What Is an Inspection and Why Are They Done?
A property inspection is a documented review of a unit’s condition at a specific point in time. Inspections are most commonly completed at move-in, move-out, or as routine inspections during a tenancy.
Inspections help property managers:
Document the condition of a unit
Protect owners and tenants in case of disputes
Identify maintenance issues early
Support security deposit decisions
Maintain compliance with provincial regulations
All inspections completed in Propra are time-stamped, include photo evidence, and generate a permanent record that can be used if needed for dispute resolution or court proceedings.
Provincial Inspection Regulations in Canada
Inspection rules vary by province, but generally:
Move-in and move-out inspections are strongly recommended or required to make claims against a security deposit.
Tenants must usually be given an opportunity to attend inspections.
Inspection reports must be documented and shared with tenants.
Photos and written notes strengthen enforceability.
Entry notice requirements (typically 24 hours) still apply for routine inspections.
Always follow your provincial residential tenancy legislation when scheduling and completing inspections.
Getting Started: The Property Manager App
Inspections are completed using the Propra Property Manager App (the purple app).
Download the app on your mobile device
Log in using your Propra credentials
You will see a list of your properties
The first property shown will be the one closest to your current location. This is based on your device’s location settings.
Important Tip
Open the property before entering the unit.
This allows all data to load ahead of time, which is especially important in buildings with poor reception (such as concrete or underground areas). Once loaded, you can complete the inspection without delays.
Selecting the Correct Lease
When you open a unit, you may see:
A past lease
A current lease
An upcoming lease
Always make sure you select the correct lease for the inspection.
Example:
If you are completing a move-out inspection and there is an upcoming lease, you must select the current lease, not the upcoming one.
Move-in and move-out inspections are automatically shared with the tenant, so always confirm you are inspecting with the correct tenant present.
Starting an Inspection
Once inside the unit, select Begin Inspection.
You will then choose the inspection type:
Inspection Types
Move-In
Move-Out
Routine
Sharing Rules
Move-in and move-out inspections are automatically shared with the tenant by email (PDF attached) and uploaded to their residential portal.
Routine inspections are internal by default, but you may choose to share them.
All inspections can be shared with owners through the owner portal.
Storage Location
Move-in and move-out inspections are stored under Lease → Documents
Inspections completed on empty units are stored under Unit → Documents
Registering an Inspection Attempt
On the inspection type page, you may select Register Attempt.
This records the last attempted inspection date and allows you to document reasons such as:
Tenant could not be reached
Tenant failed to appear
Tenant refused entry
Other (custom reason)
For routine inspections, you may also record the purpose, such as Annual or Pre-Move-Out.
Inspection Areas & Features
Each inspection is organized by Areas (e.g., Kitchen, Living Room, Bedroom).
Each area contains a list of Features.
Propra includes a default list, but it is strongly recommended that you configure Floor Plans for your properties. Floor plans determine:
Inspection areas and features
Campaign listings
While in an Inspection, You Can
Rename an area by selecting the areas purple text
Change the area category by renaming the area (this updates the icon)
Add or remove areas
Inspect each area individually
Once an area is completed, its icon changes to a check mark so you can easily track progress.
Recording Conditions, Notes & Photos
Inside each area:
Select thumbs up (good condition) or thumbs down (issue)
Use the top thumbs up if the entire area is in good condition
Add notes and take photos per feature
Photos must be taken in real time. Uploading existing images is not allowed.
All photos are time-stamped to confirm when and where the inspection occurred.
Important
When adding notes or photos, always select Confirm Changes at the bottom.
If you tap Close at the top, your changes will not be saved.
Creating Maintenance Requests from Inspections
If a feature is marked as scratched, stained, dirty, or damaged, Propra will prompt you at the end of the inspection to create maintenance requests.
You can:
Review each negative item
Toggle on (purple is on) which issues should generate maintenance requests
Leave others unselected if no work is required
When the inspection syncs, Propra automatically creates the selected maintenance requests, allowing you to assign operators immediately. This is especially useful for fast move-out turnarounds.
Move-In vs Move-Out Comparison
Notes and photos recorded during move-in inspections carry forward and can be compared side by side with move-out inspections. This helps clearly determine:
Pre-existing conditions
Tenant-caused damage
Any changes made to inspection areas will also apply to future inspections.
Photos & PDF Report Selection
You may take unlimited photos during an inspection.
However, only up to 100 images can be included in the PDF report.
Before completing the inspection:
Select the photos to include in the PDF
Click Confirm
If you proceed without selecting photos, the PDF will generate without images (though the photos remain attached to the inspection record).
Move-Out Estimated Costs
During a move-out inspection, you’ll be prompted to enter estimated costs.
These costs:
Automatically populate in the security deposit page
Pre-select “Retained for Damages” will automatically be selected
Can be edited or removed later when issuing the deposit
You may also record:
Tenant agreement or disagreement
Tenant forwarding address (this updates their profile automatically)
Signing the Inspection
Once complete, the inspection must be signed.
Options include:
Tenant agrees
Tenant disagrees
Agent refused to sign
Agent failed to appear
The tenant may review the report directly on your device before signing.
If refused, you may add a comment explaining why.
Once signed, the inspection cannot be edited.
Syncing the Inspection
After completion, the inspection must sync to Propra.
Keep the app open
Do not allow your device to lock
Sync time depends on the number of photos
If syncing fails:
Use the manual sync button (circular arrows icon)
You’ll receive an email reminder if syncing is incomplete
If the app crashes during photo selection, this is usually due to low device storage. You can complete the inspection on another device by logging in and finishing the sync.
Viewing Completed Inspections
In Propra:
Lease inspections appear under Lease → Documents
Unit inspections appear under Unit → Documents
From the inspection summary you can:
View all photos
Download individual images
Download the full PDF report
The PDF includes:
Property address
Lease holder details
Agent information
Inspection dates
Conditions, notes, photos
Estimated costs
Signatures and comments
Helpful Tips
Keep the app updated to the latest version
Ensure camera permissions are enabled
Load the property before entering the unit
Always confirm you selected the correct lease
You can also see the date of the last inspection when reviewing expiring leases from Dashboard → Residential.