Last updated 2026-07-23
TL;DR
Home Depot's tool rental centers sometimes stock borescope or sewer inspection cameras landlords can rent to check pipes, crawl spaces, and walls before a city rental inspection, but stock and pricing vary store to store, so call ahead. This guide also covers notice rules, what an inspector can actually look at, and basic landlord obligations in states like California and Ohio.
Can you actually rent an inspection camera from Home Depot?
Sometimes, yes. Home Depot runs Tool & Truck Rental Centers at many locations, and the online catalog lists inspection tools alongside plumbing snakes, wet/dry vacs, and drain augers [1]. A borescope-style inspection camera (the kind you snake into a wall cavity, drainpipe, or crawl space) shows up in some markets under "inspection" or "plumbing tools," but not every store carries one, and Home Depot does not publish a single national list of what's physically on the shelf at your location. The honest answer is: call your local store's rental desk first. Ask specifically for a "sewer camera," "drain camera," or "borescope inspection camera." If your store doesn't have one, Home Depot's site will usually show you the nearest location that does, or you can try a dedicated equipment rental chain like United Rentals or Sunbelt Rentals, both of which carry plumbing and sewer inspection cameras more consistently than home improvement retailers. Landlords rent these mostly for one reason: to see a problem before a city inspector, insurance adjuster, or contractor does. If your city runs a mandatory rental inspection program, a $60 camera rental the week before your appointment can save you a failed inspection and a re-inspection fee.
How much does an inspection camera rental actually cost?
| Home Depot / big-box tool rental (borescope or sewer camera) | ~$50-$100/day, varies by store [1] | One-time pre-inspection check |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment rental chain (United Rentals, Sunbelt) | Often similar or higher, better stock consistency | Sewer line or under-slab work |
| Buy your own handheld inspection camera | $25-$150 depending on features | Landlords with multiple units or recurring plumbing issues |
| Hire a licensed plumber to camera the line | Often $150-$500+ depending on market | Complex sewer lateral diagnosis, insurance documentation |
Expect somewhere in the range of $50 to $100 for a one-day rental of a basic sewer or borescope inspection camera at a general tool rental counter, based on typical daily rates for comparable plumbing inspection equipment at national rental chains. Home Depot does not post a fixed national price for this category online, so treat any number you see as a starting estimate, not a quote. Store-level pricing depends on the model, whether it includes a locator/transmitter for finding the camera head underground, and your local market. Here's the thing worth knowing before you book one: cheap handheld borescope cameras that plug into your phone now sell for $25 to $60 on their own. If you own more than a couple of rental units, buying one outright often beats renting every time you have a suspicious pipe smell or a tenant complaint about a slow drain. Renting makes more sense for a one-time job, like checking a sewer lateral line before you list a property or before a city inspection you're worried about. | Option | Typical cost | Best for |
When does a landlord actually need to rent an inspection camera before a city inspection?
The most common reason is plumbing. Older homes, especially anything built before the 1980s, often have clay, cast iron, or Orangeburg sewer laterals that crack, root-invade, or sag over decades. A quick camera run down the main line before your rental inspection can catch a collapsing pipe before the city inspector, or worse, a tenant, finds it the hard way. The second common use is hidden damage after a leak. If a tenant reported water stains on a ceiling or a musty smell in a closet, a borescope lets you peek inside the wall cavity without cutting a hole first. That matters if your city's inspection checklist includes moisture intrusion or mold conditions, which many municipal housing codes do reference under general habitability standards. The third use case is crawl spaces and attics landlords don't want to physically climb into. A camera on a pole or snake can check for pest activity, insulation gaps, or standing water in spots that are miserable (or unsafe) to inspect by hand. None of this replaces a professional inspection when something looks seriously wrong. Think of the rented camera as a scouting tool, not a substitute for a plumber or a licensed inspector when the findings get serious.
What can a landlord look at during a rental inspection?
A landlord (or a city rental inspector) doing a habitability or licensing inspection can generally look at anything connected to the safety, structural condition, and working systems of the unit: smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, electrical panels and outlets, plumbing fixtures and visible pipes, heating and cooling equipment, windows and doors (including whether bedroom windows meet egress requirements), and signs of pest infestation, mold, or water damage. What an inspection is not supposed to be is a search of the tenant's belongings. Inspectors and landlords can observe visible conditions in the unit; they generally cannot open drawers, closets full of personal items, or containers just to look inside, unless there's a specific safety reason (like tracing a gas smell). The general legal principle, reflected in state landlord-tenant statutes across the country, is that entry rights are tied to a legitimate purpose (repairs, safety inspection, showing the unit) and reasonable scope, not open-ended snooping [2]. If you're prepping for a city licensing inspection specifically, most municipal checklists focus on the building code basics: working smoke alarms, no exposed wiring, functioning heat, no active leaks, secure railings, and pest-free conditions. Confirm the exact checklist with your city rental licensing office, since requirements vary block by block, let alone city by city.
Who is responsible for the rental property walk-through inspection in California?
In California, the landlord is responsible for offering the pre-move-out (also called "initial") inspection. Under California Civil Code Section 1950.5(f), a landlord must, upon the tenant's request, allow an inspection of the unit before the tenant moves out, and give the tenant an itemized list of deficiencies so they have a chance to fix things before final move-out deductions come out of the deposit [2]. The statute puts the initiation duty on the landlord in the sense that the landlord must notify the tenant of this right (usually within a reasonable time before the tenancy ends) and then actually conduct the walk-through if the tenant asks for one. The landlord or the landlord's agent typically does the physical walk-through, with the tenant invited to be present. California law states that "the tenant shall have the right to request that an initial inspection of the premises take place prior to the termination of the tenancy" and that the landlord must give at least 48 hours' written notice of the date and time [2]. This is a separate process from a city's mandatory rental licensing or code enforcement inspection, which is conducted by a municipal inspector, not the landlord. If your California city requires a rental inspection as part of licensing, confirm the specific process and notice period with your city rental licensing office, since it runs on its own timeline outside the state's move-out inspection rule.
How much notice does a landlord have to give before an inspection?
In California, the standard is 24 hours' written notice for routine entry to make repairs or conduct an inspection, and the law treats 24 hours as presumptively reasonable notice under Civil Code Section 1954 [2]. The statute lets a landlord enter for specific purposes, including "to make necessary or agreed repairs," and requires notice unless there's an emergency or the tenant agrees to a shorter window. Ohio's law doesn't spell out an exact number of hours. Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04(A)(8) requires a landlord not to "abuse the right of access" to the unit, and Ohio courts and practitioners generally treat 24 hours as the reasonable benchmark, similar to most other states, even though the statute itself uses the word "reasonable" rather than a fixed number [3]. Most states land somewhere in the 24 to 48 hour range for non-emergency entry, but a handful require more and a few say less. Always confirm the exact notice period in your state's landlord-tenant statute before you schedule a walk-through, a repair visit, or a pre-inspection camera check, since giving too little notice can itself become a tenant complaint or a violation on a city inspection record.
What can't a landlord do in Ohio?
Ohio law draws some hard lines. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.15, a landlord cannot use "self-help" to remove a tenant or force them out, meaning no changing the locks, shutting off utilities, or removing a tenant's belongings without going through the court eviction process [4]. This is one of the most commonly violated rules by frustrated landlords, and it can expose you to actual damages plus attorney fees if a tenant sues. Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.02 also bars retaliatory conduct: a landlord cannot raise rent, cut services, or start eviction proceedings specifically because a tenant complained to a housing authority, joined a tenant group, or asserted a legal right [5]. And under Section 5321.04, landlords have ongoing duties to keep the premises fit and habitable, maintain common areas, keep systems in working order, and not abuse the right of entry into the unit [3]. Layer federal law on top of that. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing decisions based on seven protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability [6]. That applies in Ohio and every other state, regardless of what a local lease says.
What rights do tenants have without a lease?
A tenant without a signed lease usually still has a tenancy, just not a fixed-term one. Most states treat this as a month-to-month tenancy, governed by the same state landlord-tenant statute that would apply if there were a written lease. That means the tenant still has a right to a habitable unit, protection from discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, and the same notice-before-entry rules discussed above [6][2]. What changes without a written lease is mostly around termination and proof. Either side can typically end a month-to-month tenancy with proper notice (commonly 30 days, though this varies by state and sometimes by how long the tenant has lived there), rather than being locked into a set term. Without a lease, disputes over what was agreed to (pet policies, who pays for what utility, parking rules) get harder to prove, which is exactly why written leases exist even for casual arrangements. If you're managing tenants without paperwork, read up on tenant rights and tenants rights in your specific state before you assume you can end things on a whim. Verbal agreements are still enforceable in most states; they're just messier to prove in court.
Why do landlords require renters insurance?
Most landlords require renters insurance for two reasons: liability protection and property protection, and it costs the tenant very little. The Insurance Information Institute estimates the average renters insurance policy runs roughly $15 to $20 a month nationally, a small cost relative to what it covers . Renters insurance typically covers the tenant's personal belongings if there's a fire, theft, or water damage, so the landlord's own property insurance isn't the only thing standing between a tenant and a total loss. It also usually includes liability coverage, meaning if the tenant accidentally causes damage (an overflowed tub, a kitchen fire) or someone gets hurt in the unit, the tenant's policy responds first instead of the landlord's policy taking the full hit. Landlords like that because it reduces claims against their own coverage and can lower the odds of a lawsuit landing entirely in the landlord's lap. Renters insurance isn't required by federal or (in most states) state law. It's a lease requirement landlords add on their own, and it's enforceable as a lease term as long as it's applied consistently and doesn't run afoul of fair housing rules.
What is landlording, and what exactly is a landlord?
A landlord is a person or entity that owns residential (or commercial) property and rents it to someone else, called a tenant, in exchange for regular payment, usually monthly rent. That's the whole legal definition in most state statutes: an owner (or an owner's authorized agent) who leases property to another party. "Landlording" is the informal term for the actual practice of being a landlord day to day. It covers everything from screening applicants and drafting or signing leases, to collecting rent, handling maintenance requests, budgeting for repairs, staying current on local registration or licensing rules, and knowing when and how you're allowed to enter the unit. It's part property management, part small business ownership, and increasingly, part compliance work as more cities add mandatory rental licensing and inspection programs. Small landlords, meaning people with one to ten units, often underestimate the compliance side. A single-family rental in a city with a licensing ordinance can carry its own registration deadline, inspection cycle, and fine schedule, separate from anything in your lease or your state's landlord-tenant law. Landlord landlords resources and your own city's rental licensing office page are the two places to check first.
How do you become a landlord, and what does it actually take?
Becoming a landlord starts with owning (or having legal authority over) a residential property you intend to rent out, then working through a handful of practical steps: confirming local zoning allows rental use, registering with your city's rental licensing program if one exists, getting landlord (more than standard homeowner) insurance, and setting up a lease and a tenant screening process that complies with fair housing law [6]. On the financial side, rental income is taxable, and the IRS treats residential rental property under its own rules for depreciation, deductible expenses, and reporting, covered in IRS Publication 527 . Most landlords report rental income and expenses on Schedule E of Form 1040. Talk to a tax preparer familiar with rental property before your first tax season as a landlord; the depreciation rules alone trip people up constantly. The part new landlords miss most often is the local licensing and inspection layer. A growing number of cities require landlords to register every rental unit, pay an annual or biennial licensing fee (confirm the exact fee with your city rental licensing office, since it ranges widely by city and unit count), and pass a habitability inspection on some recurring schedule. Missing a registration deadline or failing an inspection can trigger fines long before any tenant dispute ever happens. If you're staring down your first city notice or inspection date and don't want to build a compliance checklist from scratch, a resource like the $79 City Rental License & Inspection Prep Packet at /rental-packet-builder walks through what most inspectors check, organized by category, so you're not guessing the week before your appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I rent an inspection camera besides Home Depot?
United Rentals and Sunbelt Rentals both carry sewer and borescope inspection cameras more consistently than home improvement retailers, since it's closer to their core business. Local plumbing supply stores sometimes rent them too. Always call ahead to confirm the specific model, whether it includes a locator transmitter, and the daily rate, since none of these companies post one fixed national price.
How to become a landlord?
Own or gain legal authority over a rental property, confirm local zoning allows rental use, register with your city's rental licensing program if one applies, get landlord insurance, set up a compliant tenant screening and lease process, and learn how rental income is taxed under IRS Publication 527. Then track your city's registration, inspection, and renewal deadlines going forward.
Who is responsible for a rental property walk-through inspection in California?
The landlord is responsible for offering the pre-move-out (initial) inspection under California Civil Code Section 1950.5(f). If the tenant requests it, the landlord must give at least 48 hours' written notice and conduct the walk-through, giving the tenant a chance to fix any listed deficiencies before final move-out deductions are made.
What is landlording?
Landlording is the everyday practice of owning and managing a rental property: screening tenants, handling leases and rent collection, maintaining the unit, and staying compliant with local registration, licensing, and inspection rules. It's part small business management, part property maintenance, and increasingly involves keeping up with city-level rental ordinances.
What is a landlord?
A landlord is a person or entity that owns residential or commercial property and leases it to a tenant in exchange for rent. Most state landlord-tenant statutes define the term this way, whether it's an individual owner or a property management company acting on the owner's behalf.
What rights do tenants have without a lease?
A tenant without a written lease usually still has a month-to-month tenancy under state law, with the same rights to habitability, non-discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, and required entry notice as a tenant with a lease. What changes mostly involves termination notice and how easy it is to prove verbal agreements about rent, pets, or utilities.
How to be a landlord day to day?
Respond to maintenance requests promptly, keep the unit compliant with local building and housing codes, give proper notice before entering, track lease renewals and rent payments, and stay ahead of any city rental registration or inspection deadlines. Most landlord problems come from missed deadlines and poor documentation, not from tenant conflict.
Why do landlords require renters insurance?
Renters insurance covers the tenant's personal belongings and adds liability coverage that protects both the tenant and, indirectly, the landlord if the tenant causes accidental damage or an injury in the unit. The Insurance Information Institute estimates it costs roughly $15 to $20 a month on average, making it an easy lease requirement to justify.
How much notice does a landlord have to give before an inspection?
California requires 24 hours' written notice for routine entry under Civil Code Section 1954. Ohio requires reasonable notice under Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04, generally treated as 24 hours in practice, though the statute doesn't state a fixed number. Most other states fall in the 24 to 48 hour range; confirm your exact state's rule before scheduling entry.
What can a landlord look at during an inspection?
A landlord or inspector can generally observe safety and habitability items: smoke detectors, electrical systems, plumbing, heating and cooling, windows, doors, and signs of pests, mold, or water damage. They generally cannot search through personal belongings like closets or drawers unless there's a specific safety concern, such as tracing a gas odor.
What can't a landlord do in Ohio?
Ohio landlords cannot use self-help eviction tactics like changing locks, shutting off utilities, or removing a tenant's property without a court order, under Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.15. They also cannot retaliate against a tenant for exercising legal rights under Section 5321.02, and must not abuse their right of entry under Section 5321.04.
Does Home Depot rent inspection cameras at every store?
No. Home Depot's Tool & Truck Rental Centers vary by location, and not every store stocks a borescope or sewer inspection camera. Call your local store's rental desk directly and ask for availability and pricing before you plan a repair or pre-inspection check around it.
Is it cheaper to buy or rent an inspection camera as a landlord?
If you own more than a couple of rental units or expect recurring plumbing checks, buying a basic handheld borescope camera, often $25 to $150, usually beats renting one repeatedly at $50 to $100 a day. Renting makes more sense for a single, one-time check before a sale or an inspection.
Sources
- The Home Depot, Tool & Truck Rental: Home Depot rental centers list inspection-related tools, including borescope-style cameras, though stock varies by store
- Ohio Laws and Rules, Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.04: Ohio landlords must not abuse the right of access to the rental unit and must maintain the premises fit and habitable
- Ohio Laws and Rules, Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.15: Ohio landlords cannot use self-help eviction, such as lockouts or utility shutoffs, without a court order
- Ohio Laws and Rules, Ohio Revised Code Section 5321.02: Ohio landlords cannot retaliate against a tenant for exercising a legal right
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing Act overview: The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on seven protected characteristics
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 527, Residential Rental Property: Rental income and expenses must be reported under IRS rules, including depreciation guidance for landlords