Minimum Life Safety Requirements
If you are purchasing a home, or before renting out or letting a rental unit at some point before occupancy the owner/landlord/tenant should check the property out for deficiencies.
A simple walkthrough of the property could take about 15 to 30 minutes, and you might still miss some very important flaws or deficiencies.
An inspection checklist can be used as a crosscheck when inspecting your own home or a rental unit. The link below can be used as a helpful cross check of minimum life safety elements. These checklist are separated into interior checklist and exterior checklist. These are a good reference but do not list everything you should be checking.
When purchasing a home it is always recommended to use a qualified inspector.
Interior Inspection Checklist:
Exterior Inspection Checklist: