General Information
An inventory consists of a list of the contents of the property. Along with a description of the contents and the condition of the interior of the property. This can vary from the paint on the walls to the contents of the kitchen draws.
Before the tenancy begins, an inventory is created. You can then compare the condition and contents of the property when it was first rented, to what it was like once the tenant has left. For example;
- Is anything missing or damaged?
- How much wear and tear is there?
The landlord/ managing agent can then utilise this to decide what is fair wear and tear, and what it is reasonable to charge the tenant for if anything.
Generally speaking, ‘fair, wear and tear’ is the damage/ anything that could naturally deteriorate over time. This could be things like gradual wearing of carpets, chips in the paintwork, or small marks on furniture. However, there are things like cracks in the sink or windows and even holes in the doors. This would be classed as damage, meaning the tenant would be charged to fix this.
Before 2007, inventories were often very brief, and most tenants didn’t take much notice of them. Also, in those days, assuming a property manager needed to keep a few or all of their tenant’s deposits to take care of and expenses, they just could. However, the deposit protection regulations came into force in April 2007. Which stopped landlords from taking the tenants whole deposit without having fair reason to.
These days, if you take a security store from an Assured occupant’s Shorthold Tenancy arrangement (AST), you lawfully need to place it in a government-approved scheme, such as The Deposit Protection Service Then, at that point, if you need to make any deposit deductions when the tenancy ends, you must be able to provide proof of what you need the deposit money for. Therefore having inventories protect both the landlord/agent and the tenant.
What Should be in an Inventory?
The best inventories have detailed photographs and descriptions of everything inside the property, so inventories are usually long documents. Regardless of whether your property is empty, you need inventory recording the condition of the property’s décor and interior.
The inventory should include, with photos:
- A full description of the property size and condition.
- Smoke/fire alarm test result
- Meter readings
- Whether electrical appliances, fixtures, and lights are working
- A description and details of the condition of the door, floor, walls, ceiling, woodwork, windows, switches and sockets, furniture, and furnishings in each room.
- Details of any outside facilities, such as garden furniture, a shed, or a garage
- A general description of the condition of the exterior and garden.
At the end of each section, there are usually pictures of each room.
