Be A Better Landlord ~ 6 ~ An Inventory to Set a Standard

Inventory v BABL Check-In

Like an inventory only more encompassing. We include all the checks and risk assessments required to keep you within the regulations, laws and acts as required for a modern tenancy. Designed to be intuitive, landlords are expected to be part of the process and so present at the Check-In. Being interactive participating landlords will be better informed on what, why and how to carry out their duties, with an awareness of the relevance of each part of the Check-In process, how it will relates to the various parts of legislation, penalties and benefits at the end of the tenancy, the affect on the tenancy deposit and penalties of non-compliance.

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What is an Inventory

An inventory is an assessment of a property and all the fixtures and fittings at the start of a tenancy. For the purposes of this blog we are referring to assured short hold tenancies. The inventory will list the items and specify the quantity, location and condition and is usually arranged in a document with supporting photographs. The inventory will focus on areas of existing damage and wear on furnishings and fixtures, new items. The data collection for the inventory is carried out immediately prior to the tenant moving in, the tenant usually starts to move their possessions into the property during the latter stages of the data being collated for the inventory. The inventory clerk hands the keys over to the tenant, having recorded the keys photographically, also record gas and electric meter readings.

 The main purpose of the inventory is to establish the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy, providing clarity to both the landlord and the tenant.

Whilst the need for an inventory is not specifically required in legislation, the rationale is formed by the landlord’s obligations to provide Prescribed Information, it has a practical application as when compiled to a good standard and agreed with the tenant it can be relied upon to support other parts of the Prescribed Information such as reasons for deduction to the tenancy deposit when the tenancy ends, it will be the document that confirms the condition at the start for comparison at the end and will demonstrate damage that a landlord can cost or quantify.

This is not an exhaustive list but the main things observed for an inventory which includes:

• Integrity of the walls, ceiling and floors
• Surface damage – stains, scuff marks, dings, dents, nail holes, mould and mildew
• Condition of windows and frames – worn out sealant, chipped paint, cracks in the glass, rot on the frame, mould in and around
• Condition of the furniture – rips and tears on the upholstery, visible impacts on the wooden surfaces, broken legs and other missing features, fire safety requirements
• Cabinets and wardrobes – deformation, hanging doors, squeaky hinges
• Condition of the carpets and curtains – stains, cigarette burns, tears and rips, fiber deterioration, discoloration
• Condition of the electrical appliances, power grid, sockets, fuses and light switches
• Condition of the gas appliances and gas supply
• Water flow through all taps and outlets, colour and quality of the water, slow or blocked drains, poor sanitation facilities, limescale and rust
• Heating and hot water working properly
• Cracked sinks, baths, tiles
• Mouldy or crumbling grout or sealants
• Door and window locks – squeaky hinges, hanging doors or not closing properly
• External walls – cracks, missing render or insulation
• Roof – missing roof tiles, deformation, rotten supports and joists
• Gutters – blockage, rust, holes or other damage

The inventory should then be sent to the tenant for agreement, usually within 24-48 hours of moving, the tenant is then allowed a week to ten days to check and advise of any discrepancies on the inventory. The inventory is the document that will be referred to:

• at the end to establish damage caused during the tenancy
• remind tenants of where things were at the start so that they can be put back into position or replaced
• document the items that will be replaced if they break down during the tenancy
• enable the landlord and tenant to keep an agreed record

Using an inventory clerk, who has been instructed by the landlord is quite usual, however the task can be performed by the landlord, letting agent, a third party supplier or even the tenant. It can happen without the tenant’s presence, but it needs to be signed by both parties or its legitimacy might not hold in a formal dispute.

Inventories should include:

• Full names and addresses of the landlord, tenants and letting agents, if any
• The date when the inventory was conducted and the person who conducted it
• A thorough list of the interior and exterior, décor/fixtures and fittings
• The condition of these items (e.g. ‘small scratches to surface’ or ‘brand new, never used’)
• Meter readings/serial numbers/key lists
• Embedded photographs (if these are not embedded in the document they should be signed and referenced to the corresponding part of the inventory)
• Any relevant receipts (e.g. end of tenancy cleaning performed before the tenant has moved in)
• Signatures from the landlord and tenant/s including date/s agreeing to the inventory
• Pages should be initialed

An inventory carried out at the start of the tenancy, (move-in/check-in) can then be followed by a move-out/check-out at the end of the tenancy. Inventories are required to have a clear and easy to follow process. They must represent accurate information about the condition of the property and should be agreed to by the tenant to be officially recognised as evidence.

Since the Deregulation Act 2015, landlords also need to have fully complied with the Prescribed Information (PI) in order to request any deductions to the deposit.

See our blog on PI, https://www.creativegreenenergy.com/2017/06/22/be-a-better-landlord-3rd-

Prescribed Information provided to tenant by landlord: EPC, Gas Safe Cert, How to rent: checklist for renting in England, Key Details of the Housing Act 2004, What is the TDS leaflet from deposit scheme and deposit certificate.