Hi,
Why have inventory prices increased so much? OpenRent are quoting £185 for a 3-bed unfurnished inventory check-in, which seems excessive.
Does anyone here use a different company for inventories and check-ins that they would recommend?
Paul
I dont use anyone for Inventories. I do my own and know it can easily take a couple of hours, plus time to visit site & take photos. I would not want to do one for anyone else for less than £185, so seems fair to me.
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@paulgain I can recommend Core Inventories (in London). Source: Core Inventories Core Inventories
185 quid doesn’t sound a million miles from the right amount tbh but will vary by location
Or try finding on klerky.com
Ask to see a sample report to see what they cover/include
Advantage of someone independent is it’s not your personal opinion of what’s clean or not and convenience of not having to spend own time. They will have a standard checklist and may use professional inventory software and time stamped photos. They will send to tenant and get agreed/signed (or include amends if offered and agreed with you). So not just the time actually inspecting.
Like everything DIY is cheaper.
Best
@David240 thank you for answering my question, it’s much appreciated. I’ve submitted a form to Klerky waiting for a response.
I agree the report should be created independently to avoid any bias.
Cheers.
Ps let us know how you get on?
Pps nrla have a co called ‘no letting go’ as a 'trusted partner ’ for inventory services see
I created my own comprehensive inventory report based on a paid for one. It is far from a carbon copy. The last report I created ran to 40 pages including photos. Admittedly, first go using it did take some time filling in all boxes and attaching all (160ish for a large studio) time stamped photos to the relevant sections. I do not believe you have to worry about any bias if you give your tenant a few days to check it over and provide any amendments to be agreed. I give the tenant three calendar days from when they receive the report to challenge any aspect of it in writing after which it is deemed accepted. They can accept by return email.
There are various inventory apps available which all work on an annual subscription service. I looked at smarterinventories.com several years back as it had been recommended here on OR and you can pay for a one-off report or buy bundles. I found it clunky which is why I went in the direction I did. I would guess that what is available now is more slick.
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For anyone considering doing their own inventory, the key is not just quantity of photos but pairing each one with a written condition note. Photos alone have been successfully challenged in deposit disputes where the tenant claimed damage was pre-existing. A written description alongside, for example “white wall, no visible marks, freshly painted May 2026”, tied to a date-stamped photo, is far harder to dispute.
A few things worth including that people often miss:
- Meter readings (gas, electric, water) with photos
- Condition of each smoke and CO alarm, with test confirmation
- Window keys and door keys accounted for by number
- Any existing scratches on appliances or marks on floors noted specifically
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme and DPS both have free inventory templates online that cover the right categories. The time invested upfront pays back at checkout when there is an actual dispute to resolve.
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@Vladislav1 condition and cleanliness both need recording plus defns. DIY means you don’t do this as your job or to a standard template so may not be either as objective or to the same level of detail. Was your report as detailed as following (just the hallway) - I can email you the full 78pages.
And remember you can claim it as a deduction from your landlord taxable income [assuming you earn/get taxed enough from being a LL] just like other costs [except mortgages or costs of capital improvements]
