Apartment Inspection in Slovenia: the 24 Points We Check

When an owner is promised “regular visits with an inspection,” a fair question follows: what exactly is being inspected? “Stopped by, took a look, all fine” is not an inspection. A real inspection is a structured walkthrough following a clear list, where every point is chosen deliberately — because that is where expensive problems most often start.

This article is about how an apartment inspection works as part of property care: what a visit consists of, which 24 points we check and why, and what happens when something is found. If you are considering Property Care, here you will see what you are actually buying.

This material draws on the recommendations of Eko sklad on maintaining building systems, on Slovenian home-insurance practice, and on the years of experience of the DomCare team, which carries out inspections of apartments and houses under regular property care.

Why an inspection is needed at all

The core principle of property maintenance: it is cheaper to find a problem early than to deal with its consequences. A leak spotted while it is still a damp patch costs tens of euros. The same leak found two months later means a ruined ceiling, mould, and possibly a claim from the neighbours below.

An empty apartment is dangerous precisely because problems there develop without witnesses. A dripping tap — the meter keeps running. Damp creeps in — mould grows. A radiator seeps — the floor is ruined. No one sees it until the owner arrives six months later and faces the accumulated damage.

A regular inspection turns those “invisible” months into controlled ones. Each visit is a snapshot of the property’s condition on a specific date, recorded with photographs. The problem never gets a chance to grow.

How a visit is structured

An inspection is not a “quick glance.” A standard visit follows the same route every time, so that nothing is missed and reports can be compared with one another.

Our team member walks through the apartment along a fixed list of points, records the condition of each, takes photographs — both general and of problem areas. They compare with the previous visit: has a new stain appeared, has a meter reading changed, has anything shifted. The result is a written report with photographs, which you receive the same day.

Below are the 24 points, grouped by system.

Water and plumbing (6 points)

Water is the cause of roughly a third of all serious property problems, so it gets the most attention.

1. Visible pipe runs — leaks, condensation, signs of corrosion, damp patches under pipes.
2. Taps and mixers — dripping, condition of seals, water pressure.
3. Bathroom — condition of joints and sealant, signs of a leak behind the toilet and under the bath/shower.
4. Traps and drains — smell from the drain (a sign of a dried-out trap in an empty apartment), drainage speed.
5. Water heater — leaks, pressure, unusual noises, signs of corrosion on the casing.
6. Water meter reading — compared with the previous visit: a rise in an empty apartment means a hidden leak.

Heating and ventilation (4 points)

7. Radiators or other heating units — leaks, even heat distribution, system pressure.
8. Boiler / heat pump — working condition, error indicators, unusual noises.
9. Thermostats — correctly set temperature (in an empty apartment in winter — frost-protection mode).
10. Ventilation and air exchange — extractor fans working, signs of stale air, condensation on windows.

Electrics (3 points)

11. Consumer unit — any tripped breakers, signs of overheating, smell of burning.
12. Sockets and switches in risk areas — kitchen, bathroom: signs of moisture or damage.
13. Electricity meter reading — compared with the previous visit: abnormal consumption in an empty apartment is a reason to investigate.

Building envelope (5 points)

14. Ceilings — stains, streaks, signs of a leak from above (from neighbours or the roof).
15. Walls — cracks, peeling, damp areas, especially on external walls and in corners.
16. Windows — air-tightness, condition of seals, condensation between panes (a sign of a failed glazing unit).
17. Floors — swelling, colour change (a sign of moisture from below), creaking in new spots.
18. Signs of mould — corners, areas behind furniture, window reveals, bathroom.

Safety (3 points)

19. Front door and locks — signs of an attempted break-in, lock in working order, condition of the seal.
20. Smoke detectors — present, working, battery charged (where applicable).
21. Balcony / loggia / windows facing the street — railings secure, nothing has fallen, blown in, or been damaged.

General condition and everyday life (3 points)

22. Appliances — fridge, washing machine and the rest: working condition, no leaks or smells.
23. Signs of insects or rodents — traces, especially in the kitchen and storage areas.
24. General condition and post — tidiness, foreign objects, accumulated post, correspondence that needs your attention.

The specific list is adapted to the property: a house with a plot adds points for the facade, roof, yard and garden; an apartment with a fireplace adds points for the chimney. But the logic is the same — go system by system, rather than “looking around in general.”

What we do when we find a problem

Finding a problem is half the job. The other half is responding to it correctly.

We record and photograph it. Every finding goes into the report with a photo and a description.

We assess urgency. A dripping tap can be handled at the next visit. An active leak means immediate action: shut off the water and tell you straight away.

We tell you, with options. You receive not just “you have a problem,” but a description of the situation and a proposal: what can be done, whether by our handyman team or whether a specialist contractor is needed.

We agree and act. After your decision, we coordinate the contractor, provide access, and oversee the work. Small things within an agreed limit we can fix on the spot, so they do not turn into big ones.

The principle is simple: you always know what is happening with your property, and no spending decision is made without you.

The photo report: what you receive

After every visit you receive a written report: the date, the overall status of the property, photographs of the key areas, separately — photographs of anything that needs attention, meter readings, and recommendations. The reports accumulate, and you see the history of the property — useful for oversight, for a future sale, and for dealing with your insurer.

What an inspection does not replace

An honest word about the limits. A regular inspection is a visual check by a trained person, not a technical assessment. It does not replace: the annual boiler service by a certified specialist, the mandatory chimney check by a chimney sweep, or professional diagnostics of hidden installations. An inspection notices symptoms early and triggers the right action — but the specialist service itself is carried out by the relevant tradespeople, whom we coordinate for you.

How this works at DomCare

A structured-list inspection is the foundation of our property care service. Regular visits, a photo report after each one, comparison with the previous condition, a response to whatever is found, coordination of contractors. The higher the subscription tier, the more frequent the visits and the wider the set of tasks.

If you do not need regular care yet but would like a full picture of your property’s condition just once, this can be done with a One-off Visit including an inspection and a photo report.

The easiest way to talk it through: write to us via the form or on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions

How does an inspection under property care differ from a pre-purchase viewing? A pre-purchase viewing is a one-time assessment before a deal. An inspection under property care is regular monitoring of condition over time, where the main value lies in comparing visits with one another and in detecting changes early.

How often is the inspection carried out? It depends on the subscription tier: from one visit a month to weekly. For an empty apartment in a quiet city building, a monthly visit is usually enough; a property with a garden or in a higher-risk area needs more frequent ones.

What if something happens between visits? Alongside the scheduled inspections, there is a response to emergencies — a call from neighbours, an alarm, a burst pipe. A regular visit and an emergency response are two distinct parts of the service that work together.

Will I get real photos of my apartment? Yes. A photo report with real images after every visit is a standard part of the service, not an add-on.

Can I order an inspection just once, without a subscription? Yes, a One-off Visit with a full inspection and photo report is possible without a subscription. But the value of an inspection comes precisely from regularity — a single snapshot of the condition is less useful than a series.

A real inspection is not “stopped by and took a look,” but a structured, system-by-system walkthrough where every check point is drawn from the experience of real problems. That is what stands behind the words “regular visits” in the description of property care.

If you want to understand what an inspection would include specifically for your property — write to us, and we will draw up a list of points tailored to your apartment or house.

Sources and further reading

• Eko sklad ENSVET — recommendations on maintaining building systems, in Slovenian
• Generali — Home Insurance — in Slovenian
• DomCare — Property Care — what the service includes
• DomCare — About Us — our inspection methodology