No better case can be made for rental inspections than when a terrible fire happens. In San Bernadino, California, 26 dwelling units were destroyed in a fire. When inspectors went back to check out the remaining units, over 50 code violations were found including exposed wires and other electrical problems. There were also building code violations including illegal construction and property maintenance issues. Yearly inspections uncover these problems before they become troublesome. It’s fashionable to rail against government intrusion and landlords convince their tenants they shouldn’t cooperate with building inspectors but this is an area where we know people will die if they don’t have an outside party advocating for their safety. It’s all about saving lives.