Pre-tenancy inspections
A dated, photographic record of a home’s external condition before a new tenancy starts, captured by drone without ladders or scaffold.
Available Files: Dated 4K Images, Condition Notes & PDF Reports
Dated
Condition Record
4K
Close-Up Imagery
Fast
Turnaround
0
Days of Scaffold
Pre-Tenancy Condition Inspections
Before a new tenant moves in, it helps to know exactly what condition the home is in. A pre-tenancy inspection gives you a dated record of the roof, chimney, gutters and walls at the start of the tenancy.
We capture each home in close-up 4K drone imagery, note any defects, and deliver a report you can keep on file alongside your internal check-in.
If a repair request or disrepair claim comes in later, you have clear evidence of the condition at handover, and any issues found can be fixed before the tenant moves in.
Example Image Quality
Click each image to view example image quality
What Your Pre-Tenancy Inspection Can Include
Choose a simple dated record or add condition notes and repair recommendations.
| Deliverable | What it is | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Dated imagery | Close-up 4K photos of the roof, chimney, gutters and walls. | Standard |
| Address-linked record | Every image tagged to the property and date. | Standard |
| PDF report | A simple report to keep with the tenancy file. | Standard |
| Condition notes | Defects noted and highlighted in the report. | Optional |
| RAG ratings | Red, amber and green ratings for each element. | Optional |
| Thermal imaging | Check for heat loss and damp indicators. | Optional |
| Repair recommendations | Suggested repairs before the tenant moves in. | Optional |
External inspections usually need no access to the home, so they can be booked around your void and lettings timeline.
At a Glance
Capture
4K drone imagery
Access required
Usually none
Pilot network
Nationwide
Condition notes
Available
Scaffold needed
None
Coverage
Mainland UK
Get a Quote
Send us an address. We will come back the same working day with a price and a scope.
Why Landlords Choose Pre-Tenancy Inspections
A pre-tenancy inspection gives you a clear baseline for every home. Clients benefit from:
Knowing the condition of your whole portfolio lets you mitigate risk, prioritise spending and act on real evidence rather than assumptions.
The result?
Start every tenancy with a clear record, and fix issues before they become complaints.
__ Evidence on file
A record you can rely on
Every image is dated and linked to the address, so you can show the condition of the home on the day the tenancy started.
That record can help when handling repair requests, complaints and disrepair claims, and gives your repairs team a baseline to compare against later.
Know the condition before the keys go out.
CAA
CAA Operational Authorisation 11363
Fully insured, with £10m public liability and specialist UAV cover
__ Why drones
Why use drones for pre-tenancy inspections?
Roofs, chimneys and gutters can’t be checked properly from the ground, and ladders or scaffold before every letting aren’t practical. A drone captures them close up in minutes.
- No one at height. Roofs and chimneys captured by drone.
- Dated. Every image linked to the address and date.
- Clear. Defects noted before the tenancy starts.
- Useful later. Evidence for repairs, complaints and claims.
- Flexible. Single lettings or regular programmes.
A dated record of condition before the keys are handed over.
Who we work with
Pre-tenancy inspections for housing providers and landlords
We work with housing associations, councils, lettings teams and landlords who want a clear record of condition at the start of every tenancy.
Our service is suitable for
- ›Housing associations
- ›Local authority housing
- ›ALMOs
- ›Lettings and management agents
- ›Private rented sector landlords
- ›Build-to-rent operators
- ›Student accommodation
- ›Supported housing
- ›Retirement housing
- ›Temporary accommodation providers
For regular lettings, we can set up a rolling programme so every new tenancy starts with an inspection.
__ Why choose us
Why choose Drone Site Surveys?
Drone Site Surveys specialises in professional survey and inspection data capture rather than general aerial photography.
Our pilots work specifically across commercial and domestic properties, as well as building, construction and land surveying environments. With experience in roof and façade inspections, they understand how to capture clear, relevant imagery that supports practical condition assessment, defect identification and informed decision-making.
Clients choose Drone Site Surveys for our specialist experience, professional standards and independent approach:
__ How it works
Our pre-tenancy inspection process
From first enquiry to secure delivery, every survey follows the same six steps, so you always know what happens next and when.
Tell us about the property
Send us the address and the date the tenancy starts. We’ll book the inspection to fit your lettings timeline.
Planning and quote
We carry out a desktop assessment of the property and the surrounding airspace, check the survey against current UK drone regulations, and prepare your quote. You receive it by email with no obligation, along with the airspace map for your site and an example delivery so you can see exactly what you’ll be getting.
Booking your date
Once you’re happy with the quote we add your job to the schedule and start monitoring the Met Office forecast. In the meantime we prepare the pre-flight paperwork, including our risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), which we can send over for your records. As soon as we have a clear weather window and pilot availability, we confirm your attendance date. You don’t normally need to be on site.
The survey
Our CAA approved pilots capture the roof, chimney, gutters and walls in close-up 4K imagery, dated and linked to the address.
Processing
We check the imagery, note any defects and deliver a report you can keep with the tenancy file.
Delivery
We email you a link to our secure online portal, where your imagery, reports and any other agreed outputs are ready to view, download and share with your team or contractors. Alongside the deliverables you’ll find a folder containing the pre-flight paperwork, a copy of the drone airspace map for your site and any other relevant documents, so everything from the survey is in one place.
__ Request a Quote
Request a pre-tenancy inspection quote
Whether it’s a single letting or a regular programme across your homes, we can tailor inspections to your lettings process.
Send us the address and a brief description of what you need, and we will come back with clear pricing and deliverable options.
Prefer to Speak to Us?
If you’d rather speak to one of the team, that’s no problem. Simply call the number below and one of our team will be more than happy to help.
Get a Quote
__ In The Know
Frequently Asked
Questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about pre-tenancy inspections. If yours is not covered here, give us a call.
What is a pre-tenancy inspection?
A dated, photographic record of a home’s external condition, taken before a new tenant moves in.
What do you inspect?
The roof, chimney, gutters, fascias and external walls, captured in close-up 4K imagery.
Does this replace an internal check-in?
No. It covers the outside of the home, where most hard-to-see defects are. Use it alongside your usual internal check-in.
How can the record help later?
It shows the condition of the home at the start of the tenancy, which helps when handling repair requests, complaints and disrepair claims.
Do you need access to the home?
Usually not. The drone captures the outside, so we can inspect while the home is empty or being prepared.
How quickly can you inspect?
We book inspections to fit your lettings timeline. Tell us the start date when you enquire.