New landlord in Birmingham – what do you check on a first inspection?

[BrumLandlord2026]

I am a landlord in Birmingham, and I have a new tenant who moved in a few months ago. I have the first inspection coming up soon, and I want to get it right.
I do not want to be over the top, but I also want to check the things that actually matter. At the moment my list is damp and mould, especially in the bathroom, heating and hot water working properly, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and the general condition compared with how the property was at check-in.
What else do you check on a first inspection? And how long do you usually spend there? I am thinking around 20 minutes if there are no problems, does that sound about right?
Any simple tips from other landlords would be really helpful.

General cleaniless e.g. carpets, kitchen and bathroom.
Check taps and radiators etc for signs of any leaks and sealant round bath.
Given that its Birmingham check for build up of household rubbish and any signs of pests. The bin strikes may be making that sort of issue worse than usual.

Ensure extractor fans in kitchen and bathroom are working correctly. Check for mould, ask tenants if radiators are working. I find inspections intrusive so after first one about 6 months after tenants have moved in I just send a text message every 6 months asking if there are any issues and ask my gas certificate person who I've used for 15 years to let me know of any obvious issues. Up until RRA I used to pop around with new contract each year but I didn't ask to go into bedrooms because I think it's intrusive. I've only once in 20+ years had an issue with a tenant. Most tenants stay for 8+ years and bring their family up there.