treated with courtesy and given proper notice tend to look after a home and report faults early, which is exactly what an owner wants. The law is built on balancing the owner's interest in the asset with the tenant's privacy, and a professional approach honours both.
— HOSO
Having your inspections handled for you
If you would rather not track notice periods, entry hours and the annual cap yourself, our team can do it. We handle routine inspections, written reports, maintenance coordination and compliance for Adelaide landlords as part of our property management services. If you are not sure what your property could achieve before you decide, you can start with a rental appraisal.
FAQ
How often can a landlord do a routine inspection in SA?
Up to four times a year. From 1 July 2024 that is the limit unless SACAT orders otherwise. Other lawful entries, such as for repairs with notice, are separate from the routine inspection count.
How much notice is required before a routine inspection?
Written notice must be given at least 7 days and no more than 28 days before the inspection. It must state the purpose, the date and a time window of up to two hours. The CBS notice form sets out the required details.
Can a tenant decline an inspection?
A tenant cannot unreasonably refuse an inspection that has been properly notified. If the notice was faulty, or the date is genuinely unsuitable, the better course is to agree a new date and serve a new notice. If a tenant keeps refusing valid entry, the landlord should apply to SACAT and must not force entry.
What time of day can an inspection happen?
Between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, excluding Sundays and public holidays. The notice must also state a window of up to two hours within that range. Arriving outside the stated window weakens the notice.
How clean does the house need to be?
The Act sets no cleanliness standard for routine inspections. The tenant must keep the property in reasonable condition and leave it reasonably clean at the end of the tenancy. Agents focus on care of the property, such as damage, mould and unreported faults, rather than tidiness.
Sources
- Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA)
- Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025 (SA)
- SA.GOV.AU: Landlord's rights to enter a property
- Law Handbook: The landlord's right of entry
- CBS: Notice to enter premises including inspection
- CBS: Rental agreement terms inconsistent with the Residential Tenancies Act 1995