Faced with another bill of £100 to £150 I can understand landlords hesitation to get an inventory prepared. Especially with unfurnished property, often Landlords say I don’t have anything in there so why do I need an inventory?
Inventories are a line in the sand. They are an accurate record of the condition of a property at a set time, ideally when the tenant moves in and are proof of the condition at that time. They take a lot of time to prepare hence the cost.
They are proof as they contain detail on not only what is in the property but also it’s condition. They are also receipted by the tenants which adds weight to the proof as the tenants are aware of it and have the opportunity to object if they think that the description given does not match reality!
Inventory Description Example
As lettings agents we add numerous photographs of each room and the outside of the property to ours so they are as complete a record as we can make them. The photographs are timed and dated which is something that the dispute resolution schemes favour.
But a good inventory should reduce the need for arbitration as all parties aware aware of the information.
Inventory Photos with Date and Time
In a Nutshell Why an Inventory?
Without proof of the condition a tenant could do a lot of damage to walls, pipework, fixtures and fittings without the landlord having the proof to back up their claims. Lamentable, thousands of pounds worth if so minded.
Deposits have to be lodged with organisations such as the DPS who ensure that any damage claims against a deposit are agreed or resolved by an independent party who will review the claim in front of them and the inventory is a key part of that.
What else does the inventory do? Safety…
The inventory also has a second function which is a back up as to the safety of the property. We also pointedly record safety features or potential hazards to be rectified so that the landlord is aware. These measures include whether the smoke alarm is working (this has to be tested as well on the day the tenancy starts – we now do this with the tenant present).
A Helping Hand with Maintenance issues
I also recommend recording carefully the model of key items such as boilers, washing machines, fridges etc in the inventory so if there’s a problem with an item we know what the model is straight away which can help us effect a solution that much more quickly.
Hope this helps you and if you want to speak to a helpful Uxbridge based letting agent please get in touch!
